Trauma and its Manifestations in Saadat Hasan Manto’s “Toba Tek Singh”

Abstract

Aims: The present paper entitled “Trauma and its Manifestations in Saadat Hasan Manto’s “Toba Tek Singh” aims to elaborate the concept of trauma both in clinical and psychological terms. It also tries to establish a link between trauma and its various manifestations in Manto’s short story “Toba Tek Singh”.

Methodology and Approaches: The paper is primarily based on the elaborations of the various events occurred in “Toba Tek Singh”. The character of Bishan Singh has been analyzed showcasing him as a typical case of psychological trauma. The analysis has been made in such a way that can lead to a larger understanding of literary narratives as an outcome of traumatic psyche. The methods and approaches adopted for writing of this paper are explanatory, analytical and reinterpretive.

Outcome: The paper offers a new approach to relook into certain literary texts. It also raises question on the role of memory as a device to ascertain historical facts in a troubled time.

Conclusion and Suggestions: Trauma is an overwhelming experience of sudden or catastrophic events, in which the response to the event occurs in the often delayed, and uncontrolled repetitive occurrence of hallucinations and other intrusive phenomena. Saadat Hasan Manto's "Toba Tek Singh" stands as a powerful indictment of the trauma inflicted by the partition of India and Pakistan. The characters of Manto’s other short stories such as “Mozail” and “The Return” can be analysed from the perspective of physical trauma.