Part of our class discussions
focused on the continual disavowal of sons from their patriarchal structure and
in turn, the widening disconnect between fathers and sons. This blog will show
that Zakir is, to a large extent, a mirror image of his father: They both
remain passive and apathetic to their situation. This view can be extended to
other father-son relationships in the novel.
This view can be
established by examining their personal spaces. Personal space can be defined
as is the
region, physical or spiritual, surrounding a person which they regard as
psychologically theirs- that which they turn to in times of crisis for comfort,
refuge or solace. Aba Jan’s
personal space is vested in his religious orientation. His reflex response and solution
to every circumstance is to abandon all effort and to place comeplete ‘Trust in Him’. For instance, regarding the
security of Batul (his wife’s sister), instead of inquiring about Dhaka he
characteristically replies, ' our wishes are dependent
on His pleasure; what He desires, that's what happens’ (59)
In contrast, Zakir’s personal space is the Café Shiraz
where he regularly meets his friends. For him, his personal space is absorbed
within the social sphere. For example,
in Chapter 2 seeing the college in a state of disarray Zakir feels a kind of
oppression after which he turns to Shiraz. He questions himself, “Now what’s to
be done”? and then decides, “All right,
I’ll go to Shiraz. Perhaps the group might be there” (60).
In order to relieve
himself of his oppression he turns to the comfort of Shiraz. We find a similar occurrence
in Chapter 3. When suffocated by the silence on the streets he returns to Shiraz.
The narrator observes, “He began to feel suffocated. He
wanted to escape from this stifling atmosphere. 'The Mulla goes only as
far as the mosque.'He went of course to the Shiraz…” in the
company of his friends. Where the large portion of the time is spent talking
about the failed masculinity of their fathers and the confusion surrounding the
current affairs of the city.
The main difference between Zakir and his father is that their personal
spaces vary- the spiritual faith is replaced by the physical Shiraz. Even though,
Zakir or the youth may have more sources of information available to them the
consequence is the same, both Zakir and his father remain inherently passive
and apathetic to their current circumstances. Zakir is a mirror image of his
father and hence no different than him because there is a complete lack of
action on his part (much like that of his father).
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