Shashi Deshpande Quiz and Flashcards

Study Notes

Shashi Deshpande: Life and Career

Shashi Deshpande is a prominent Indian-English short story writer known for her significant contributions to both short stories and novels.
Received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1991 for her novel That Long Silence (1988).
Awarded the Thirumathi Rangammal Award for Roots and Shadows (1983) for best novel published in India (1982-1983).
Born in 1938 in Dharwad, Karnataka; her father, Sriranga, was a notable dramatist and Sanskrit scholar, influencing her writing style.
Her upbringing included a diverse mixture of languages, including Kannada, English, and Marathi.
Identifies three formative influences: her father's writing career, her English education, and her experiences as a female.
Educated in Dharwad, Mumbai, and Bangalore, attaining degrees in economics and law.
Literarily influenced by classics such as Jane Austen, Brontë sisters, Hardy, Dickens, and Indian writers like Kalidasa and Bhavabhuti.
Shifted to writing after moving to England at age thirty upon her husband’s encouragement to document her experiences.
Completed a journalism course at Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan in Mumbai and briefly worked as a journalist for The Onlooker, where she began writing short stories.
Gained initial recognition through women’s magazines like Femina and Eve’s Weekly, winning a consolation prize for her short story in Eve’s Weekly.
Authored thirteen novels, including four children's books, five short story collections, a screenplay (Drishtee, 1990), and a collection of essays.

Notable Works

The Dark Holds No Terrors (1980)
- Focuses on Sarita, a successful doctor and economically independent middle-class wife whose success creates tension with her husband, Manu.
- Themes include male ego, Indian traditions, and the challenges of female identity and independence.
If I Die Today (1982)
- A detective novel set in a medical college; involves murder and unrest stirred by a cancer patient named Guru.
- The story is narrated by Manju, who aids in unraveling the plot.
Roots and Shadows (1983)
- Centers on Indu, a modern, well-educated woman navigating the trials of a male-dominated society and her conservative husband, Jayant.
- Illustrates the struggles against traditional gender roles and the quest for individual autonomy.

Description

Explore the life and literary contributions of Shashi Deshpande, a prominent figure in Indian English literature. This quiz will illuminate her impact on the short story genre, her notable awards, and her dual strengths in both novels and short stories.