A Feminist Analysis of Indian Social Culture and Projection of Women in Anita Desia’s Novels “Fire on the Mountain”, “Cry, the Peacock” and “Where we shall Go this Summer?”

Abstract

This paper focuses on Anita Desai’s literary feminist approach towards the place, adjustments and psyche of women in Indian social culture. Her main concern is to peel off layer after layer the human mind. Her novels, “Fire on The Mountain”, “Cry, The Peacock” and “Where Shall We Go this Summer?” presents the factual picture of Indian socio-cultural atmosphere of the metropolitan life in relation with feminine sensitivity in particular. She highlights the pain and suffering of the women that result in the mark caused by the torment of various members in the family and the society. Married women are chained and shouldered by all heavy responsibilities throughout her life. Women plan and work for the welfare of the family without any relaxation and rest. Her stories of the noble women in the cruel hands of mismatched husbands in a realistic way and it not only reflects the wounds of the women but also her search for solutions through her stories. The main focus of this paper is to show how feminine sensitivity, marital disharmony, family relations and Indian socio-cultural atmosphere are responsible for creating the feeling of loneliness and compelling women to alienate themselves from family and society.