Identify Formation through Sub-Version of Gender Roles in Nair's Ladies Coupe

Abstract

This research work explores Anita Nair’s Novel Ladies Coupe (2001), as an empowerment of women to form new identity, who are constrained by traditional gender roles of a patriarchal society. The female characters in Nair’s novel struggle for their independence by violating the century long patriarchal norms and values. However, this thesis examines the female protagonist’s subversion of traditional gender roles to discover their real identity. The protagonist of the novel, Akhila’s radical movement of getting one way ticket and the reaction of other six female co-passengers is the evidence of resistance or subversion. This study depicts an attempt to show, how in life, suppression and oppression always paves the way to formulate the rebel attitude in the victims, which do not always come in recognizable forms, but often under the disguise of love, protection and the assurance of security. The study further shows female subversion or resistance against the male dominated society and move forward in their own way of freedom.