Portrayal of Feminist Thought and Women's Self-Determination in the Novels of Preeti Shenoy

Abstract

The research paper examines the portrayal of feminist thought and women's self-determination in the contemporary Indian English novels of Preeti Shenoy. It focuses on the works of The Secret Wish List and The Rule Breakers. It shows how Shenoy's stories illustrate women's attempts to achieve autonomy within deeply ingrained patriarchal structures by close textual analysis and feminist literary theory. Preeti Shenoy's characters represent the idea of the "New Woman" in modern Indian society, balancing gender norms while claiming personal autonomy and seeking fulfilment. The paper contends that Preeti Shenoy's novels treat gender, sexuality and intimacy as sites of resistance and self-discovery. It is making a substantial contribution to the conversation on women's liberation in Post-Independence Indian English literature. It draws on existentialist feminism, gender performance theory and social penetration theory. The finding of the research is that Preeti Shenoy's novels challenges patriarchal norms through narratives of incremental assertion. It is positioning self-determination not as a singular rupture but as a continuous process of decision-making within familial and social spheres.