ROOTS: Literary Appreciation (Sethulekshmi S, BA Sociology, 20usoc3611)

 ROOTS

The short story 'Roots' written by Ismat Chugtai depicts the relationship between a hindu and a muslim family, and how the partition of India causes crack in their relationship.The story shows us how communal riots causes violence and bloodshed in the peaceful lives of people.This story is filled with a number of literary devices which makes it more beautiful.

"India was operated upon by such clumsy hands and blunt knives that thousands of arteries were left open.Rivers of blood flowed, and no one had the strength left to stitch the wounds." 

India is personified as a person here.The author says that India was operated by the clumsy hands of Britishers.Thousands of people were killed brutally and were left wounded, physically as well as mentally.No one had the strength to stitch the wounds.

"Deadly wound that it would fester for years to come"

Though the Britishers had left India, they left a deep wound here called partition, which would make the situation more worse and intense with time.

"Time passed on, but Amma stayed steadfast in her position like a banyan tree that stands upright through storms and blizzards."

Banyan tree is a tree which have roots from the branches itself.Like a banyan tree, Amma is also deeply rooted in that place.She had spend her whole life in this land, and is not ready to leave it for any cause.

"Who knows whether the new soil will be conducive to these saplings or make them wilt."

Amma couldn't sleep that night, thinking whether her children and other relatives will be able to survive in the new land or get killed on the way.

"Two pearls of warm tears trickled down"

Here the tears of Amma represents tears of joy, when her children came back for her.It is compared to pearls, which are beautiful and valuable.