Carrying the Burden Within

The narrative dives into the conflicts of unwanted motherhood, identity, and expectation

- By MAYANK JAIN PARICHHA

Motherhood is never a straightforward subject to write about. It carries the weight of expectations from the outside world and the conflicts within. To say anything unconventional about motherhood almost always demands explanations. In her debut novel, Shape of an Apostrophe, Uttama Kirit Patel tackles this head-on through Lina, a feminist character who never wanted to be a mother but finds herself accidentally pregnant within a year of marriage—a premise that challenges our traditional notions that women are destined to want motherhood.

The story examines the gendered burdens on women in a family. Why are women judged so harshly when they reject traditional roles? Why must they hold the weight of emotional labour and family expectations when men receive a guilt-free pass even when they opt out of fatherly responsibilities?

With these questions, Patel weaves a profound story of grief, loss, and freedom.