Social Class Differences in Modern Literature: A Comparative Study on a House for Mr. Biswas and Clear Light of the Day

This comparative study examines the portrayal of social class differences in two significant works of modern literature: V.S. Naipaul’s A House for Mr. Biswas and Anita Desai’s Clear Light of the Day. Both novels delve into the complexities of familial and societal relationships shaped by class dynamics within postcolonial settings. Naipaul’s novel explores the struggles of Mr. Biswas, an ambitious yet marginalized individual seeking autonomy and identity in Trinidad’s stratified society. In contrast, Desai’s Clear Light of the Day depicts the evolving relationships within a middle-class Indian family, highlighting the interplay between personal aspirations and cultural expectations. By analyzing themes such as economic dependency, identity formation, and generational conflict, this study highlights how authors critique entrenched class structures and their implications on individual agency. The comparative approach underscores the universality of class struggles while revealing the unique socio-cultural nuances of postcolonial contexts in the Caribbean and India. Ultimately, this paper aims to deepen our understanding of how literature reflects and critiques the pervasive influence of social class in shaping human experiences.