Vol. 5, Issue 2, Part A (2023)

This study explores how feminist realism is embodied in Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence, a seminal work in Indian English fiction. Deshpande’s narrative approach avoids romanticisation and ideological overstatement, instead presenting an unembellished portrayal of women’s domestic, psychological, and social realities. Framed within the concept of feminist realism, the paper examines the protagonist Jaya’s evolution from submissive silence to an emerging sense of self-expression. Her journey reflects the tensions faced by urban middle-class Indian women-balancing entrenched patriarchal expectations with the pursuit of individuality and autonomy.
Methodologically, the paper combines a close textual reading with insights from relevant critical scholarship. It contends that That Long Silence does not conform to simplified gender dichotomies but instead offers a layered account of female subjectivity shaped by cultural and historical contexts. Deshpande’s work articulates a version of feminist realism that is both personally intimate and broadly relatable, positioning her as a distinctive voice in feminist fiction and realist narrative traditions.