This article seeks to better understand the complexities of Indian educated middle-class women during the Partition period through three Partition novels: Anita Desai’s Clear Light of Day (1980), Amitav Ghosh’s The Shadow Lines (1988) and Manju Kapur’s Difficult Daughters (1998). Despite extensive research on women in Partition, there is little focus on the group of educated middle-class women. In mainstream historical and political discourse, these women have consistently been constructed within the official discourse dominated by males. They are either “Mother India,” or the “new woman” to meet the requirements of India’s changing political atmosphere. However, by delving into the particular historical context and personal experience of the educated middle-class women in tree novels, the article argues that they continuously subvert the essentialized identities imposed upon them by different versions of official discourse. As the embodiment of Shakti, they are distinct from the archetypes of “Mother India” and the “new woman.” Instead, they create their ideal family spaces based on their personal cognition, and transcend the homogeneous gender discourse, which reflects the fluid and complex nature of female identity.

This paper offers a comparative reading of two plays, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (1949) and Ins Choi's Kim's Convenience (2001). Albert Schultz, the artistic director of Soulpepper, which staged Kim's Convenience, mentioned that the play was reminiscent of the two representative family plays, Death of a Salesman and Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun (1959). Choi's play is set in a Korean-Canadian immigrant family, and although the play was published more than half a century after Miller's play, these two share many similarities. Both plays explore family conflicts, particularly between parents and children. In each dramatic narrative, one of the two siblings experiences a serious disagreement with their father, which significantly impacts the dissolution or reconciliation of the family. Despite the time gap between the two plays, the mothers in both plays maintain traditional female roles as mediators. The similarities go beyond the domestic dynamics. Both plays simultaneously illustrate the wider social challenges that these families face, directly or indirectly. The patriarchs struggle to survive in an evolving capitalist society. These challenges transcend personal circumstances to contemporary economic, racial, and social issues from different perspectives. While there have been many studies of Death of a Salesman, it has been rare to conduct an in-depth comparative analysis between Miller's play and Kim's Convenience. The study draws connections between these plays and examines their messages for contemporary society.

Abstract: The Bildungsroman Until I Find You by contemporary American writer John Irving unfolds with Jack Burns’ tumultuous journey to uncover the mystery of his father’s prolonged absence. Set against the backdrop of a turbulent society, the narrative depicts the struggles and explorations of an individual in search of the answer to “Who am I?” Jack's twisted family relationships plunge him into a state of self-loss from a young age, and his quest for his father becomes his proactive response to the emotional and identity crises he faces. This journey aids him in rediscovering his true self and reflects Irving's profound contemplation on the relationship between the “self” and “others”— the discovery of the father ("you") is essential to Jack's self-discovery ("I") . The “you” in the novel’s title refers not only to the father Jack has long been looking for but also to the true self he has been pursuing. Through an analysis of Jack’s growth process, it becomes evident that the restoration of one’s true self is not achieved by erasing painful memories but rather by confronting and embracing all experiences, thereby shaping a complete, rich, and authentic self.

Han Kang's novel The Vegetarian explores the ethical dilemmas faced by individuals under the weight of violence, family oppression, and societal norms through the portrayal of two sisters—In-hye, the resilient and burdened older sister, and Yeong-hye, the younger sister who rejects meat and fantasizes about becoming a tree. This paper, drawing upon Emmanuel Levinas’s ethics of the Other, investigates how Yeong-hye and In-hye make radically different ethical responses when confronted with the call of the "Face of the Other." Yeong-hye, disturbed by a face in her dream, rejects eating meat and attempts to sever her ties with the violent world by adopting a "vegetarian" lifestyle and aspiring to "become a tree." This plantification is her response to the suppressed call of the "Face," seeking self-transcendence. In contrast, In-hye passively bears the responsibility of "being for the Other." Trapped in infinite responsibility, she becomes, in Levinas’s terms, a victim of the idea that "responsibility precedes freedom." The imagery of "the white bird-mother with two hands" and the black kite flying toward the storm clouds reflects In-hye’s exhaustion and despair as a mother and sister. By reflecting on the symbolic significance of "the bird" and "the tree," this paper further explores the ethical rupture and inner conflict experienced by the two sisters. The imagery of the bird and the tree symbolizes the ethical dilemmas faced by the sisters: In-hye dissolves herself in "being for the Other," while Yeong-hye decays in her plantification. The Face of the Other calls for responsibility, yet its infinite nature leads to the collapse of the subject. The paper examines the irreconcilable tensions and tragic conflicts inherent in ethical responsibility, and, through Levinas's ethical perspective, explores how human beings respond to the suffering of the Other, analyzing the unresolved tension between family, violence, and the burden of responsibility.