Misalliance and Estrangement in Marriage: An Analysis of Anita Nairs Novel Alphabet Soup for Lovers

Name of Author : Mrs. Hemkumari Patel, Dr. Shrabani Chakravorty

Abstract: The theme of man woman relationship has always been of particular interest to Anita Nair. Her short and amusing novel Alphabet Soup for Lovers published in 2015 brings forth the dilemma of a loveless relation and its consequences. It revolves around the trio of the protagonist Leena Abraham, her husband KK and a south Indian actor Shoola Pani Dev. Though the novel has used food as a metaphor to base the narrative; it asserts the power of love in a relationship. Nair juxtaposes the cold and emotionless relationship of Leena and KK with the warm and innovative affair of Leena with Shoola Pani Dev. This paper attempts to delineate how mismatched marriages lead to estrangement between husband and wife. It deals with infatuation, obsession and extramarital affair which stems from lack of mental and emotional bonding.

Keywords : Estrangement, Marital Bonding, Infatuation, Dilemma, Relationship

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