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Synopsis In this book an attempt is, therefore, made to study Shashi Deshpande’s women protagonists, as portrayed by her in her novels, with a view to understand and appreciate their trails and tribulations under the impact of the conflicting influence of tradition and modernity and to critically analyze their response to the emerging situation in life so as to fit themselves in the contemporary society. Without probing deeply into the novelist’s conviction of what would serve as the ideal panacea for the different kinds of challenges her characters have had to contend with, in the given situations. The book is divided into seven chapters. The first chapter is introductory in nature. The subsequent five chapters deal with the five women protagonists—Indu, Saru, Jaya, Urmila and Sumi—who, finding themselves trapped in the roles assigned to them by the society, attempt to assert the individuality. Sensitive to the changing times and situations, they revolt against the traditions in their search for freedom. They succeed in achieving self-identity and independence and choose their partners in life to live with in pursuance of their felt need to lead a family life. At the end of the book a live discussion and interview with Shashi Deshpande is presented.