From Limits to Liminal Spaces A Study of Select Works of Sivakami and Imayam

Abstract

The study entitled From Limits to Liminal Spaces: A Study of Select Works of newlineSivakami and Imayam is divided into five chapters including introduction and conclusion. Chapter newlineone gives an overview of Dalit literature dealing with the oppressed class of people under Indian caste newlinesystem mentioning about Bama who wrote the first modern Dalit fiction and other contemporary Dalit newlinewriters. Sivakami s and Imayam s, works are not stories of the individuals and their tragedies but newlinestories of the Dalits struggle and their relationship with the authorities through which they produced a newlinepolitical reaction. Chapter two Silence of the Sidelines discusses how patriarchy makes itself evident in newlinevarious forms of discriminations, inequalities, hierarchies, inferior status and position of women in newlinesociety. Gender oppression is often linked with oppressions based on caste, class, community, tribe newlineand religion in Indian society and in such a society the patriarch is the principal oppressor. Chapter newlinethree Voice of the Voiceless discusses how Dalit literature is a protest literature. The Dalits have newlinebroken the silence and have made their voices heard through literature. Dalit literature is a literature newlinewritten to bring about a change in the society. The chapter Braving the Barriers deals with the newlineempowerment of Dalits. Though caste discrimination is a menace which is plaguing the society even today, newlinethere are certain ways through which the Dalits can be empowered. Empowerment is possible through their newlineeducation and unity. The final chapter concludes by saying how the Dalit writers Sivakami and newlineImayam indicate the inevitability of accepting and welcoming change in the lives of Dalits and also in newlinethe society. It is time that the Dalits realized this with their hopes and dreams in their eyes and heart. newlineAll they have to do is to step forward without fear, welcoming the change of getting their dream newlinefulfilled and their becoming empowered.