Social Discrimination in Bhabani Bhattacharya’s So Many Hungers

Abstract

This article offers an in-depth analysis of suffering and social discrimination as a central theme in Bhabani Bhattacharya’s So Many Hungers. The novel portrays different types of socio-gender discrimination and his characters seem to be at war with both the self and society. India must reorient her national life on a new social basis where woman has to sacrifice her comforts in the social rebirth of India. It emphasizes the author’s nuanced portrayal of the Indian society during the tumultuous period of the Bengal Famine and the Quit India movement against the backdrop of World War II. Bhattacharya’s narrative unveils the complex layers of discrimination present within the society, accentuated by the crisis. The article commences by explicating the socio-economic disparities highlighted in the novel, examining Bhattacharya’s critique of the British colonial government and the elite Indian class. Bhattacharya astutely intertwines these inequalities with the plight of the famine victims, illuminating the juxtaposition between excessive affluence and abject poverty. The author makes a minute scrutiny of the prevailing caste system, elucidating how it perpetuates the vicious cycle of discrimination. Bhattacharya’s female characters, often victims of societal norms and expectations, expose the prevalent gender biases. However, they also emerge as symbols of resilience, defying their ordained roles in an oppressive system. The article argues that Bhattacharya uses this setting to indicate that freedom from colonial rule must accompany freedom from socio-cultural biases for India to truly progress. The study also depicts how a woman plays a role of a bridge between culture, custom and conventions. It tries to pose a testimony to the lasting relevance and power of his writing in contemporary discussions on social equity and justice. The innocent preys of hunger grab the role of hunters and try to explore the different reactions and the changed attitude for the same. This paper traces out the cause of human suffering and their possible remedies through a sensitive understanding of the problem of the contemporary Indian society.