SOL DU BA PROGRAMME SOLVED QUESTION PAPER JUNE 2017

IV) Show how in the narrative ‘Girls’ the hypocritical attitude of society towards girls is exposed’

Though the story is narrated from the perspective of a young girl, Girls raises certain key issues regarding gender injustice, not only towards the girl- child, but also towards the grown-up women. The adult women are victims of discrimination in a male-dominated social ethos. These women themselves become perpetrators of further discrimination by neglecting the emotional needs of the girl-child, often making the little girls targets of abusive temper and intolerance.

Frequently snubbed and not cherished by women, the middle daughter (the narrator) of the story rebels against the prejudiced attitude of adult women. The grandmother shows marked preference for her grandson. However, on the festival of Ashtami, little girls are worshiped as “Devis”. While all the other little girls quietly participate in the celebrations, the narrator rebels sharply against it. Keenly perceiving the negative attitude towards girls in everyday life, the elements of violence and suppression meted out to female children, she refuses to be worshiped as a “Kanyakumari”. She breaks out in anguish, “When you people don’t love girls, why do you pretend to worship them?” Rejecting the ceremonial offerings, she screams, “I don’t want to be a goddess.”  Through this little girl, the author Mrinal Pande, voices her own concerns regarding gender justice, and expects the reader to sit up, think and take a just stand.

 

SOL DU BA PROGRAMME SOLVED QUESTION PAPER JUNE 2017