Unveiling Male Silence in
Jhumpa Lahiri's novel The Lowland
Sukhwinder Kaur
ABSTRACT
This paper looks closely at the
theme of male silence in Jhumpa Lahiri's novel The Lowland,
focusing on the characters Subhash and Udayan. It explores how their
silence is connected to experiences like emotional pain, moving to a
new culture, and family responsibilities. Using ideas from studies
on masculinity, trauma, and postcolonialism, the paper shows how
these men keep their emotions hidden, which leads to problems in
their relationships and sense of identity. Lahiri shows that silence
is not just the lack of speech, but a powerful and sometimes harmful
force created by what society expects from men. Subhash hides his
feelings all his life, and Udayan keeps quiet about his political
beliefs - both suffer because of this. The paper points out that
silence in literature can carry deep meaning, especially in stories
about migration and postcolonial life, where what is left unsaid
plays a big role in shaping lives and family histories.
Keywords: Jhumpa Lahiri, The Lowland, male silence, masculinity studies, trauma theory, postcolonial literature, emotional suppression, diaspora.
