Cultural Stance on The Notion of Tradition VS Modernity in Manju Kapur’s Contemporary Fiction

Abstract

This research explores Manju Kapur's Home from the perspective of modernity. Tensions between tradition and modernity, represented in the novel can be viewed against the influence of a western culture that has taken place in the 21st century within the lives of people in India. Ideological stance on the notions of tradition vs. modernity in respect to the conflicting issue, through the characters as Nisha, Rupa, Yashpal, Ajay, Vijaya, and Raju, where they almost abandoned their parental business style, traditional thinking and moves ahead of their way either in their business or in the family life. Characters in the novel are deviated from their social norms and values due to the influences of western values on Indian society is a sign of modernity. This research is qualitative in nature. This research approaches Kapur's Home from the theoretical perspectives of modernity that have appeared in the studies of Jurgen Habermas, Immanuel Kant, Michel Foucault, Peter Wagner, Dilip Parmeshwar Gaonkar, and Ziauddin Saradar. This research finds that joint family divides into a single settlement, characters start to adopt modernity, forgetting their traditional norms and values for their benefit.