Anita Desai's Fasting and Feasting as A Metaphor for Cross-cultural Tensions

Traditional and liberal values, individualism and collectivism, and the motif of food as a symbol of cultural differences are all examined in the novel Fasting, Feasting (1999) by Anita Desai. Following two families from different cultural backgrounds, the novel offers a nuanced look at the contrasts and intersections between these themes. While the liberal British family emphasizes individualism and progressivism, the traditional Indian family places a greater emphasis on community, collectivism, and tradition. The author uses the theme of food to show how the cultural differences between the two families are both a point of contention and a way to bring them closer together. The novel demonstrates how traditional and liberal values can coexist and even strengthen one another and how food can be a potent symbol of the cultural differences that shape our lives