The Final Solution: Mallika represents the condition of women after the Partition

The Final Solution

Manik Bandopadhyay

Q. How does Mallika, in Manik Bandopadhyay’s ‘The Final Solution’, represent the condition of women after the Partition?

Answer: "The Final Solution" is a famous story by the Indian writer, Manik Bandopadhyay. In this story, the female protagonist is Mallika. She represents the struggles of the female race after the partition of Bengal. She is a hard worker and has a sense of patriarchal dominance over her own life.

Mallika is represented as a woman who tries to be free from the traditional gender roles and expectations. Her influence is limited by the social norms of the time. Her presence in the story speaks for the woman. According to her view, women should not be subservient to men. However, throughout the story, Mallika represents the condition of women after the partition in various ways.

Mallika is a complex character in "The Final Solution". She represents the modern, independent women of her time. She is trying to find her place in a changing society. She is unmarried and works as a teacher. Her profession is not a conventional occupation for women in the patriarchal society of Bengal at that time.

Mallika is totally independent. She is represented quite differently from the traditional gender roles and expectations. After the partition, Mallika is forced to flee from her home along with thousands of other refugees. She has to leave behind everything. She finds herself in a new and unfamiliar world. Her new world is infused with many dangers and uncertainties.

But at that time, she is not actually the confident and independent woman that she seems to be. Rather, she is vulnerable and scared. She is unsure of what the future holds. She struggles so hard to live in a society. She has gone through the loss of her home, family, and identity.

After the partition of Bengal, Mallika experiences the weakness of women living in society. She realizes that a woman's life is full of conflicts and obstacles. Women are often subjected to sexual harassment and assault in certain situations. But Mallika takes advantage of the chaos and lawlessness that prevailed after the partition.

Mallika is not protected from this reality. She is easily subjected to unwanted advances by men who see her as an easy target. She is forced to rely on men for protection and survival. But in reality, it was a difficult task for someone who tries to value her independence.

Thus, Mallika’s character in "The Final Solution" is a powerful representation of the pathetic condition of women after the partition. But, she represents the resilience and strength of women in the face of adversity. She also represents the vulnerability and hardships that women face in times of conflict and displacement. Her story is a remainder of struggle. She struggles for gender equality. She saw that women’s rights must be protected in all circumstances.

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