In "When I Hit You," Meena Kandasamy weaves a harrowing, unflinching narrative of a young woman ensnared within the confines of a suffocating marriage, where love is weaponized, and freedom is a distant dream. Seduced not only by the charm of her university professor husband but by the seductive promise of a life filled with political activism and intellectual rigor, the protagonist finds herself in a coastal town, far removed from the world she dreams of influencing. Here, the man who vowed to be her partner in both love and ideology reveals himself as her jailer, intent on molding her into his vision of a subservient wife, systematically stripping away her identity, ambition, and autonomy. Kandasamy's narrative is a piercing examination of the violence that festers within the walls of what should be a sanctum of love and partnership. It is a story that transcends its setting, speaking to the universal struggle of women caught in the web of patriarchal control and domestic abuse. Yet, amid the darkness of her experience, the narrator's resilience and her refusal to let her spirit be completely crushed by her oppressor shine through. "When I Hit You" is not just the chronicle of an abusive marriage; it is a testament to the indomitable power of art as a form of resistance and survival, offering a beacon of hope and courage to those who find themselves voiceless. Through lyrical prose and a defiant, unwavering voice, Kandasamy presents a compelling tale of survival, empowerment, and the unbreakable strength of a woman reclaiming her story.