“A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author” – Gilbert. K. Chesterton
Introduction about the Author
Anita Desai is an Indian English female novelist, short story writer and children’s author. She was born as Anita Mazumdar. She is the Emerita John E. Burchard Professor of Humanities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She has been shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize thrice as a writer.
Chronology
Anita Mazumdar Desai was born on 24th June, 1937 in Mussoorie (North of Delhi), India. Now she is about 84 years of old. She was born to a German mother, Toni Nime & a Bengali businessman, D.N. Mazumdar. She was raised in the old Delhi province during the transformation of India from colony to independence.
Hindu & Islam were two major religions. So she grew up speaking a number of languages including German at home, English at school & Urdu, Bengali, Hindi in the city streets. These were the dominant languages spoken almost everywhere in the community where she lived. During childhood, she had noticed the difference in her family from other families in her community in terms of close bondage to the state, town & even caste. Although her mother was dressed as Indians, and also cooked food like other Indians, she still felt like an outsider, especially at school. Her father expired in 1955. Then her family relocated to Calcutta. She continued with her studies in Queen Mary’s School in Delhi. She completed her graduation with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Delhi in 1957.
Family Life
In 1958, She married Ashvin Desai who was the director of a Computer Software Company & author of the book: “Between Eternities: Ideas on Life & The Cosmos”. After marriage, the couple shifted to Mumbai. They have four children including Booker Prize-Winning Novelist Kiran Desai.
Themes
Anita Desai’s literature works explores wide range of life related themes that are majorly social and economic in nature. The different themes are presented in different novels through some of the themes overlap at instances. Nevertheless, she clearly depicts the thematic concerns in her work the effects on the society & the direct impact on the people. Amongst major themes that Anita covers in her novels include isolation, escapism & affection in marriage.
Works
In a long period of time, Anita Desai has presented some of the most appreciable literature works in the history of India’s Female writers, England, South America & in the United States of America.
Her creations include The Peacock Garden (1974), Voices in the City (1965), The Peacock (1963), Fire on the Mountain (1977), Clear Light of Day (1980), Village by the sea (1982), In Custody (1983).
The novel ‘In Custody’ was filmed by Merchant Production in 1993. After five years, a novel titled Baumgartner’s Bombay, which was a thrilling one became very hit in front of public under her name. In 1996, ‘Journey to Ithaca’ was published. Before the herald of the 21st Century, ‘Fasting, Feasting’ came. Diamond Dust in 2000 and Zig Zag way in 2004 was unveiled. In 2005, Hill of Silver, Hill of Lead and at last The Artist of Disappearance in 2011 tapped the readers.
Summary of the novel ‘Where Shall We Go This Summer’
It is the fourth novel by Sahitya Academy Award winner Anita Desai. In her novel “Where shall We Go this Summer” Anita again touches on marriage. The conflicts that arises between Sita & her husband Raman has prompted a situation opposing marriage & understanding of marriage. According to the author’s thoughts escapism features again in the novel. This presents a prominent depiction of the actual situation in the Indian communities which has caused a lot of sufferings & human rights violation.
This story is about a woman’s pre-natal neurosis. Sita, the middle-aged woman is uninterested to give birth to her fifth child at all into the world. She sees around her which is of destruction and meaningless. Sita withdraws her visit to the island of Manori where she spent her childhood in order to prevent the birth of her child.
This is a great story of a sensitive young wife pulled apart between the desire to leave the boredom & hypocrisy of her middle class & apparently comfortable existence & the consciousness that the bonds the bind her to it may not be easily breakable.
The book is mainly divided into three parts. The table of Contents are:
- Pregnant Sita
- Anxiousness to move to Manori.
- Sita’s Father
- Kids interact with nature
- Conclusion
Pregnant Sita
Sita is the main character of this story who is expecting a baby soon. Although she is pregnant, she doesn’t want to deliver the baby in the polluted surrounding of her city. She is feeling very depressed how her rest children have been destroyed by the luxuries of modern lifestyle. She misses her own childhood & simple upbringing in a village life.
Anxiousness to Move to Manori
Sita anticipates her baby to be filled in the natural beauty & the same values that she enjoyed as a child in her island village of Manori. Her Husband is reluctant to move to Manori as he realizes there will not be any nursing facility there to ease her delivery. He is unwilling to take any risk of pregnancy at that stage. But Sita is determined & moves to Manori with Kids. She memorizes her childhood days of fun & frolic.
Sita’s Father
She remembers her father who used to bring her and her siblings to the island & then describes the stories about nature. He also enjoyed by giving pre-independence speeches about the country.
One day, there were heavy rains & the island got flooded with a deluge of rainwater. Sita was in danger of being drowned when she was rescued by a stranger. That stranger was the man whom she later marries & became her husband.
Kids interact with Nature
Sita takes her children to the beach where they are mesmerized by the fishes & seashells. She becomes very much excited to observe the kids interacting with nature. Whatever it maybe, she misses her husband. She innately desires her whole family to reap the benefits of such a simple & fresh lifestyle. She intensely disgusts the fast-paced, hectic & mechanical city life.
Conclusion
Finally, her husband comes back to Manori. He consoles Manori but asks sita to return to the city, Bombay to get appropriate medical care before the birth of the baby. Sita reconciles & the whole family returns to their city life after a rejuvenating experience of the scenic beauty & the holistic medicine of the island.
By: Laxmipriya Mishra
Write and Win: Participate in Creative writing Contest & International Essay Contest and win fabulous prizes.
