Clear Light Of Day Book Summary

A Brief Overview:

• Anita Desai's Clear Light of Day takes place in Delhi in 1980 and follows the journey of Bim, Tara, Raja, and Baba in four sections through events that alternate between the present and the past. 

Section 1:

• Tara Returns to Delhi

Tara has just returned from Washington, D.C. with her husband – Bakul, and their two teenage daughters to attend the wedding of her eldest brother Raja's daughter in Hyderabad. 

Before travelling to Hyderabad, Tara stays with her sister – Bim, who shares the family home in Delhi with their mentally disabled brother – Baba. That said, Bim does not speak with Raja and therefore will not attend the wedding.

• Dynamics of the Das Family

Bim, a teacher, feels resentment towards Raja and Tara because she believes they lead more adventurous lives. She feels imprisoned in her role as housekeeper and caretaker for their brother Baba. 

However, Bim is especially upset with Raja after getting a letter from him. Following the death of Hyder Ali – the landlord of the Das, Raja wrote to Bim – he was now her landlord and would charge her the same rent so that she and Baba may stay in the house. 

Bim believed the letter meant she was nothing more than Raja's tenant, much below him on the social hierarchy.

Section 2: 

• A Flashback to the Teenage Years:

Part two begins in 1947, just after India's independence and partition and during a time of great social unrest. The Das kids are in their teens and early twenties. Bim and Raja are fairly near. 

Raja admires the Das' landlord and neighbour – Hyder Ali. He begins to spend a lot of time at his home. He also chooses to study Urdu in school instead of Hindi, and he alarms his family when he announces that he wants to attend a primary Muslim college and specialize in Islamic studies.

• Changes after the Demise of Das’ Parents

The Das' parents died in quick succession, but the family isn't close. Their aunt – Mira, is the most devastated by their deaths. 

Raja grows ill with tuberculosis and is devastated when Hyder Ali and his family leave the city without telling him. When he recovers, he refuses to take over his father's business and instead heads to Hyderabad in quest of Hyder Ali.

Tara, meantime, falls in love with Bakul and marries him, leaving Baba and Bim alone at home.

Section 3: 

• A Flashback to Childhood:

 Part three goes back to the childhood of Tara, Bim, and Raja. The three siblings are awaiting the birth of Baba, their baby brother. When Baba is born, however, he consistently fails to meet developmental milestones, and the family calls Aunt Mira to care for him.

 Aunt Mira is Das' mother's cousin – a widowed woman at fifteen and had since aged prematurely as a maid for the husband's family. She gradually develops a close relationship with all the Das children, becoming like a mother to them.

Although Tara and Bim Das are close, their differences cause them to grow apart even in their early years. Tara despises school, whereas her sister thrives and becomes the head girl. 

Tara also befriends the Das' neighbours – the Misras. Tara approves of the two Misra sisters' decision to marry rather than complete their schooling. Bim, on the other hand, disapproves of this. She declares that she does not intend to marry and wishes to remain independent.

Section 4:

• Acceptance of the Present:

In part four, the story takes place in the present. Tara tries to convince Bim to accompany her to the wedding. Bim refuses, but as the conversation progresses, her animosity toward Raja fades. She and Baba no longer leave the house. The novel ends with Bim’s hope that Raja will eventually come back to see his family.