BREAKING THE SILENCE: FEMALE CONSCIOUSNESS AND IDENTITY IN SHASHI DESHPANDE'S THAT LONG SILENCE

Shashi Deshpande is a major voice in Indian English literature, known for portraying the psychological struggles of middle-class women within patriarchal structures. This paper examines the themes of silence, female identity, and ethical conflict in her novel *That Long Silence*. Through Jaya’s introspection, the study explores how silence functions both as oppression and resistance. The paper argues that the novel contributes significantly to feminist discourse by highlighting women's search for voice and individuality