Memories of an Indian Woman Critique - Book Report/Review Example

Book review The work of Mazumdar is one that gives detailed accounts of the experiences Indian women face. So as to bring out the clear experiences of the Indian women, Mazumdar uses the example of Shudha Mazumdar, an Indian girl born of Indian parents. With the help of other sources, this essay will compile a report of Mazumdar accounts, in an attempt to understand the plight of the woman even in the era where globalization and equality govern the manner in which people live. The book recounts the story of Shudha Mazumdar who was born of a father who thought that instilling the Western values that he had acquired would be fit for his daughter. On the other hand, it is evident that Shudha’s mother was still immersed in the Indian culture and prevent all means that would lead to her daughter being Europeanized. It is this aspect that explains why Shudha’s mother was of the opinion that her daughter was ready was marriage at the age of thirteen (Mazumdar 3-4). However, in the long run, Shudha would go with her father’s wishes to extent that she became a liberalized woman and became a writer. Shudha was also to get to the level of a delegate with the International Labor Organization to represent the Indians (Mazumdar 221). She was also not afraid of being a member of social service organizations. The changing role of women From the example of Shudha, various aspects can be depicted from her story. Among the notable themes include the changing role of women in the society. Since time immemorial women have mostly been secluded and forced to operate form the private sphere, and the men would at all times ensure that they dominate them. The society that is patriarchal in nature, has always ensured that the women are always undermined and that they do not advanced beyond the home. This explains why a great percentage of women at a very tender age are married off so as they can begin their life as a caregiver to the children and her husband (Forbes & Forbes 29-30). A good example is that of Shudha who was to be married off at the age of thirteen just as culture depicted (Mazumdar 3-4). The fact that it is Shudha’ mother that was of the motive that she be married off, explains how much women have been consumed by culture that does not advance them in any way, but makes sure that they are continually dominated and controlled by the societal values. However, the example of Shudha is one that gives a perfect example of emancipated women. Being an Indian as Ramusack & Burton put it, the case was quite complex, as the author clearly explains how the Indians are extremely submerged in their culture and an aggressive woman is simply termed as a wayward woman (474-475). Nonetheless, with the help of her father, Shudha was able to go beyond the cultural expectations of the Indians and fight for her rights as an “emancipated Indian woman”, not as an “emaciated Indian woman.” The case of Shudha is one that is supported by Ramusack & Burton who write that the changing statuses of Bengali women is one that explains the changing statuses of these women (474-475). The Bengali women have been indicated to enroll in medical school that has seen the graduation of these women from medical school. This explains how the women have adopted change in the society that had previously been dominated by men. In the case of the field of Medicine, this profession has long been termed as one that is of the men, but the Bengali women have proven the contrary societal opinion (Ramusack & Burton 474-475). Ramusack & Burton is also of the opinion that the seclusion of the women from the public sphere was a way of sparing them from the political impurity that existed in the public sphere (471). A closer analysis of this supposition clearly explains that the Hindu Men only sort out a problem for their own satisfaction and did not involve the women in solving this problem at all. It is also apparent that the men were not only dominant in the public but also in the homes, where they continued to enforce the patriarchal systems in the society. Since the women were expected to respect their husbands without question, it is clear why the women has continued to be the weaker gender for a long time. Social reform The theme of social reform can be well brought out in the work of Mazumdar. On light with this theme, it is evident that social reforms has not been possible in a society full of prejudices and discrimination on one gender (Mazumdar xi). For the case of the Indian women, their situation was worse as the society had its own developed patriarchal structures (Mazumdar xvii). The social reform programs of the Indian women were faced with lots of challenges as would be borrowed from the case of Sandhu who had to face with the existing attitudes that had shaped the Indian history since its beginning. As if not enough the effects of colonialism had to be endured more by the women as they had to survive with the structures instituted. An assessment of the situation of the Indian women as would be borrowed from Forbes & Forbes, the compilation explains the struggles that women have undergone to deal with the existing societal structures (30). Sandhu is a good example of an uprising towards social reforms; though her efforts were faced with numerous challenges. What constitutes the Indian society remains a major question since women are still indicated to suffer a great deal under the existing social structures as Sandhu’s case study is anything to highlight. Sandhu did not go through a smooth ride towards achieving her dreams even considering the aspect that her own mother was against her achieving her dreams and going against the set social rules and expectations. Masculinity and the Indian society Masculinity refers to the societal constructions that place the men at a higher hierarchy than the women. Through masculine constructions, men have been socialized to be tough, aggressive, dominating and tough in their actions. However there are men that display a different form of masculinity that does not force them to be “act like a man” but do what please them. The work of Mazumdar, presents the theme of masculinity in a detailed manner. The aggressive form of masculinity is well presented as well as the softer form of masculinity that has seen a lot of men not follow the set rules of being a man in the society (Mazumdar xii-xvii). In terms of the emancipated men, Sandhu’s father and husband are a good example. Mazumdar writes that Sandhu’s father was on the frontline to make sure that her daughter would rise beyond what the Indian culture expected of the women (3-4). Her husband and father encouraged Sandhu to go to school and achieve her educational goals (Mazumdar 47-50). This encouraged was directed at ensuring that Sandhu does not become a victim of her culture, but am example that would be emulated by all other women The society, on the other hand, is one that represents emaciated masculinity that holds on to the thought that men have to struggle to display their manliness through control, aggressiveness and even dominating the weaker gender, the women. Mazumdar indicates that Sandhu’s community is one that was full of men with patriarchal beliefs and culture that was directed at dominating the women and making sure that they do not advance their status, but simply retain their status quo in the private sphere (xvi). It is at this juncture worth arguing that social reforms are vital if the men have to embrace the new culture of women that is courageous enough to join the men in the public sphere. Nationalist politics and the restructuring of the society As seen in the research conducted by Ramusack & Burton, an analysis of the women’s statuses cannot be alienated from a study of the nationalistic politics (472). Geraldine Forbes also brings in an interesting concept of women and suffrage and nationalist politics. Ramusack & Burton explain that the nationalistic politics have been responsible for the classification of the society in such a manner that the women were confined in the private sphere (476). This line of thought can be validated by using the example of Sandhu whose hopes were based on her early marriage with her husband, and even run her family at her tender age. Mazumdar explains the extent in the politics of the day event to make sure that the women did not advance much. It is devastating how a young girl of thirteen years is expected to start a family and also care for the family as opposed to venturing in activities that would make her future brighter (45, 221). Ramusack & Burton write that after the politics of India, the women were termed as the mothers of the nation (476). This aspect clearly explains the place of the woman in the society and the institutions that perpetuate her domination are not in any way near reconstruction. In fact, one would argue that even after attaining independence, the women were still going through a silent form of colonization that was not in line with the feminists’ idea of enlightening and empowering the women for progress (Ramusack & Burton 476; Forbes 144). An assessment of the status of the women in the post-colonial period explains how much the society has put to allow the creation of systems that will continually place the women at the lowest hierarchies in the societal bar (Pande 330). It is this aspect that validates the reason why Sandhu mother was on the frontline to force her daughter into marriage, even at her tender age (Mazumdar 3-4). It is only normal that after going through the societal discrimination, Sandhu’s mother is well aware that her daughter’s life would only be successful and peaceful if she followed I her footsteps. This representation and culmination of thoughts can solely be directed to the existing systems that created conditions that would continually dominate the women through the nationalistic politics. The building hope of the rescue of women Forbes indicates that despite the numerous collections of writings that have reported on the devastating statuses of women in Asia and even Africa, it is worth to note that women have moved a notch higher in not only demanding for their rights but also in fighting for the same rights (1). This line of thought is shared by the Mazumdar’s work that explains how the women have stood up to fight for their rights and even have careers juts like Sandhu got to the level of being a member of the International Labor Organization (Mazumdar 221). If the women are continually rescued, Geraldine Forbes is optimistic of the fact that the path to equality of men and women is already set and has good grounds for thriving (Forbes 1). The author also writes that the reports on the worst encounters of the Indian women need not discourage the path to equality as it is only normal that all journeys have their start, and the women, especially the Indian women have made a remarkable start towards improving their statuses (Forbes 1). In fact Geraldine Forbes is of the thought the post-colonial India gives a deeper insight on the plight of women and the developments that have taken place since then are remarkable (Forbes 1). A closer scrutiny of this development simply explains that women have moved steps ahead towards achieving equality and with reports of many of them defying the set societal expectations is a glimpse of a bright future ahead for women in general. The tales told now, are no longer tales of tribulations, and the tale of Sandhu is a percent example of a brighter future for the Indian women. Conclusion In Conclusion, the work of Mazumdar is one that gives a deeper insight on the plight of the Indian women in the society that is not only run through patriarchal systems, but one that is dominate by the colonial culture of domination. However, from the work, one can easily attests to the struggles that the Indian women have gone through in an endeavor to get to an equal status with the men women have been seen to access education, even to higher institutions of learning and even take up courses that had previously been termed as male dominated fields. Mazumdar’s work also brings in an interesting concept that explains that the society is reforming to an extent that men are now welcoming the contribution of women as equal partners in the society, as opposed to the time when the men thought that the women were actually tools of domination that they would dominate. The woman is no longer a victim, but can be described as an active contributor in the society which indeed requires their services. It is in this context worth to conclude that Sandhu Mazumdar is a perfect example of women that have taken the initiative to defy the norms to work based on their beliefs not the societal expectations. In fact, Sandhu Mazumdar is an example of the possibility of an equal society for both the men and women, but only of conditions are set for equal participation to occur. Works Cited Forbes, Geraldine & Forbes, Geraldine Hancock. Women in Modern India, Volume 4. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Print.   Forbes, Geraldine. “Women of India”. Uniview magazine, 7 Jun. 2011. Web. 25 Nov. 2014. < http://medienportal.univie.ac.at/uniview/professuren/detailansicht/artikel/geraldine-forbes-women-of-india/> Forbes, Geraldine. Women in Colonial India: Essays on Politics, Medicine, and Historiography NY: Orient Blackswan, 2005. Print. Mazumdar, Shudha. Memories of an Indian Woman. New York: M.E. Sharpe, 1995. Print. Pande, Rekha. A Journey into Womens Studies: Crossing Interdisciplinary Boundaries. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. Print. Ramusack, Barbara. & Burton, Antoinette. (19994). Feminism, imperialism and race: a dialogue between India and Britain. Womens History Review, 3(4), 469-481. Doi: 10.1080/09612029400200065. Read More