Betrayal and Suffering: A Study of Nayantara Sahgal’s Novel Rich Like US

Pages:109-112
Sushila and Sangeeta Ahuja (Department of English, Baba Mastnath University, Asthal Bahar, Rohtak, Haryana)

Indian society has been male-dominated from ancient times. Man is taken as superior and woman as inferior and subordinate. In the patriarchal society father, husband and other males treat women as their property that can be owned, controlled and dispose off in the way they like. Women are not given opportunity equal to men. In such society we get the masculine definition of ideas and images of women. Although the women are almost fifty percent of total population yet they bear the brunt of human rights violation and endure some of the worst atrocities committed by men. They are by nature very sensitive, sacrificing and home-makers. In each community, nationality and class the burden of hardship often falls disproportionately on the women. There is a deeply unequal burden of sharing of burden of adversities between men and women. Gender inequality exists even in the high class society of our country. This inequality between man and woman directly involves matters of life and death. It is visible in the matter of bringing up of girls as compared to the boys. There is biasness in the matter of care and health and nutrition. As a result mortality rate is very high among the female in childhood. So there is majority of men in total population. In those societies where there is no or little bias against women in health, care and nutrition there is majority of majority.