Incest and the Silences: Reading Nandini Sahu’s “that elusive orgasm”

Authors

  • Aaleya Giri Assistant Professor of English, University of Delhi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56062/gtrs.2024.3.8.676

Keywords:

incest, silences, memory, trauma, child sexual abuse

Abstract

Nandini Sahu’s collection of short stories Shedding the Metaphors engages with myriad complex human emotions. Sahu pours herself into the stories that she tells in retrospect. The autobiographical elements provide the stories a personal touch that compels the readers to delve deep into the characters and introspect on the intricacy of human nature. This paper attempts to critically analyse the story “That Elusive Orgasm” and understand the dynamics of incest and the related silences. The paper refers to Sgroi, Blick and Portar’s conceptual framework to understand how a child gets entrapped in the cycle of sexual abuse. The paper further explores the psychoanalytic perspective of Laurence Joseph to comprehend the psycho-social aspects of silences. The paper also refers to Ricahrd P. Kluft to examine the ramifications of incest on adult survivors.

References

Berger, Peter L. The Sacred Canopy: Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion. Doubleday, 1967.

Herman, J. Trauma and Recovery: From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror, Basic Books, 1990.

Joseph, Laurence. “Denial of incest: Between silences and misunderstandings”. Philosophy World Democracy, 23 May 2021. https://www.philosophy-world-democracy.org/articles-1/denial-of-incest

Kluft, Richard P.. “Ramifications of Incest”. Psychiatric Times, Vol 27. No 12, January 12, 2011. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/ramifications-incest

Louise. “Adult Survivors Continuing Relationships with Abusive Family”. Pandora’s Project. January 5, 2021. https://pandys.org/articles/2021/adult-survivors-continuing-relationships-with-abusive-family/

Minacapelli Marotta, Claudia & Nicola Malizia. “A study on intra-family sexual abuse and incest: criminological, victimological, legal and medico-legal profiles”. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 12, Issue 3, March 2022, p 385 http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.12.03.2022.p12353 www.ijsrp.org

Ravi, Reethu. “Awareness: 90% of Abusers Are Known to Victim: How This NGO Is Prepping Families to Fight Child Sexual Abuse.” The Logical Indian, April 30, 2020. https://thelogicalindian.com/exclusive/lockdown-child-sexual-abuse-cases-20852

Sahu, Nandini. “That Elusive Orgasm”. Shedding the Metaphors. Black Eagle Books, 2023. pp 101-13.

Sgroi S. M, Blick L. C, & Porter F. S. A conceptual framework for child sexual abuse. In: Sgroi SM, ed. Handbook of Clinical Intervention in Child Sexual Abuse. Lexington Books, 1982, pp 9-37.

Willemsen, Marc. “Reclaiming the body and restoring a bodily self in drama therapy: A case study of sensory-focused Trauma-Centred Developmental Transformations for survivors of father–daughter incest.” Drama Therapy Review, Volume 6, Issue 2, Oct 2020, p. 203 – 219. https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr_00028_1

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Published

2024-08-25

How to Cite

Aaleya Giri , translator. “Incest and the Silences: Reading Nandini Sahu’s ‘that Elusive orgasm’”. Creative Saplings, vol. 3, no. 8, Aug. 2024, pp. 61-70, https://doi.org/10.56062/gtrs.2024.3.8.676.

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