Until the age of eighteen, parents have full responsibility. They provide a stable and loving environment for their children. As leaders of the family, caring and loving parents also maintain the bonds that keep the family together. However, the absence of loving guidance from parents can create tension between family members. Anita Desai's Clear Light of Day shows how war, particularly the partition of India, affects a particular family. The partition of India in 1947 created the separate countries of India and Pakistan, consequently dividing families. Partition, initiated by India's independence from Britain, attempted to accommodate the irreconcilable religious differences between Muslims and Hindus by forming Islamic Pakistan. In Clear Light of Day, the Das children's relationship with their parents causes an enduring sibling conflict that mirrors this social and political upheaval in India. The Das parents' neglectful relationship with their children in Clear Light of Day mirrors India's independence from Britain. Before their deaths, Mr. and Mrs. Das were worried and careless about their four children, Raja, Tara, Bim and Baba. They spent most of their time at the club, playing “their daily game of bridge” (Desai 50). This pastime is so important to them that they neglect to take care of their children. For example, Mrs. Das tires of “washing and powdering” Baba, her mentally disabled child, and complains, “My bridge is suffering” (103). Furthermore, Mr. Das does not focus on his children and "[spends] the entire day without speaking a word to them" (53). Unfortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Das are unable to establish a loving relationship with their children as they both pass away. After Mrs. Das falls through a sheet of paper, Clear Light of Day highlights how a war affects a family and a nation. In the novel, the absence of parents intensifies the conflict between siblings, which leads to the characters' flight, ultimately provoking Bim's anger. While some readers may think that Clear Light of Day simply represents the struggle of a single family, the novel clearly represents India's struggle as well. India's independence from Great Britain subsequently leads to the formation of Pakistan and continued religious and political conflicts. This novel is an allegory that explains the political struggle in an accessible way because everyone is part of a family. This novel not only models the reasons for conflict in India but also for other nations and even families. Clear Light of Day shows how understanding family dynamics and creating strong family bonds can help reduce conflict and promote peace around the world.