Abstract
This paper focuses on the Indian cultural background having the themes like hunger, poverty, famine, war, politics, freedom, imperialism, economic exploitation, class consciousness in the Indo-Anglian English fiction writer Bhabani Bhattacharya’s novel So Many Hungers!, related to the socio-political and economic situations of Bengali’s society. The theme of the novel is mainly the existing pressing problems of India especially the rural India before and after the Independence. Realism is one of the most remarkable features of Bhabani Bhattacharya’s fiction. His novel shows a passionate awareness of life in India, the social awakening and protest, the utter poverty of peasants, the Indian freedom struggle and its various dimensions, the tragedy of partition of the country, the social and political transitions, the mental as well as the physical agony of the poor peasants and labor class people of the Indian society, especially that of Bengal and other adjoining states. Bhattacharya believes that an artist should inevitably be concerned with truth and reality, his portrayal of the life and society is never a photographic one nor a journalistic record. One can very well find the reflection of Indian culture, tradition and struggle in it.
Highlights
Bhabani Bhattacharya has a remarkable place among the 20th century Indo-Anglican writers
Various types of hungers mentioned in it are hunger for food, hunger for sex, hunger for money, hunger for love, hunger for freedom, hunger for name and fame. These hungers are not confined to a particular place or community but are universal and they are applied to the international community as well
Bhabani Bhattacharya is of the view that art must have purposiveness and the novel must have a social purpose
Summary
His novels, So Many Hungers!, He Who Rides A Tiger, Shadow From Laddakh, Music For Mohini, A Dream In Hawaii as well as his stories have worldwide acclaim. Purposeless art and literature which is much in vogue does not appear to me a sound judgment.” (Badal, 1975) The novel portrays the sufferings, trials and tribulations of the people of Bengal in general and the other people of Calcutta and its adjoining village of Baruni. Sorot writes: “While in the novels of the Indian – English writers in general, the problem of conflict or synthesis between tradition and modernity figures as a secondary theme, in the writings of Bhabani Bhattacharya it assumes the significance of the dominating issue In contemporary Indian life. He has used this knowledge so artistically that they have become the part and parcel of the novel
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
