On Being Ugly: An Analysis of Arundhati Roy's Beauty Norms in The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

Noreen Zainab, Aisha Jadoon and Amna Saeed
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Noreen Zainab: PhD Scholar,
Aisha Jadoon: Assistant Professor
Amna Saeed: Assistant Professor

Global Language Review, 2018, vol. 3, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Beauty in the world of art is one of the most celebrated ideas. In this paper, Arundhati Roy’s novel The Ministry of Utmost Happiness is analyzed with reference to one of its major character, Anjum, an ugly transgender. Adopting the theoretical framework of Halberstam (2005) this paper argues that the physical appearance, either ugly or beautiful, shapes the attitudes of people towards each other. People, who are considered ugly according to social standards, suffer harassment and abuse at various stages of their life in different ways. Therefore, this paper contends the popular social perception that equates the absence of harmony and beauty in the appearance of an individual with the absence of the humane soul and morality of character.

Keywords: Beauty; Transgender; Morality; Narrative Analysis; Ugliness; Abuse; Stereotype (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:glr:journl:v:3:y:2018:i:1:p:1-16

DOI: 10.31703/glr.2018(III-I).01

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