Abstract:
(Hetero)Sexuality seems to play a highly important role in Sri Lankan society, but it is a topic
that is deliberately avoided in discussions that take place within “polite circles”. It is for the
most part invisible or made to be seen as non-existent by a “norm-governed” society, which
considers heterosexuality to be the “ideal” form of sexuality. In terms of ethnicity, again the
impact of the ideologies of the dominant ethnic groups on other ethnicities of the country is
substantial. In the process of taking measures to make Sri Lanka an essentially “Sinhala-
Buddhist” country, other ethnic groups have been pushed to the margins. Today, these “ethnic
and sexual others” are engaged in a constant battle of searching for an accepted identity within
Sri Lanka. Some of the Sri Lankan writers in English have endeavoured to form a space within
their work in order to express the “undiscussed” theme of sexuality, including those sexualities
that are considered “heretical”. The Moon in the Water by Ameena Hussein, Giraya by
Punyakante Wijenaike, Funny Boy by Shyam Selvadurai, The Jam Fruit Tree by Carl Muller,
and Servants: A Cycle by Rajiva Wijesinha, which provide the basis for this study, are some of
the Sri Lankan English novels that foreground “invisible spaces” such as sexuality. However,
they are not confined to the theme of sexuality but illuminate the themes of ethnicity and
violence as well. The boldness and honesty with which the authors address these issues on
gender and sexuality have decidedly created a sense of awareness among the readership, as they
attempt to create a space for those who are in the periphery, while providing an insight into the
possible outcomes the “subversive other” would be subjected to. Hence, the objective of this
study is to examine the ways in which such forms of violence are created, to show how these
selected novels address the issues of sexuality, ethnicity, and violence and how transgressive
sexualities and ethnic minorities threaten normative society and the status quo of the dominant
groups.
