Page 49 - DENG503_INDIAN_WRITINGS_IN_LITERATURE

Unit 4: Amitav Ghosh: Shadow Lines: Detailed Study of Part -III (Critical Appreciation)

and sour relations. No one can divide the memory. People in that case also [after the borders are Notes
marked] continue to be on friendly terms then why to do all this? And this also happens to be the
message to The shadow Lines.
Nationalism has been painted black in The shadow lines. It is held responsible though obliquely
for division and separation. Tha’mma has been ridiculed as fossilized specimen of nationalism.
However, to hold nationalism only responsible for such results in my opinion would be unfair.
And to affirm the death of nationalism would be making a profound and authoritative statement.
It is agreed that the present form of nationalism can become the greatest obstacle to world unity
and world peace. Nationalism was present in nascent form in very early societies. The tribal
instinct has been magnified beyond limits resulting in political megalomania. But only nationalism
is not to blame. There are other forces as well, which are responsible for division and conflict.
Race, religion, colour, caste, economic difference, customs and languages are potent factors for
realization of world government or world peace, Unlike Dutta Choudarys and the Prices in London,
crossing national frontiers is quite a task for an average man. They have overcome the nationality
and the borders because they are privileged and rich. Taking off from one country and landing in
another is not difficult for them nor is their stay in different places. They might view the world as
one but a common man still sticks to his place of birth that he calls his motherland and it is dearer
a place than any other place on the earth. He has his reservations about other countries.
The novel has also thrown some light on the Hindu-Muslim relationship in the past. In the riots
during the division, there were instances of Muslim families in Pakistan giving shelter to Hindus
at the risk of their own life and Hindus in India doing the same. The discrimination and differences
between the two communities are predominantly illusory. Khalil was a Muslim and a poor man
but looked after the old man as if he was his own father but the bitter truth and irony remains that
both the innocents are killed as it always happens. The mob does not distinguish between the rich
and the poor, co-religionists or pagans.
Self-Assessment
1. Choose the correct option:
(i) The shadow lines questions the
(a) Sanity (b) Efficacy
(c) Both (a) and (b) (d) None of these
(ii) .......... ridiculed as fossilized specimen of nationalism.
(a) May (b) Tha'mma
(c) The Narrator (d) None of these
(iii) .......... was killed cruelly.
(a) May (b) The Narrator
(c) Nick (d) Tridib
4.2 Summary

• The Shadow Lines is undoubtedly a benchmark in Indian writing in English. The book stirs
up a number of themes. Time and distance in The Shadow Lines are illusory. The novel
moves back and forth and the events are not narrated sequentially. The narrator is a man
with great and penetrating insight. He cannot only peep into the past and future but also
into the lives of characters.

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