Investigation of Psychological Maltreatment and Sexual Maturation in Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice-Candy Man: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

This study focuses on numerous cases of abnormal children who were sexually abused or people who were mistreated by their families. Even though this is a pressing matter, no one has paid much attention to it, not even the public. So, the focus of this research is the heroine’s gradual awakening to sexuality, the pains and pleasures of adulthood, and the specific historical catastrophe. It destroys her world. (Ice-Candy Man, 1988). Three major components of Van Dijk's (2001) methodology are used to analyze the Socio-Cognitive Approach to Discourse (CAD). This model hypothesizes that cognition facilitates communication between the social world and discourse. Van Dijk claims Critical Discourse Analysis is of relevance to modern cognition, as certain mental models influence our perception. This type of approach is divided into three components, namely Discourse (i), Cognition (ii), and (iii) Society (Van Dijk, 2001). The main extension of this model lies in linguistics analysis, such as lexical categories. To ascertain how a child who has been abused will develop sexual maturity and what mental health problems they may experience. It aims to gain a thorough understanding of disability, sexuality, and pain-related psychological abuse. Additionally, this study will demonstrate a variety of effective strategies for eliminating all forms of psychological maltreatment. The results will help other researchers understand different ways to improve sexual or emotional abuse to get rid of all psychological abuse. So, we can say that pain causes different roles in performing different functions e.g. social, professional, and routine life.