A Multidisciplinary Research Journal - Devanga Arts College

Basically though she is against the traditional way of life of a normal woman, she is
against the slavish passivity imposed upon by her authoritarian father. She changes her self-
concept out side her home to lead an active life and establish her identity. Because of an
uncongenial atmosphere with her father at home, she is not able to integrate the self-concepts
formed by her at home and outside the home. As a result like her mother, she fails to find her
identity.
Nirmala and Sudha suffer under the problems of what they should and who they should
or indeed might be or become. They are forced to find their new identities in the changing
world. But they sadly lack discretion and are in constant dilemma in their cultural stands. They
are not able to creatively design and implement a satisfactory style of life for themselves as they
lack the urge to become to grow, to seek unity and to become self-actualizing.
They do not know who or what they are or where they belong.
As a result, they may drop out of the normal life sequence,
education job, marriage – and seek a negative identity, one
Opposite to that prescribed by society. Such an adolescent may
become a delinquent or withdraw in isolation to a drugged state. (Schultz 170)
Both Nirmala and Sudha suffer constantly from frustrations as there is discrepancy between
their basic and ideal concepts. They sea themselves falling far short of their ideals by resorting
to the wrong means of mal-adjustment and losing their identity.
In the conflict with the men, Nirmala and Sudha are not able, to rationally attend to the
present and plan for the future to fashion their own identity. In their fight against the men to
establish their rights and their equalitarian role they would have ofcourse succeeded if they do
not have conflict between basic self and ideal self. Nirmala’s basic self that is her traditional self
is against Manohar’s acquired ideal self which seeks a sophisticated way of life in the Ultra-
modern Society. When the change has come over both Nirmala and Monohar in the given social
situation, Manohar’s basic self is against Nirmala’s acquired ideal self to play the unfamiliar role
of a woman.
As Nirmala is in conflict with her husband, Sudha has to suffer from her conflict with her
authoritarian father. Sudha’s ideal self which rebels against the slavish passivity of a woman
imposed upon her by her father is against her father’s basic and traditional self.