Exploring Conflict and Identity in Anita Desai’s Cry, the Peacock, and Clear Light of Day: A Postcolonial Analysis

Abstract

The research paper examines the themes of tradition versus modernity, identity and meaning, loneliness and isolation, escapism, and postcolonialism in Anita Desai’s novels Cry, the Peacock, and Clear Light of Day. Through the postcolonial lens, the paper analyses how Desai’s characters navigate the tensions between cultural heritage and contemporary values, grapple with their sense of self in rapidly changing societies, and experience feelings of alienation and the desire for escape. The study sheds light on the universal human struggles depicted in Desai’s works and their relevance in understanding the complexities of postcolonial identity formation.