GENDER DYNAMICS AND EMOTIONAL TURBULENCE IN PREETI SHENOY’S THE ONE YOU CANNOT HAVE

Abstract

The One You Cannot Have by Preeti Shenoy is a powerful look at love, loss, and emotional negotiation in modern Indian cities. The novel intricately examines the intersection of personal desires and societal expectations, delving into themes of unrequited love, relational dislocation, and the negotiation of identity within social constraints. This paper examines the novel through three analytical perspectives, namely urban individualism and emotional dislocation, the gender dynamics of choice and marriage, and the reconstruction of masculinity through emotional vulnerability. This study employs theoretical frameworks from scholars including Judith Butler, Simone de Beauvoir, and R.W. Connell to illustrate how Shenoy’s narrative encapsulates the psychological, social, and cultural tensions present in contemporary urban Indian life. The analysis shows that the novel not only shows how people deal with their own emotions, but also questions the rules of society as a whole. This allows us a more nuanced view of how relationships work today and how men and women experience things differently.