Why Girl Analysis

Mahasweta Devi, a proficient Bengali writer and activist who puts a question mark on the democratic and civilized nation, India. It is imperative to have a clear understanding of “marginalised “in order to understand and appreciate the writings of Mahasweta. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the concept “marginalize” means “to make somebody feel as if they are not important and cannot influence decisions or events; or to put somebody in a powerless position”. Mahasweta empathetically restates her commitment to the rural and urban poor, particularly children, in Bihar, West Bengal, Gujarat and Jharkhand in her first picture book titled “The Why-Why Girl”. It is a heart warming tale of the ten-year old Moyna who belongs to the Shabar tribe, an exploited and marginalized hill people. Moyna is burdened with the triple handicap of being a child, a female and a tribal. Not only does Mahasweta expose the extreme oppression of children in rural India but she shows the way out. Moyna is not crushed by the circumstances of her life. Instead, she constantly demands answers to her questions. However, in “The Why Why Girl”, the socio-economic hierarchies pragmatic measures are needed to refrain one from …show more content…
Moyna ignores her mother’s protests steadily: “Why not? It’s a big hut. How much space does one old woman need?” (10). One can't help but smile and admire this feisty girl. She later becomes an active member of Samiti. She is not like the other people in her tribe. The others accepted the circumstances without any complaints but Moyna is curious about everything, through which she learns many things.At the age of 18, Moyna becomes a demanding teacher in the same school she studied and as a teacher now, Moyna goads the children to ask that one question which opens up a vast and unknown world to them