Pakistani Sisyphean Heroes in Taufiq Rafat’s Foothold

Abstract

The protagonist of Foothold, Saleem, wanders off into the wilderness to seek faith like Buddha. He does not give up his quest as he returns home to his family and friends, and learns that faith can be found and practised amongst his community. A close reading of the text proves that Saleem bears the qualities of a Sisyphean Hero as outlined by Albert Camus. Other characters have also been subjected to a similar scrutiny to prove whether they are Sisyphean Heroes or not. Furthermore, the close reading of Foothold renders an insight into the generation of the Sixties who experienced decolonization and felt like misfits in their own environment. Saleem is acutely affected by the process of decolonization and hence, he is deeply puzzled with the institutionalized religion in Pakistan. To shape the theoretical framework of this research, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays, The Stranger, and A Happy Death have been used. As there is a dearth of criticism on Foothold therefore, the interpretations for this research have been derived from Camus’ works. This research will be beneficial to those researchers who wish to study the application of Camus’ works in a postcolonial setting. Moreover, the scope of this project extends to Sufism, Mysticism, and Imagism.