Decoding Patriarchy and Female Identity The Misrepresentation of Rosie in "The Guide"

This paper explores the patriarchal misrepresentation of Rosie in R.K. Narayan's The Guide and challenges the common perception of her as the reason for Raju's downfall. In Indian patriarchal society, men define women’s identities, and when women challenge this structure, they are often misjudged. In the novel, Rosie is portrayed as a woman who believes in having a rewarding career, and more often than not, she is blamed for the woes that come Raju’s way, as though it is Rosie’s very presence that is the source of all of Raju’s ailments, when, as shown, it is Raju’s own avarice and self-doubts that are the real factors of his undoing. This study seeks to illustrate, examining both literary works and survey data, that Rosie’s characterization is too harsh and that the reasons for this overemphasis are cultural and give way to misogyny which subordinates women’s power. The findings suggest that patriarchy leads to unequal treatment of women, causing society, including women themselves, to hold them accountable for failures they did not cause. This paper advocates for a more educated and unbiased understanding of women’s roles in literature, offering insights into the psychological and societal consequences of patriarchal structures. Future researchers can use this work to further investigate the impact of patriarchy on female identity and representation in literature.