The document summarizes Ismat Chughtai's short story "The Rock" and analyzes its themes of male domination and the suppression of women in Indian culture. It discusses three examples from the story: how Bhaiya controls his first wife Bhabi's appearance and behavior; how Bhabi turns to overeating to cope with Bhaiya's treatment; and how Bhaiya's new wife Shabnam begins to emulate Bhabi's behaviors. These examples illustrate how male domination is socially accepted in India in order to maintain the status quo and prevent social progress. The story depicts how Bhaiya systematically oppresses the women in his life, and how the culture enables this behavior without opposition.

1. Kaitlyn Potter
Dr. Roger McNamara
ENGL 3389
April 19, 2015
Theme found in “The Rock”
In Ismat Chughtai’s short story “The Rock,” domination is one subject on which the
author focuses. Contained in the subject of domination is the theme that states that male
domination, accepted by centuries of practice, is socially accepted among the people of India,
helps maintains status quo, and ultimately avoids social progress. There are three examples in
the text that illustrate this theme including how Bhaiya influences Bhabi into not wearing any
makeup or flattering clothing, how Bhabi would drown her feeling of repression brought on by
Bhaiya in lavish foods, and finally how the evidently progressive Shabnam follows the same
patterns which perpetuates a cyclical response to Bhaiya’s treatment of women.
At the beginning of the story, Bhabi, Bhaiya’s first wife, is described as attractive. After
Bhaiya molds Bhabi into his image of a perfect housewife and suppress her as had been done for
centuries thus avoiding social progress, the narrator conveys to the reader how Bhabi becomes
bigger with every pregnancy and specifically how Bhaiya influences her to discontinue the use of
make-up because he does not approve of it: “Bhaiya hated lipstick, and the sight of mascara or
kohl on a woman’s eyes infuriated him” (47). These aspects of women’s culture enflame him,
and he pointedly expresses his preference for pink and red, subtly hinting to his wife that he
prefer she wear these colors in her everyday dress. This proves that Bhaiya subconsciously turns
Bhabi into the housewife that only he finds desirable in order that no other man dare to look her
way or threaten the lifestyle that he has crafted to suit his needs and to maintain his status as the
patriarch of the family.
Additional textual evidence that supports Bhaiya’s purposeful oppression of his wives is
that after he begins to notice Shabnam he gradually becomes more irritated with Bhabi and her
actions. In response, Bhabi literally uses food to feed her emotions throughout the short story
and when Bhaiya’s feelings towards Shabnam become evident, Bhabi’s unhealthy habits become
more destructive. Before Shabnam was in the picture, Bhaiya took no notice of Bhabi’s eating
habits because the way she looked was exactly the way he preferred her: oppressed, unhappy,
and plump. Once Shabnam has his full attention, Bhabi is forced to bury herself deeper into the
habitual behavior originally encouraged by Bhaiya who is now disgusted by it and even scolds
her for it saying, “Stop, for God’s sake! The doctor said you shouldn’t – what kind of greediness
is this!” (53). This supports the idea that male domination is socially accepted by the Indian
culture to maintain status quo which also prevents social progress when Bhaiya exhibits no
shame for his behavior, the outspoken Shabnam fails to voice opposition against his cruel
treatment of Bhabi, and Bhabi has no precedent to challenge Bhaiya over his treatment of her.
The last example which supports the idea of oppression of social progress is after
Shabnam marries Bhaiya, and the cycle that he has systematically created continues to take an
emotional control over yet another one of his wives. At the end of the story, the narrator
describes dinner with Bhaiya and Shabnam focusing on the recurring actions of Bhaiya and his
evidently new challenge, an Egyptian dancer. As Bhaiya introduces his now obese wife to the
dancer, he uses a “dramatic tone” to suggest his wife is some sort of “injury received on the
battlefield” (57). In response to this, Shabnam begins to feed her feelings of oppression with
cream and raspberries just as Bhabi had previously used to bind her emotional wounds with

2. Kaitlyn Potter
Dr. Roger McNamara
ENGL 3389
April 19, 2015
cream and fruit. Because no one at the table is in the social position to reprimand the
unquestioned head of the family Bhaiya for his behavior; this further substantiates the claim that
this “rock” is ultimately devastating to the spirits of previously independent-minded women.
Readers can see repeated support for the theme that male domination, accepted by
centuries of practice, is socially accepted among the people of India, in order to sustain the status
quo for patriarchal oppression, and ultimately avoids social progress. Through Bhaiya’s
purposeful actions, the text proves Bhaiya’s antiquated views are inexorably shaped by the
patriarchy of the Indian culture.
Work Cited
Cughta, Ismat. “The Rock.” Trans. Tahira Naqvi. The Quilt & Other Stories. Riverdale-on
Hudson: Sheep Meadow Press, 1994. 47-57. Print.