Generation Gap

It is interesting to note how the elder generation in the novel have a certain affinity for religion, be it Zakir’s father or Khawaja Sahab, while the younger generations have moved away from the idea of it, represented by Afzaal, Salamat and Zakir. If we see the situation of both these generations, we must try to account for a sudden shift away from religion in the next generation. Is it because superstitious notions could not withstand the tragedy of the migrations? The brutality of change did not allow for religious explanations to continue unscathed, and indeed we see Zakir’s father actually deviating from his deeply religious position near the end. It also underscores a frustration in the youth who respond to change much more actively, and we see characters like Zakir emerge. Notions like the one Zakir’s father has near the end, that it is better to die than live on this planet, show the breaking point of patience. It is a very anti-religious sentiment to have, but the religious narrative can no longer account for the extreme pain and suffering of the migrations- for the sense of loss and exile, and hence we can attribute this to the difference between the generations.