Identity Crises in Anita Desai’s Novel- Clear Light of Day

Abstract

Anita Desai’s Clear Light of Day precisely goes across the different terrain of personal identity and familial relationships. Examining the characters’ influential attempts to establish the peace with the past and the present, this study shines light on the contradictions between tradition and modernity, nostalgia and advancement, as they are depicted in the lives of the Das siblings through a careful examination of character development and theme inquiry. Through the protagonist Bim, Desai shows how one’s experiences shape one’s identity, memory and personality. The objective of the research is to find out how the effect of identity, social expectation, deep sense of nostalgia and memory influences on Bim. It also explores how Anita Desai portrays Bim’s complex psychological exploration in Clear Light of Day. This qualitative research uses the psychoanalysis method and feminism and thoroughly examines Bim’s nostalgia and familial bond in Clear Light of Day, paying special attention to her identity, memories, and what goes in her mind, providing valuable insights into how complex her character is in the novel.