In Custody

The title In Custody symbolizes the protagonist Deven's emotional and intellectual imprisonment. It reflects his entrapment in a mundane life, his obligations to family and profession, and his futile...

In In Custody, Nur is an Urdu poet admired by Deven, the protagonist. Initially, Deven sees Nur as a hero, but upon meeting him, he finds Nur old, hopeless, and disillusioned. Nur believes Urdu...

The setting of Mirpore is depicted in Anita Desai's novel In Custody as a small, dusty town without much in the way of culture. It is a dying place that has lasted for centuries in its present form,...

Imtiaz Begum is a complex and independent character, portrayed as manipulative and vain by others but possessing significant creative prowess. In a patriarchal society, she defies traditional...

The setting of In Custody moves between the small rural town of Mirpore and the large city of Delhi in India. The settings, with their vast differences, allow Desai to explore the myriad dichotomies...

The friendship between Deven and Murad in In Custody is not particularly deep. This is because Murad is an arch-manipulator who doesn't seem to have much respect for Deven. As well as calling Deven...

Existentialism in In Custody is depicted through Deven's journey of disillusionment with his hero, Nur Shahjehanabadi. The novel explores existential themes as Deven comes to terms with Nur's...

Deven Sharma is a memorable character due to his portrayal as an unheroic, indecisive, and insecure protagonist in In Custody. Despite his passion for Urdu, he is trapped in an unsatisfying life,...

In Anita Desai's novel In Custody, the characters struggle to create, discover, and retain their identities and to discern and communicate with the identities of others. Deven is torn between his...

Sarla, in In Custody, is Deven's wife and a reflection of his struggles. Her sporadic appearances highlight their co-dependent marriage, where she views Deven as a failure but is unable to function...

Imtiaz Begum is Nur's second wife in In Custody, and their relationship is strained. Deven, who meets them, is unimpressed by Nur's living conditions and dislikes Imtiaz for her flamboyance and...

Deven is the true custodian of the Urdu language in In Custody because he is the man who has not given up on the language and everything that it means to him. While the acclaimed poet, Nur, is ready...

In In Custody, Deven discovers that his hero, Nur, has personally deteriorated and has abandoned Urdu poetry. His disillusionment reshapes his assigned task as he decides to record Nur’s words and...

In Chapter 7, Deven visits Nur, a renowned Urdu poet, at his home, hoping to discuss Urdu poetry. However, Nur is preoccupied with his wife Imtiaz's illness. Deven suggests recording an interview...

The character of Nur represents the state of Urdu language and literature in India as having sharply declined from its formerly great status. Nur is a renowned poet who has lost his talent and is...

Anita Desai depicts Safiya Begum, Nur's first wife, as an ignorant old woman, continually in the background or on the periphery of the novel's action. Imtiaz Begum, Nur's second wife, by contrast, is...

Deven is unable to proceed with recording of Nur’s verse because of the complicated interaction between him and his second wife Imtiaz.

Deven's impressions of Nur in "In Custody" are initially of surprise and disappointment. He finds Nur living in poor conditions, both physically and mentally, which repulses him. However, Deven...

Deven feels both elated and apprehensive about leaving Mirpore for Delhi to interview the poet Nur. He sees it as a unique opportunity to meet his literary hero but is wary of Murad's past unethical...