DISINTEGRATION OF FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN UPAMANYU CHATTERJEE'S 'THE LAST BURDEN'

Abstract

Upamanyu Chatterjee's novels and short stories generally depict the agony and conflicts of postmodern Indian characters. The Last Burden (1993) is the second novel by an Indian writer, Upamanyu Chatterjee, which delineates many topics including family relationships, love, financial, social and emotional problem, etc. The title indicates the struggle for their identity in the society and in the family, which builds a tension in their life. The novel explains the problems of the present-day middle class people Indian families in their daily routine. It portrays the passive attitude of young people towards their parents who consider them as materialistic burden in all kinds of social setting. The inhuman treatment given to the aged people by the young is a strange picture which was not observed in olden times. The young consider the old unfortunately as a burden instead of moral responsibility without anticipating their latter situation. It is ironical to say that most people in every generation fail to show concern towards their parents having passive attitude in their nature. The writer deftly touches the subject of familial relationships which is given prime importance in Indian context .