Escapism and Existential Crisis in Anita Desai's Where Shall We Go This Summer

Abstract

- Anita Desai's Where Shall We Go This Summer is a profound psychological novel that explores the complexities of human existence through the inner turmoil of its protagonist, Sita. This paper examines the interrelationship between escapism and existential crisis, arguing that Sita's retreat to Manori Island represents both a psychological response to emotional distress and an existential quest for meaning in an increasingly alienating world. Adopting an interdisciplinary framework that integrates existential philosophy with psychological criticism, the study examines the themes of alienation, identity crisis, loneliness, motherhood, and the search for authenticity. It demonstrates how Sita's inability to reconcile herself with the violence, materialism, and emotional emptiness of urban life compels her to seek refuge in an idealized past. The paper contends that Desai portrays escapism not merely as avoidance of reality but as a complex expression of existential anxiety and the human desire for self-discovery. Ultimately, the novel affirms the enduring struggle to attain meaning, identity, and emotional equilibrium amid the uncertainties of modern existence.