American International Journal of Humanities and Social Science (AIJHSS)

Using Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children and Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy, this paper argues that the restrictive rhetoric of imperialism, colonialism and nationalism worked as a subjugating force instead of an emancipating impetus that did more harm than good for the subordinate classes, in this case women. Both novels take place during India’s independence and showcase the era’s pre-eminent ideals of nationhood and nation-building.The paper argues that the novels follow the period’s conversations on nationalism and highlight how the question of women’s rights and place in the newly freed nations was a critical issue for the leaders pursuing a just democracy. I posit that this focus stemmed not from a genuine effort to promote equality of gender but from a reactionary mode of defense against critics of Indian leaders, who deemed these leaders ineffective in running a nation that would be safe for all its people, especially women and minorities.