Exploring the Muffled Voice in Fire on the Mountain

Abstract

 Abstract — Literature is the finest manifestation of human experience, thinking patterns and social norms prevalent in the society. Fiction being an effective and popular literary genre voices the social consciousness and social situation and thus it becomes a handy tool of social criticism. Indian literature spans a rich variety of themes and issues of considerable interest. Many novelists writing in English has contributed to its growth and enrichment of Indian literature leading to occupy a place of admiration in the world literature. Winner of the Sahitya Academy Award and a number of coveted national and international prizes, Desai occupies a well established position in the canon of contemporary Indian English writing. The masterpiece, Fire on the Mountain is a marvellous one which beautifully illustrates the intricacies of human relationship. The protagonist, Nanda Kaul is a victim of husband’s humiliation and negligence. The novel ends with an utter despairing note that Nanda Kaul’s struggle from self adjustment to self alienation seems to be bizarre futile and meaningless. The paper seeks to examine the victimized self of women and her quest for identity by subverting the constructed norms of patriarchal society. Further, the study attempts to present the articulated voice of the women to challenge male hegemony in the process of establishing individualism