77. Anjana Thampi

Abstract 77
Anjana Thampi    

Towards Transcending Tradition: Women in Shaila Abdullah’s  Beyond the Cayenne Wall

Abstract

Shaila Abdullah, born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1971 is an award-winning Pakistani-American author based in Austin, Texas. Her works focus on the everyday lives of Pakistani women and their often unconventional choices in life. Her debut book, Beyond the Cayenne Wall(2005) is a collection of stories about Pakistani women struggling to carve a niche for themselves amidst the barriers imposed by the traditional society. The collection won the Norumbega Jury Prize for Outstanding Fiction and the DIY Book Festival Award, among other accolades. She has published several short stories, articles and essays for various publications including Sulekha, She and Women’s Own.

Beyond the Cayenne Wall can be considered as a collection of stories expressing positions of dissent and discontent since it breaks down the notion of Pakistani women being weak and submissive. This paper proposes to examine how the women characters, while confronting adverse circumstances in their lives, find their voices and emerge powerful enough to redefine their lives, irrespective of their social positions. They realize that the transition has to come from within and their indomitable courage and resilience help them to break free from the restraints imposed by culture and tradition. Each of the women protagonists evinces the spirit of a fighter or survivor who struggles hard to bring about a positive change in life.