Representation of Food: A Study of Margaret Atwood's "The Edible Woman" and Anita Desai's "Fasting, Feasting"

Table of Contents

• CHAPTER I: Introduction
• Indian Writing in English
• CHAPTER II: The Edible Woman
• CHAPTER III: Fasting, Feasting
• CHAPTER IV: Conclusion

Objectives and Key Themes

This dissertation analyzes the representation of food in Margaret Atwood's "The Edible Woman" and Anita Desai's "Fasting, Feasting." It explores how these novels depict the condition of women in patriarchal societies and how food becomes a tool for power politics and a symbol of identity within these contexts.

• The role of food in shaping female identity and agency
• The use of food as a symbol of power dynamics and social control
• The exploration of cultural differences through the representation of food
• The impact of patriarchal structures on women's experiences with food

Chapter Summaries

Chapter I: Introduction provides a general overview of Indian and Canadian literature, particularly focusing on women's writing in the 1960s. It also introduces the concept of cultural studies and discusses the various levels of meaning associated with food, including biological, sociological, and psychological.

Chapter II: The Edible Woman examines Atwood's novel, exploring the use of food imagery and the protagonist's relationship with her own body and her identity as a consumable entity.

Chapter III: Fasting, Feasting delves into Desai's novel, highlighting the significance of food in the narrative and the interconnectedness of food and womanhood. The chapter also analyzes the contrasting representations of Indian and American cultures through food.

Keywords

The key terms of this study include food, representation, women's writing, power dynamics, cultural differences, identity, and the novels of Margaret Atwood and Anita Desai.