Gender Representation in Postcolonial Literature: Salman Rushdie's Midnight ' s Children

Abstract

The present study deals with the portrayal of gender in Postcolonial literature in the work of Salman Rushdie Midnight's Children. In his novel midnight‘s children, Salman Rushdie sheds the light on pre-independence and post-independence Indian society. Accordingly, he illustrates the status of gender in Indian society with regard to its beliefs, religions and customs. This presentation effects readers' and critics' perspectives and interpretations. The research under investigation aims at examining the gender presentation in postcolonial literature and the way Rushdie portrays contrasting images to men and women. We followed the descriptive approach to arrive at this embodiment depending on his physical, psychological, familial and supernatural characterizations. This study consists of two chapters. The first chapter theoretically addresses the gender issue in Postcolonial Literature; containing three sections. The first section deals with the historical and literary background of Postcolonialism and Postcolonial Literature. The second one presents the concept of sex and gender, gender stereotypes and itsmain role theories. It also treats the concept of gender in Literature, Postcolonial feminist studies and the way Postcolonial writers present the male and female elements in their literary works. The third one presents the actual gender status in India after independence and their intergenerational family relationships as well as their issue of violence. The second chapter is the practical onewhich examines gender portrayal, containing two sections. The first one views Rushdie's profile,the plot summary and the theme of gender.Whereas, the second one analyses the images he projected to his characters. Thereby, this portrayal through the eyes of SaleemSinai mismatches the actual gender status in Postcolonial Literature and Indian society.