Feminist Existentialism: A Psychological Trauma in Anita Desai’s Fasting, Feasting and Githa Hariharan’s Thousand Faces of Night

Abstract

Existentialism is a cultural and philosophical movement which states ones growth and depends upon his efforts that one takes. Feminist Existentialism highlights and restates freedom, interpersonal relationships, and the drastic experience. Githa Hariharan and Anita Desai both the Indian English writers depicts the intricacy and various issues of India. The suppressed longing their fervor and the inner skill of the protagonists explore the nature of the desire and struggle to reach self identity. The novels of Margaret Atwood, Doris Lessing, Githa Hariharan and Anita Desai depict existential woman as protagonists. The trios – Sita, Mayamma, and Devi – in the Thousand Faces Of Night suffer in the families due to male – domination. Among them, Devi is here viewed as a feminist existentialist who wants to find a new identity. Anita Desai presents various female characters in the novel of Fasting Feasting, Uma who suffers the most in the patriarchal society.