Raising Voice through Cybernetics in Mukherjee's Miss New India
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Abstract
This research explores the issue of how Bharati Mukherjee's Miss New Indiaexplores
woman's empowerment. Mukherjee draws her theme from the Hindu society of India which
stands for the patriarchal ethos of Anjali Bose, the major character of the novel. She engages
herself in cybernetic space so as to get rid of patriarchal compulsion of marriage. There she
encounters a teacher, Mr. Champion who has been living in Indian society but by origin he is
from USA. Mr. Champion teaches her about her potential capability to challenge the so-called
patriarchy. He, time and again, encourages her so as to make her bold and reject the patriarchal
chains laden upon her. Accordingly, she flies from Gauripur to Bangalore and works in the call
centers. There she makes use of technological instruments like computer, Internet, mobile
phones, etc. At the same time, she becomes aware of her class, ethnicity and gender. So, she
becomes aware of her identity, subjectivity, self and existence. Her act of rejecting the marriage
proposal for several times proves that she wants to establish her own identity and does not want
to remain under somebody's grip. The incorporation of technology makes it possible for her to
identify her potential qualities and reject the old hypothetical and patriarchal norms. Her journey
is no other than the world of ignorance to the world of consciousness and identity.