Literary devices of the chapter root (Hridyaross Johny, BA Sociology, 20usoc3610)

 The roots is story written by popular Indian urdu novelist ISMAT CHUGHTAI. . The story 

tells about an old woman who is unable to understand the intricacies of partition . the author tells as 

about the dreadful condition of thousands of people during the period of partition. The story is 

surrounded around the family of the author.by making herself as character she is representing the 

entire population who suffered during the era of partition,. The story is presented in such a beautiful 

way that makes the audience fall deep into the story .

1 , “TIME PASSED ON ,BUT AMMA STAYED STEADFAST IN HER POSITION LIKE A BANYAN TREE THAT 

STANDS UPRIGHT THROUGH STORMS AND BILIZZAERDS”

The author is presenting amma as a “BANYAN TREE”. Banayan tree is a tree which have prop roots from 

branches of stem .its roots goes deep down in soil and it is almost impossible to cut its roots off . just 

like a banyan tree ammas roots goes deep down in her homeland . she spended her whole life in this 

land and her roots is so deep that nothing in the world could cut it off. She loves her roots and doesn’t

want to get cutoff from her roots .she is not ready to leave her land , country and her neighbours and 

likens this leaving her to dead .no matter what happens she will never let anyone to cutoff her root ,she 

is willing to accept anything . she doesn’t want to leave and she never will. Here the author is using 

SIMILE.

2,”TWO PEARLS OF WARM TEARS TRICKLED DOWN”

Here the tears are being personified .when her childrens left her and went to pakistan amma cried a lot 

but that tears of her represent nothing but sadness,it gives off the image of amma who is heart broken 

and alone.but here now her tears represents happiness .everything is back to normal ,her childrens 

came back for her ,and now roopchandji is also there with them. Pearls are something really valuble and 

beautiful and just like a pearl her tears are so valuble and meaning full, it is the tear of joy.

3,” DEADLY WOUND THAT IT WOULD FESTER FOR YEARS TO COME”

Here partition is personified as a deadly wound that would fester for years. Even though british had left 

india it left a deep wound on india which is called partition .partition is wound that wiil become worse or 

more intense as time pass on.even in this era we are still suffering the pain of that wound which had left by British.

4,"India was operated upon the clumsy hands and blunt knives that thousands of arteries were left open." 

          The colonial British power is personified to clumsy hands.This statement shows the intensification of communal riots that happened in India during partition. Thousands of people were killed brutally and was deeply wounded physically and mentally. No one gained the victory from this riot but many lost their lives, livelihood, dreams,roots etc.

5, She had nursed the crop with her heart's blood through fifty years.

           Amma's family is personified to crop.Amma take care of her family. She spent her good time of her life for the betterment of family.She built her family over her life and hardwork.  Now she is scared about her children's condition in new land.