TOXIC MASCULINITY: A STUDY OF THE CASE OF NAJMA IN ANITA NAIR’S NOVEL EATING WASPS

We are surprised to hear women's daily experiences of violence. In our day to day scenario, we often witness trivial and horrid incidents of violence against women such as stalking, domestic violence, sexual harassment, acid attack, rape and so forth. In most cases, these are the result of toxicism of masculinity. Very often we observe that masculinity that is a positive aspect turns into a negative one because of its misconception formed in men's mind that perverts their mindset. The objective of my present research paper is to analyse the toxicism of masculinity, how much it is deep seated in men's disposition in the name of being masculine or ‘a man' that it has jeopardised the lives of women. In the novel Eating Wasps Anita Nair has brought together various wrenching issues that poison the lives of women across all religion, caste, class and age group. She writes with acute sensibility of a realist and explores the most recent issues of women convincingly. It seems she writes what she observes. The novel is an observation of the suffrage of women as is seen in our today's scenario. An analysis of the case of Najma in Nair's Eating Wasps gives an insight into how toxic masculinity can canker the lives of women in our patriarchal structure of society that hold masculinity in high esteem and corrupts the concept of what it means to be ‘a man'. The paper also aims to find out some solutions to combat toxicism of masculinity. An inductive research method is used to analyse the case of Najma and an observation of the incidents happening in our society is also made to draw out reason and solutions.