Fractured Homes and Female Resistance: A Comparative Analysis of Manju Kapur’s Home and Custody

Abstract

This article explores the themes of broken families and women's resistance in Manju Kapur’s novels Home and Custody. Both novels reveal how traditional Indian families often become places of control, silence, and emotional suffering for women. The idea of “home,” which is usually linked with warmth, comfort, and safety, becomes a space of struggle and pain for the female characters in these stories. In Home, Nisha, the central character, lives in a joint family where women are expected to obey and stay quiet. Her silent fight against gender rules and her attempt to live independently reflect a quiet but strong resistance. On the other hand, Custody focuses on Shagun, whose decision to leave her marriage brings her into conflict with social and legal systems that do not support women’s freedom. Her battle for custody of her children shows a mother’s emotional strength and her refusal to give in to social judgment. By comparing these two novels, the paper highlights how women in different situations challenge the roles forced upon them. Though they face emotional pain and rejection, they still show strength and courage in their own ways. This study also examines how Kapur uses family relationships to reflect larger issues in Indian society, such as patriarchy, divorce, motherhood, and identity. Through this analysis, the paper aims to show how Manju Kapur gives voice to women who are often unheard and shows that resistance can take many forms even quiet ones.