Performing Victimhood, Practising Domination: A Critical Study of Inder’s Character in Vikas Sharma’s All Her Fires

Abstract

Being a victim of discrimination, oppression, or harm is one of the greatest social injustices. Many people and sections in India have to go through these discriminations and oppressions daily, and they have to work twice as much to attain the same social standing as the privileged sections have. In such situations, it is logical that the real victims should be awarded extended opportunities and an easier playing field in comparison to the privileged, so that they can arrive at a place where they can see themselves as equal to the dominating people or sections. It is the only way they can relieve themselves of their victimhood. But does this victimhood actually leave even after attaining everything? This is the question this paper discusses in relation to the character of Inder in All Her Fires, the latest novel of Professor Vikas Sharma. Inder, even after being a professor in a state university, playing political games against Viren, and standing as a power figure in the department, is a victim. He begs when he is in a problem, and when he gets relieved of those problems, he starts plotting against his enemies by keeping the weapon of his victimhood at the forefront. This paper critically analyses the character of Inder, where hypocrisy lives in abundance, and also discusses the role of victimhood as a tool of vengeance, which is affecting the Indian society from within.