Ph.D Theses

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Disabled by Body or by Barriers? A Social Model of Disability Analysis in Jean Little’s Selected Works
(Avinashilingam, 2024-03) Srimathi S; Anjum Khan M
Canadian literature in disability studies explores the themes of identity, disability, and societal views from a variety of viewpoints and voices. Indeed, the inclusion of characters with disabilities in Canadian literature has helped to build empathy and an appreciation for a range of viewpoints in the classroom. For children with disabilities, education is essential because it enhances their language ability, promotes communication, and progresses their cognitive development. Consequently, they advocate for inclusivity and empowerment. The Canadian writer Jean Little made a big impact on literature by writing about the difficulties experienced by children with disabilities. Little's disability- related works highlight the significance of comprehending and meeting the educational requirements of children with impairments. Through her work, Little has contributed to a greater understanding of diversity and the special educational needs of children with disabilities. She frequently draws attention to the difficulties experienced by individuals with disabilities in her writings, as well as the important role that assistive technology plays in improving their quality of life. The Social Model of Disability is used in her writings to highlight the difficulties and limitations faced by children with disabilities. To establish an inclusive and accessible society for people with disabilities, this study places a strong emphasis on changing societal structures, attitudes, and policies. To assess the efficacy of education, particularly special education and inclusive education, as reflected in Little's writings, this study will analyse social attitudes, depictions of inaccessible systems within her narratives and insights, and identify areas in need of additional development. It also seeks to take stories and observations from Jean Little's writings to offer a thorough analysis of the difficulties and solutions associated with disability in the context of her fiction and nonfiction writing.
Empowerment through Resistance: Women in the Novels of Manju Kapur
(Avinashilingam, 2023-11) Swetha S; Dr. Chitra Sivasubramaniam
The literary endeavours of Indian women writers give voice to the anguish, aspirations, and assertions of women. Indian women in the contemporary times are in a conflicting state where they are trapped between the pressure of traditions and the advancement of modernity. The fictional narratives of Manju Kapur propagate to redefine the status of Indian women and liberate them from the conventional social structures of the past which is the need of the hour. The ultimate goal of Manju Kapur’s writings is to eliminate the destructive and claustrophobic socio-cultural restrictions that continue to deny new opportunities for women. Manju Kapur emphasizes the need for emancipation of women from man-made social and cultural principles to lay a strong foundation for a healthy, peaceful, and prosperous world. She expects a transition in Indian society to necessitate a better living environment where every individual enjoys equal respect irrespective of their gender. The novelist, through the representation of her women protagonists, take efforts to break the gender boundaries that cripple women’s competency and potential in the familial, professional, and public spheres. She wants to annihilate prejudiced parental upbringing, domestic violence, marital subjugation, and workplace challenges to create a secured familial milieu and safe work environments to preserve women’s eminence and integrity. She envisions that the ‘Women Power’ of India has the ability and authority to adorn the nation with a prestigious status around the globe. The literary contributions of Manju Kapur serve to acknowledge women’s selfhood and honour the uniqueness of womanhood that contributes to the enrichment of the country’s cultural heritage.
Fantasy and Reality at Crossroads: Exploring Mythical and Mortal Worlds in Select Novels of Rick Riordan
(Avinashilingam, 2024-12) Devika Kakkat; Guide - Dr. Chitra Sivasubramaniam
Rick Riordan’s children’s fantasy adventure, Greek mythological retelling series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, a major popular fiction sensation, has captured a place in mainstream status in the world of literature. A deep dive into the plot and narrative structures of the first five novels in the series, The Lightning Their (2005), The Sea of Monsters (2006), The Titan’s Curse (2007), The Battle of the Labyrinth (2008), and The Last Olympian (2008) using the theories of Julia Kristeva’s Intertextuality, William H. Gass’s Metafiction, Linda Hutcheon’s Historiographic Metafiction, Jean Francois Lyotard’s Incredulity towards metanarratives, the conventional models – Gustav Freytag’s ‘Freytag pyramid’, Northrop Frye’s criticism of myth, John Gardner’s ‘Fichtean Curve’, Tzvetan Todorov’s narrative theory of equilibrium, Vladimir Propp’s narrative structure, Joseph Campbell’s ‘monomyth’ or the Hero’s Journey, John Clute’s structure of fantasy, and Christopher Vogler’s ‘Mythic Structure’ and character functions as identified by Vladimir Propp, Joseph Campbell, Christopher Vogler, and A. J. Greimas’s concept of actants, help to illuminate the elements of fantasy in the plot of the select novels with the potential to be transcribed into the reality of readers, thereby cementing it’s significance among readers of all age groups. The realistic themes represented in its mesmerising armoury of fictional, mythical world like social justice, diversity and inclusivity, ecology, dark themes such as the death and loss of loved ones, psychology, emotions, and contemporary concerns of growing up cements it’s status as a narrative self-portrait and a reviser of grand narrative traditions. The study demonstrates a subversion of the conventional structural and narrative models in the select novels that provide authentic voices which are reflective of true life. It highlights the transformative power of children’s fantasy literature, suggesting alternative ways of thinking through aesthetic and social advocacy that instils the message of living with the awareness of one’s culture.
Navigating Bias: A Critical Examination of Beverley Brenna’s Select Works
(2024-04) Banumathi J; Dr. M. Anjum Khan
Disability is a pervasive and deeply personal aspect of human existence, spanning across cultures and epochs. Despite its longstanding presence, the discrimination faced by individuals with disabilities stems not from inherent individual biases, but from entrenched social ideologies. However, the scholarly exploration of disability, particularly within the realm of literature, remains a relatively nascent field of interdisciplinary inquiry. This Ph.D. thesis aims to delve into the underexplored domain of disability literary studies, focusing on the works of Canadian author Beverley Brenna. Notably, Brenna’s unique perspective as both a writer and a special educator imbues her narratives with a richness derived from firsthand experience. Her deliberate inclusion of characters with disabilities serves not only to provide representation for disabled readers but also to cultivate understanding and normalisation among able-bodied readers. Through an analysis of selected works by Brenna, this study seeks to illuminate the pervasive influence of ableism—the systemic discrimination against individuals with disabilities—and explore avenues for its mitigation. Components such as normativity, stigma, and inclusivity will be examined to elucidate the complex dynamics of the ability divide and propose strategies for fostering greater equity and acceptance within society.
Provincial Patterns of Alice Munro and Ruskin Bond’s Select Short Stories: A Comparative Analysis
(Avinashilingam, 2024-05) Jayasri R; Dr. M. Anjum Khan
Literature, in forms like novels, short stories, essays, and dramas, reflects human experiences, forging a connection through emotions. The short story genre, originating from various narrative forms, follows a structure of exposition, complication, climax, and resolution, but its modern interpretation includes broader elements like plot, characters, setting, and theme. Canadian short fiction provides a distinct perspective on global issues, often exploring identity, diversity, and the Canadian landscape. Alice Munro, a renowned Canadian author, delves into universal truths, transforming ordinary occurrences into extraordinary tales, with her unique approach to characters, setting, language, style, and themes. Similarly, Indian short fiction highlights tradition, culture, and nature, emphasizing the country’s landscapes. Ruskin Bond’s stories, set in the Indian Himalayas, resonate deeply, characterized by distinctive elements of character, setting, language, style, and theme, carving out a significant place in Indian literature. This research examines the application of Comparative Literature and the Transactional Model’s Aesthetic Reading Theory, drawing from Susan Basnett’s Comparative Literature: A Critical Introduction and Dr. S. Chellaiah’s Comparative Literature: Its Theory and Practice, as well as Ihab Hassan’s Parallelism theory. It integrates Louise M. Rosenblatt’s transactional model from The Reader, The Text, The Poem: The Transactional Theory of the Literary Work, focusing on Aesthetic Reading, to analyse selected short stories. Twenty-nine short stories from collections by Alice Munro and Ruskin Bond serve as primary texts. The research aims to analyse the depiction of provincial life in Munro and Bond’s works, comparing Canadian and Indian contexts. It also aims to identify and study similarities in their writing styles regarding provincial life portrayal.
Refugeehood Dematerialised: An Analysis of Agency in Select Refugee Narratives
(Avinashilingam, 2025-05) N. Lavanya; Guide - Dr. M. Anjum Khan
Refugee narratives in English literature encapsulate the extensive problems of the individuals on becoming non- citizens due to several reasons. These narratives examine the factors that lead to statelessness and explores their predicament as refugees, internally displaced persons, asylum seekers or immigrants. The narratives written by refugees themselves or an author with personal interest and proper research on refugees, provide authentic depiction of their ordeal. Further, these literary works advocate for solutions, urging those in power and society at large to take meaningful steps toward improving the lives of refugees. As a result, the present thesis scrutinises seven such refugee narratives: A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi, The Boat People by Sharon Bala, First, They Erased Our Name by Habiburahman, Little Daughter by Zoya Phan, City of Thorns by Ben Rawlence, How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiyimana, and The Milk of Birds by Sylvia Whitman, which includes memoirs, biographies and fiction. The thesis makes a modest attempt to investigate into refugee crisis with special focus on human agency. It uses Hannah Arendt’s theoretical concept, namely, ‘statelessness,’ ‘right to have rights,’ ‘banality of evil’ and ‘plurality’. The thesis identifies that refugeehood remains a profound challenge, stripping individuals of their political, social, cultural, economic, legal, and bodily agency. It critically examines the erosion of these forms of agency and explores refugees’ resilience through the assertion of autonomy and through their continuing struggle for survival in the face of systemic and enduring adversity with the help of political theories of Hannah Arendt. It also tries to contemplate on few possible solutions for alleviating the hardships of refugees all over the world.

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