ABSTRACT Objectives: The thesis finds out a very intriguing matter of how and why people living in one nation before Indo-Pak partition, have developed so much animosity. How these people, who used to consider one another brothers, became enemies? Geopolitically, India and Pakistan may consider each-other foes, but it s very ironical and interesting that many Pakistani writers are being published first in India and some of them are more popular in India than in Pakistan. The study helps to find out the consequences and the factors responsible for the problems of illiteracy, unemployment, the impact of western culture, disillusionment and degradation of youth, corrupted bureaucracy and politics, extremism and religious fanaticism, social, racial and economical discrimination and marginalization in Pakistan. Novels like The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Burnt Shadows represent global problems of racial marginalization and Global trauma due to wars and terrorism. A London-based author Nadeem Aslam says: Pakistan seems to be at the centre of some of the world s problems right now and Pakistani writers and artists are actually trying to explain this mess. And the world is interested also because some of the problems of nations like India and America are rooted in this mess.'' This research validates the need for global unity and global peace. This work establishes the fact that if orthodox thinking and extreme religious views can divide the nations, literature can unite them. The research work helps to ix
understand Pakistani society with empathy and analyzes the entire spectrum of Pakistani society as portrayed in the contemporary English fiction by Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie. The present thesis intends to study the societal issues of urban Pakistan as portrayed by Mohsin and Kamila in their fiction. The primary sources: The primary sources of the research work are novels written by the two writers. These are: 1.Moth Smoke 2.The Reluctant Fundamentalist 3.In the City by the Sea 4.Salt and Saffron 5.Kartography 6.Broken Verses 7.The Burnt Shadows -Mohsin Hamid - Mohsin Hamid Apart from the primary sources, the non-fictional works by the writers, interviews, news papers, news channels, journals, magazines, TV channels and other non- fictional works, research papers and a few chats with people of Pakistan and India have been used for secondary sources. x
Research Methodology: The research methodology adopted for this research work is explorative research methodology. The entire research is carried out with analytical and qualitative approach. MLA Handbook for Research Writers 07th Edi, has been used for formatting and documentation purpose. The thesis is organized in chapters as mentioned below: Chapter:1-1.1 Introduction 1.2 Literature Review 1.3 A Brief History of Pakistani Fiction and Portrayal of Society in Pakistani English Fiction Chapter:2 - Socio-Psycho and Socio-Economic Issues in Contemporary Pakistani Fiction by Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie Chapter:3 - Socio-Political and Socio-Religious Issues in Contemporary Pakistan English Fiction by Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie Chapter:4 - Socio-Historical Issues in Contemporary Pakistani English Fiction by Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie Chapter: 5 - Conclusion xi
Chapter 1: Chapter 1 of the thesis is divided into three sub sections. 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Literature Review 1.3 A Brief History of Pakistani Fiction and Portrayal of Society in Pakistani English Fiction The thesis begins with the discussion of what constitutes Pakistani literature and who is a Pakistani writer. This chapter is the study of many writers of Pakistan who have written in English or translated into English such as Manto, Qurratulain Heider, Abdulla Husain, Zulfikar Ghose, Bapsi Sidhwa, Mohmmad Hanif, Nadeem Aslam and Daniyal Meeunuddin. The basic attempt of the chapter is to find out similarities and contradictions between the works of the other writers of Pakistan with Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie. The chapter establishes the thematic connection between fiction of other Pakistani writers and Mohsin and Kamila. It examines archetypal themes in Pakistani English fiction and ascertains the thematic correlation and motifs of Pakistan English fiction such as: complexity of partition in 1947, clash between personal and shared identities, impact of delocalization on human lives, industrialization, conflicts between western and domestic culture, conflict among politicians and its impact on lives of people of Pakistan, impact of religion on common men of Pakistan. The chapter describes a brief history of Pakistani English fiction and its gradual development. xii
Chapter 2: Chapter 2 contains the study of socio-psycho and socio-economic issues in the fiction of Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie. Thus, the chapter is divided into two parts: 2.1 Portrayal of socio-psycho issues 2.2 Portrayal of socio-economic issues The first section of the chapter comprises of the study of adolescent psychology and socio-psychological issues related to gender and mob-mentality. Psychometric study of Pakistani youth such as Daru, Mumtaz and Ozi is attempted. The chapter analyses the phobia of Pakistani people for India and vice versa. The study of pluralistic ignorance is given the focus to find out the reasons of fear-phobic among citizens of India and Pakistan. This section gives a detailed note on how social chaos in Pakistan creates a psychological turmoil in Pakistan. Broadly, the section evaluates the mindset of people of a nation, who are always in a state of war. There are many beliefs and disbeliefs about Pakistan and that is why Pakistani is believed to be the territory of terrorism. The psychoanalysis discovered in literary techniques such as narrative techniques, use of metaphor and symbols to show the internal trauma of characters are also an interesting. Finding confirms the need of a change of mind of Pakistan people for the comprehensive development of the nation. Chapter 2.2 deals with factors related to socioeconomic issues of the nation. With help of the primary and secondary sources, the root causes of the present economic condition are scrutinized. Wars, terrorism and unemployment are among the major reasons for the poor economy of the nation. This segment indicates the economic discrimination in urban Pakistan society where the rich xiii
avoid the poor which leads to disparity in the society. Symbolically, the socioeconomic bigotry is illustrated by few words like: Salt-Saffron, Suzuki Pajero and Sweating class and AC class. The chapter discusses the role of corruption which affects the employability for economic collapse. Again, through the chapter, we come to know that the economic condition is the root of many social evils of Pakistan. This subdivision asks and also replies vital questions such as: why there is no foreign investment in Pakistan and why highly educated youth of Pakistan are also unemployable. The chapter validates the need of skill based education, control on population and reformation in economic policies making in Pakistan. Chapter 3: Chapter 3 demonstrates the two indispensible factors of Pakistani society: Politics and Religion. The chapter is classified in two sub-sections for better analysis: 3.1- Portrayal of socio-political issues 3.2- Portrayal of socio-religious issues Politics, radical religion and mixing of politics with religion; these are three aspects which have ironically provided Pakistan, a place in global news. The chapter appraises why democracy has never prevailed in Pakistan. The writers criticize that because of the fault of policy makers, the innocent people have to tolerate. The chapter gives details of political conflict between the ruling party and the opposition, political fundamentalists xiv
and liberals, divergence among politically Have and Have Not, Militant regime, Kashmir issues and political trauma during civil war. All the novels criticize Zia, who used religion for political purposes. This section defines the need of security centric politics and political stability. On another hand, chapter 3.2 covers the analysis of socioreligious issues from the novels. It begins with the discussion of the five pillars of Islam and gives detailed picture on collective psyche shaped by religion, importance of the Quran and mosques in Pakistan, impact of religion on educational policies and its consequences, ethnic fall out between Muslims and non-muslims as well as among the Muslims: Shia and Sunni. There is also an analysis of how the difference in religious approach creates social difference which ultimately leads to quarrels between staunch religious groups and liberal religious groups. The chapter exemplifies the nature and function of religion and points out the roles and responsibility of madrassas in spreading the jihadi messages among innocent people. Remembering the time of Total Islamization, the writers strongly scorn the hand in glove relation of religion and politics in Pakistan. The writers advocate liberal interpretation of Islam and the Quran. They express their disagreement to the law of blasphemy and request to modify it for social peace, unity and harmony. Questioning the security of religious minority of Pakistan, the chapter expresses concerns over the failure of governments. There is a discussion of why religion should never be treated as the identity of a person. The chapter brings out the condition of many Muslims in foreign countries whose lives have been ruined due to negative religious identity they are getting and also for use of religion for political purposes. Apart from this, the chapter also describes the festive atmosphere of Pakistan during the times of Ramzan and Eid. This unit of the thesis clarifies the religious approach of Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie, which is against the rigid and dogmatic xv
belief of fundamentalists and extremists. They write that any religion does not lead to separation but it unites the people for love, light and for pray. Chapter 4: Chapter 4 contains the analysis of socio-historic issues. It begins with a discussion on interdisciplinary relation of History and Literature. From World War- II to the attack on World Trade Centre, the chapter examines how all these historic phenomena have impacted the society of Pakistan. There are historical issues such as partition from India and birth of Pakistan, the 1965 war with India, first general election of Pakistan in 1970, Victory of Awami League, Civil war of 1971, wars with India for Kashmir issues, introduction of penal code in Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan People Party becoming the fourth president of Pakistan, Gen. Zia ul-haq of Military becomes eleventh prime minister and hanging the first elected Prime Minister of Pakistan Z. A. Bhutto, attack on Zia and his death, nuclear experiments, US Military invasion in Afghanistan and the impact of attack on World Trade Centre in Pakistan. The chapter shows the influence of all these historic events on the lives of common men of Pakistan in particular and world in general. It tries to look into the problems of fundamentalism and extremism and how these can be overcome. The writers express their views that the basic reason of Pakistan s downfall is that the nation has not learned from its historical mistakes and it goes on to repeat them. xvi
Chapter 5: The final chapter of the thesis sums up the findings and establishes the relevance of the study. Study of Pakistan from Geo-political perspective is done by many researchers but an important perspective that can complement such studies by analyzing the cultural and literary roots of Pakistan is sadly missing today. Attempt of this thesis in exploring the enigmatic identity of Pakistani society stands relevant when the entire world is concerned about the breeding ground for radical and fundamental religious violence and hatred. Neutral analysis and study of the causes for the current situation in Pakistan can remove prejudice and phobia that the world is developing. At the same time, such a study offers a significant way ahead by suggesting possibilities of cultural transformation that can bring much desired stability in Pakistan and south Asia. The research which has adopted trans-disciplinary approach has assimilated Social, Psychological, Economic, Religious and Political factors with literature. Solutions of human rights and world peace can t be instant or by force. These can be achieved by understanding and appealing the ideology. The society today needs weapons for mass construction and instruction not destruction. The thesis is dedicated to the universal principles of brotherhood and peace. xvii