Realism in Fire on the Mountain by Anita Desai_hia

Abstract 

               Realism in Fire on the Mountain by Anita Desai

    This paper is a discussion of the novel Fire on the Mountain by Anita Desai in the light of various amalgamations of realistic elements. The Literary Realism, as a movement, began in nineteenth century in France. Realistic writers illustrated the everyday situations and conflicts that characterize real life and living experience. It shows the exact living experiences, not only through the depiction of social political, religious or economic dilemma or diversity in contemporary living but also by exploring the psyche of the character.

    The women in the novels of Anita Desai suffer from internal conflict and incompatible relationships. She explores the inner reality of sensitive individuals. The study explores into how each character deals with herself as a human being and as an emotional being.The Fire on the Mountain (1977), won the Sahitya Academia Award for 1978 and the Royal Society Award. The novel portrays Nanda Kaul, who suffers from alienation and detachment. She lives alone in a banglow in Kasuali, a hilly resort, near the Himalayas. She likes to be alone and she has gone away with family cares and concerns. Nanda Kaul‟s efforts at maintaining a total seclusion ends in an utter failure and an eventual disaster.

    The study of the Fire on the Mountain exhibited the realism of material disharmony, domestic violence, rape, gender discrimination, social unrest and alienation. The novel Fire on the Mountain portrayed the real social picture and gender discrimination.

Keywords:     Realism, Social Consciousness and Gender Discrimination.