Alien or Abnormal: A Discussion on the Social Status of Ben in The Fifth Child

Abstract

Abstract

The apathy of the society towards an abnormal child and the mother who has given birth to it is inexplicable. The silent contention faced by her is distressing for both her and the child. The society doesn?t come up with any definite word that marks her but somewhere the tacit words breaches very deep in her heart and psyche that slowly grubs her making her hollow from within. The trauma is born equally by both mother and child and the empathy of it can be observed in answer to a simple question- How the child is? To which a mother fumbles without any proper answer. And in that one question lays hundreds of allegations that are lashed on mother which she bears without ever being able to give word to. The unspoken pain and suffering goes along. On one hand is the abnormality of child with which she has to tackle and on the other is the cruel treatment of the society towards her on giving birth to a child with such abnormality.