From Structural Violence to Environmental Displacement: Human Values, Memory, and Moral Imagination in Amitav Ghosh, Rohinton Mistry, and Anita Desai

Abstract

This paper examines the intersection of structural violence, environmental displacement, and ethical consciousness in contemporary Indian English fiction, with a particular focus on Amitav Ghosh (Gun Island, The Shadow Lines), Rohinton Mistry (A Fine Balance), and Anita Desai (Clear Light of Day). It contends that these texts foreground the vulnerability and fragility of human values in the face of systemic social injustice, bureaucratic oppression, and ecological crises. By employing narrative strategies such as fragmentation, intergenerational memory, moral reflection, and testimonial storytelling, the authors bring to light the profound psychological and ethical consequences of structural and environmental disruption. The novels demonstrate how ordinary human experiences of migration, displacement, domestic tension, and social marginalisation become ethical inquiries, highlighting the persistent struggle to uphold compassion, dignity, and moral agency. Key findings indicate that literature functions not only as a repository of collective and individual memory but also as a dynamic space for moral imagination, enabling readers to engage with ethical dilemmas, intergenerational responsibility, and social empathy. Furthermore, these narratives reveal how memory, storytelling, and imaginative engagement can resist dehumanisation and foster a reflective ethical consciousness. Ultimately, this study positions contemporary Indian English fiction as a vital site for exploring the ethical and moral ramifications of structural inequality, environmental displacement, and the human capacity to retain values amid prolonged adversity.