Rapid developments in different fields, together with cultural confrontations are creating a paradigmatic shift in people's understanding of selfhood and Identity. Identity is a multidimensional word. In Psychology, identity is a person's conception and expression of their individuality or group affiliations. Identity may be defined as the distinctive characteristic belonging to any given individual. The term comes from the French word 'identit ', However the formation of one's identity occurs through one's identifications with significant others (primarily with parents and other individuals during one's biographical experiences, and with 'groups' as they are perceived). In the novel Shashi Deshpande has endeavoured to show the predicaments faced by a middle-class educated women who are financially secured and are aware of their rights but are still in confusion regarding their real identity and yet continues silence.
Research Scholar, Department of English, Magadh University, Bodh-Gaya
