EAST-WEST CULTURAL CONFLICT IN KAMALA MARKANDAYA’S NOVELS

Abstract

Kamala Markandaya’s novels offer a profound exploration of the cultural conflict between the East and the West, highlighting the tensions and challenges faced by individuals caught between the two worlds. In her works, Markandaya portrays the complex interplay of Eastern traditions and Western influences, examining how these divergent cultural systems impact identity, values, and societal structures. This paper analyzes the theme of East-West cultural conflict in Markandaya’s novels, focusing on how characters navigate the collision of traditional Indian values with the encroachment of Western modernity. Through novels such as Nectar in a Sieve, Some Inner Fury, and A Handful of Rice, the study investigates issues such as colonialism, cultural dislocation, alienation, and the struggle for self-definition. Markandaya’s portrayal of the psychological and emotional challenges faced by individuals attempting to reconcile or resist these competing cultural forces underscores the broader socio-political implications of post-colonial identity formation. By critically engaging with her works, this paper demonstrates how Markandaya uses East-West cultural conflict to comment on the complexities of post-colonial life, offering a nuanced critique of both Eastern traditions and Western modernity