3 Review(s)

That Long Silence is a poignant and moving story of a woman’s search for her identity in a male-dominated Indian society. Summary of the Book In That Long Silence, award-winning novelist, Shashi Deshpande beautifully portrays the plight of a married Indian woman constrained by the rules and regulations of a rigid society. The book follows the life of Jaya, whose world gets disrupted when her husband is asked to leave his job. Her husband’s reputation is at stake and their future as a family in danger. Jaya is a failed writer who is constantly haunted by memories of the past. Her unhappy and frustrating marriage, disappointment in her two children, and the claustrophobia of her childhood—all begin to haunt her all of a sudden. Jaya tries to find meaning in her life as she deals with with her failures as a wife, mother and writer. Shashi Deshpande provides an intriguing portrayal of a woman desperately trying to cope with her many failures in life. About Shashi Deshpande Shashi Deshpande is an award-winning Indian novelist. She is the second daughter of Kannada dramatist, Sriranga. Born in Karnataka, she completed her education in Mumbai and Bangalore. She has a degree in Economics and Law. She was honored with the Sahitya Akademi Award for 'That Long Silence' and the Padma Shri Award in 2009. Some of her best works include The Dark Holds No Terrors, If I Die Today and Come Up and Be Dead.