Abstract: Planetary Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities Research

Abstract:
This paper explores the theme of female selfhood and identity through a comparative literary analysis of Manju Kapur’s and Gloria Naylor’s novels. Framed within the evolution of feminist philosophy—from classical to as sertive and accommodative feminism—the study investigates how women confront societal norms to assert their existential autonomy. It focuses on the existential dilemmas and psychological struggles faced by female protag onists as daughters, wives, mothers, and sisters in both Indian and Afro-American cultural contexts. The study draws on Simone de Beauvoir’s theory of the "Other" and integrates existentialist thought to examine the ways in which these women challenge the constraints imposed by patriarchy, race, and tradition. Through characters like Virmati, Astha, Mattie, and Sadie, the paper reveals how self-realization emerges from resilience, rebellion, and the redefinition of traditional roles. Ultimately, the paper posits that both Kapur and Naylor depict women as agents of change who reclaim their subjectivity and become saviours of their own lives within oppressive so cio-cultural systems.