Page 261 - DENG503_INDIAN_WRITINGS_IN_LITERATURE

Unit 30: Mahesh Dattani: Final Solution—Plot Construction

30.3 Summary Notes

• Ramnik, the father carries with him the burden of the guilt of his father's black deeds,
transferring some of the resentment to his mother. Hardika, Aruna, his Wife and Smita, his
daughter both hit on at each other for no apparent reason.
• The mercenary gains that one party derives from the communal riots of the past is the
baggage of guilt that Rammik has caused for long, this is revealed to a crushed Hardika, who
seemed secure in her hatred of the other party, Sheltering her same of being in the right. It
also explains the reasons for Ramnik's extreme tolerance. The smug and often parsimonies
Aruna is Shaken out of her compliancy through Smita's out bur. St against her rigid and
restrictive practices that have for long choked her. Dattani here manages to intricately
interweave the individual strands of family identity into the larger picture. "It stifles me! Yes!
I can see so clearly how wrong you are.
• Dattani's characters also each have their own justification their own rationale for their actions.
Daksha (now the grandmother) hates Muslims because her father was killed a communal
riot and because her overtones of friendship to Zarine a young Muslim girl were rejected
after other communal riots that razed Zarine's father's shop, and which incidentally was
bought by Daksha's father-in-law.
• The set design of the play emphasizes Dattani's contention that the family unit represents
society. The living space of the Gandhi family is shown through a barebones presentation
with just wooden blocks for furniture (Act one). The only detailed sets are the kitchen and
Pooja room. This is significant as really it is lonely through food habits and tattoos that we
all draw the lines that separate us from each other.
• Ramnik is a progressive secularist- not only does he save Javed and Bobby from the mob. He
also forces his wife Aruna to serve them water a gestate she makes only when convinced that
they would not actually drink it. After they do the contaminated glasses are picked up
gingerly and kept separately from the other glasses in the kitchen. Ramnik also resents the
alliance that Javed and Bobby built up in his home against him. Ramnik do not get so
defensive 1st man (taken aback) I…. I am not being detersives.
• This play deals with anti-fanaticism concerns - not only religious fanaticism but fanaticism in
all walks of life. And appropriately enough, Dattani demonsters this by showing the various
ways in which most people. Overtly or coverthy are party to acts of fanaticism and are
responsible for a good deal of the conflicts that exist written society - be it at the macrocosmic
level of the nation - state or even the microcosmic one of the family. Thus we have the
fanaticism of the Hindus and the Muslims in Amargaon clashing during the 'Rath yatra' the
fanaticism of daksna in law that present her friendship with Zarine from progressing (Dattani
shatters the of toned with that music friend the barriers between people).
• Thus Dattani underlines that though the power of a movement is ultimately the power of its
collective of activists, the creation of that power is accomplished in no small measure by the
use of ritual devices. But Dattani does not aim to be only descriptive on perspective. For he
reveals how fragile are there 'paraphernalia' how easily they can be crushed and thus under
mine the so-called power of the mighty. Because, the procession through forty years old can
be easily disrupted - the chariots and the idols cab be broken.

30.4 Key-Words

1. Extortion : The act or an instance of extorting, illegal use of one’s official position or powers
to obtain property, funds, or patronage.
2. Inflict : Cause (something unpleasant or painful) to be suffered by someone or something.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 255