Reconstruction of Partition Narrative: A Postmodern Analysis of Khushwant Singh’s Train to Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47067/jlcc.v4i3.120Keywords:
Alternative Narrative, Meta-Narrative, Postmodernism, Partition NarrativeAbstract
The notion of metanarratives has significant import in the depiction of the narratives built under postmodern conditions. They created a one-dimensional story of the turbulence and mayhem from the point of view of the partition of the subcontinent by framing it in the most terrible human tragedy imaginable. Instead of helping people deal with their feelings about the partition, this story just served to fuel their anger and make them more determined to get their own back. As a result, there was an insatiable want amongst readers for additional accounts of such events, preferably presented in the most dramatic and heroic fashion possible. Authors felt compelled to cater to the needs of the masses by producing works of popular literature. The only way to complete the assignment was to embellish the situations to the point where the public was satisfied. This current fad increasingly detaches its followers from reality. A distorted understanding of the partition had been constructed in their minds thanks to this material, seriously endangering their ability to reason. They had a one-dimensional view of the partition and associated it solely with the killing. Despite the fact that these tales promote violence and hatred, the partition literature is replete with examples of acts of compassion, charity, and humanity. There are fair and balanced depictions of the human side of partition. Khushwant Singh's Train to Pakistan is another example of the underappreciated stories that celebrate humanity and kindness. People on the subcontinent, who had previously lived in harmony, did not suddenly become violent or hostile; instead, they risked their own lives to protect those who were migrating and to aid those who needed assistance. A tremendous deal of kindness and sympathy is on display in this story, offering a softer, more human perspective on the standard account of the division. The present study investigates the alternative narrative of the partition narrative to depict the other side of the story graphed in the texture of bloodshed and butchery.
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