That Long Silence by Shashi Deshpande is a novel about Jaya, a middle-class Indian woman who is struggling to find meaning and fulfillment in her life. Jaya is a dutiful wife and mother who has sacrificed her own dreams and aspirations for the sake of her family, but as her children grow up and leave home, she finds herself questioning the choices she has made. Jaya begins to reflect on her past and her relationships with her husband, her parents, and her friends, and she realizes that she has been living a life that is not truly her own. As she grapples with these feelings of disillusionment and frustration, Jaya begins to explore her own desires and passions, and she begins to take steps to assert her independence and reclaim her sense of self. The novel is a powerful exploration of gender roles, identity, and the pressures of societal expectations, and is known for its nuanced portrayal of the experiences of middle-class Indian women.
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