MALA

Prepared by: Durgamagewary a/p Devadass

Emily Gan Hui Fang
Sia Soon Huong

Lecturer: Mdm Malathy a/p Nadarajah

 Summary
• The story of Mala recounts the life of a young Indian girl named
Malati (Mala), abused by her parents and exploited by her husband.
Mala marries Sanker to escape her sufferings at home with her parents,
triggered by her bad performance in school, but the husband exploits
her sexually to meet his own appetite as well as to get mileage with his
business clients.
 Women is ill-treated at home.

• As compared to the boys who running around the house and doing
their things freely, every little act by Mala – her parents felt offended,
nuisance
• Even though she just sat there quietly reading her magazine, still her
parents felt unpleased
• Always get scolded for the things she did
 Women is ill-treated at home.

• When Mala failed her exam, she was ignored by everyone in the house.

• Her family members did not console her for her results

• Made her feel even more unhappy

 Women is inferior in the control in marriage.

• Men has full power of control in a marriage instead of women

• The man did not take his wife together during the arranged marriage –
he thought that they were enough to settle things down – presence of
women was unnecessary
Women is inferior in the control in marriage.

• The neighbour gossiped about Mala

when she went to find Susi’s house
• Arranged marriage – reputation of the
family
• Mala felt humiliated hearing the
conversation between her father and the
men who came to her house
• Wanted to leave the house to end the
shame – eventually got married without
informing her parents
 Family’s reputation are more important than the
women.

• When Mala went out with Susi and came back – scolded by her
mother
• Reputation of family are the most important
• A young girl should stay at home – don’t always wandering
outside - bring shame to family
• No freedom at doing the things she wanted to do
Men are never care about women’s feeling.

• As example, Mala’s husband, Sanker is very wicked. He does not

allow his wife to get pregnant. It is proved when Sanker had taken
Mala to a doctor and permitted the doctor to put some metal inside
her to avoid her from pregnant. She can’t voice out her dream to have
her own children by comparing with other Indian women.
Men are never care about women’s feeling.

• Sanker is impatient towards Mala’s wrongdoing.

• Although it is true where one should be in business-like

at workplace but Sanker should put himself in Mala’s
shoes. This was Mala’s first day of working.
 Men treat women like an object.

• Men always think that women are nothing. They have the mind-set
that women can be deceived by money. They think that women are
small-minded and low.
 Men treat women like an object.

• Sanker asks his wife to wear a tight dress to show her body shape
at workplace .
Low status of women in the society
• Mala’s neighbour labelled Mala as a girl with bad attitude and low
status.
Low status of women in the society
• A man looked Mala as a property to buy with a good value. (marriage
proposal)
Low status of women in the society
• A man looked Mala as a sex object (marriage proposal)
Men being superior to women
• Shanker thinks that he is the one who save Mala from her bad luck,
thus she have to obey all his needs.

• Shanker thinks he can avoid Mala’s needs because he is the saviour of

her.
Women being subservient to men
• Mala obeyed her husband’s wish and changed a lot although she does
not like it.
• Mala represent herself as the way as Shanker wants.

• Mala follows Shanker instructions blindly.

Women are not given freedom to make
decisions
• Mala is not asked about her opinion on her marriage
• The man who came to see Mala for marriage proposal look her as he
wants to buy an object with good value.
Women are not given freedom to make
decisions
• Shanker had changed Mala according to his wish because he wants
her to be modern.