Postcolonial Feminist Theory: An Overview - Igcollege.org

Proceedings of National Seminar on Postmodern Literary Theory and Literature , Jan. 27-28, 2012, NandedHASMUKH. Why does a man marry? Sothat he can have a woman all to himself?No. There’s more to it than that. What?Maybe he needs a faithful companion?No. If that was it, all men would keepdogs. No, no I think the important reasonanyone should marry at all is to get a son.Why is it so important to get a son?Because the son will carry on the familyname? (Pause.) Why did I marry? Yes, toget a son. So that when I grow old, I canlive life again through my son. Why didmy father marry? To get me.(CP I 474-475)Hasmukh Mehta, forty five years old richbusinessman is a self-made man who enjoyssupreme authority at home and at his workplace. His authority at home is somewhatdisturbed by members in the family whereashe enjoys it unquestionably at his office. Hedwells on his past and remembers how he wastaught to work hard by his father. He nevercomplained against his father and followedeverything his father ordered him. He is veryproud and egoist who derides his sonwhenever he finds opportunity.HASMUKH. Today, I, Hasmukh Mehta,am one of the richest men in this city. Allby my own efforts. Forty-five years oldand I am a success in capital letters.Twenty-three years old and he is on theroad to failure, in bold capital letters! Athis age, I was a mature responsible man,not eating my father’s head nibbling atpapads!(CP I 464)He thinks that his son Ajit must alsoobey him and follow his orders. He doesn’tgive him money to invest because he thinksthat his son is spendthrift and doesn’t have anyplans for future. Ajit doesn’t have any rightover anything which belongs to his father. Ajitthinks that he has innovative ideas in his mindwhich he wants to implement but his fatherthinks that his son is a failure.AJIT. And then I can do all the thingsI’ve been wanting to do. All the changesI’ve been thinking of making ...(CP I 455)There is a generation gap of ideologiesbetween father and son. Ajit tries to rebelagainst his father’s authority in his own way.We see in him individualistic bend of mind.He wants to do or say on his own.AJIT. Nobody taught me anything! Whyis it that everything I say or do has to besomething that somebody has said me ortaught me to do! (CP I 459)He even tries to control the behaviour ofhis son after his death through his ‘will’. Hemakes every arrangement as regards hismoney, his business affairs and makes a trustby the name Hasmukh Mehta Trust andappoints Kiran Jhaveri, his former mistress,the trustee of the trust. He has made anarrangement of not to give a single rupee to hisson till he turns forty five and when hisgrandchild becomes twenty one then the trustwill be dissolved and Ajit and his heirs canhave right over money of his father. But thereare many conditions laid down according towhich he has to live his life till he turns fortyfive. If any of the members in the family triesto behave against the conditions in the ‘will’then all the money and the house they live inwill be donated to the various charitable trustsmentioned by Hasmukh Mehta in his will. Hetries to control the lives of members in thefamily through his ‘will’ after his death also.As per the conditions in the ‘will’ Ajit has togo to office regularly at 9 am and work theretill 6 pm. He has to have his lunch at his officeitself. He can’t make any decisions there andhis new projects will not be sanctioned and hewill have to obey the orders of Kiran Jhaveri.Hasmukh Mehta treats his son like a slaveand doesn’t consider that he also has hisopinions, ideas, choices and individuality. Hethinks that his son must step into his shoes andwants him to be his replica.AJIT. I mean that you want to run theshow, play Big Boss as long as you can.Or as long as God permits. And when allof a sudden, you are ‘called to a betterworld’, you will still want to play BigBoss. And you can do it through me. Inshort, you want me to be you.HASMUKH. I should have prayed for adaughter. Yes, I want you to be me!What’s wrong with being me?AJIT. And what becomes of me? The realme. I mean, if I am you, then where am I?(CP I 460)Ajit is always aware of his ownpersonality and wants to have his own identityand is struggling to find a way out. But hisfather expects his son to be a good boy who333 PLTL-2012: ISBN 978-81-920120-0-1