LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 24:4 April 2024
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

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Voices of Resilience and Resistance in Babytai Kamble's
The Prisons We Broke

Manasi Maharan, Lecturer in English and
Gurudev Kushal, Lecturer in English


Courtesy: amazon.com

Abstract

This study investigates the interplay of caste, gender, and class, as well as resistance and resilience within Babytai Kamble's influential work, The Prisons We Broke. Through an in-depth analysis of the protagonist's journey and the shared experiences of the Mahar community in India, the research aims to uncover how the text portrays and interprets the intersectionality of caste, gender, and class alongside resilience and resistance. Utilizing literary analysis and historical context, the study explores both individual and collective resilience depicted in the narrative, as well as the various forms of resistance employed by the marginalized community. By examining how gender, caste, and socio-economic factors intersect with resistance, the research seeks to illuminate the complexities of navigating oppression and the importance of solidarity in addressing systemic injustices. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper comprehension of resilience and resistance themes in literature and their broader implications for social justice movements.

Keywords: Resilience, resistance, Babytai Kamble, The Prisons We Broke, Mahar community, Historical context, intersectionality, marginalized community, systemic injustices

Introduction

Dalit women, for a long time, were relegated to the lowest rungs of social hierarchies, enduring various forms of social, political, cultural, and religious prohibitions and oppressions. Often, they were treated as sub-human due to patriarchal dominance, forcing them into lives marked by extreme poverty, misery, and deprivation. Traditional Indian social and cultural norms, developed over centuries, severely limited women's autonomy and independence, especially for Dalit women who had minimal access to education, property, and even basic human dignity.

Additionally, customs like devadasi, murali, jogini, nagarvadhu, and chira facilitated the sexual exploitation of Dalit women under the guise of tradition. Consequently, Dalit women faced frequent violations of their human rights. Indian society's deep-rooted gender bias has historically hindered women from asserting their autonomy, with Dalit women facing additional discrimination within their own communities due to caste and class dynamics. This patriarchal oppression not only harmed their personal and emotional well-being but also impeded their social, political, and economic progress, relegating them to the margins of both private and public spheres. This sustained subjugation and isolation silenced Dalit women for centuries, enforced by hostile socio-cultural structures, until recently when their voices began to emerge and gain recognition.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Manasi Maharan, Lecturer in English
Bijepur Degree College, Bijepur-768032, Odisha, India
manasi.sony06@gmail.com

Gurudev Kushal, Lecturer in English
Larambha College, Larambha-768102. Odisha, India
gurujnu56@gmail.com
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