Partition Trauma: Comparative Study Of Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice Candy Man And Khushwant Singh’s Train To Pakistan

Abstract

This research concentrates for the most part centered on two books which are Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice Candy Man and Khushwant Singh’s Train to Pakistan. The study finds that the major symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in the form of intrusion and constriction are observed in the characters of Ayah, Lenny, Ice-candy-man, Juggut Singh, Nooran, Hukum Chand and Haseena of both the novels. The same symptoms are perceived through the dialogues and actions of the characters mentioned above as well as the events presented in the novel. The Indian sub-continent partition, resulting in the form of Pakistan and India which is the marvelous and the most noteworthy occasion in the history of mankind's worst experiences. It is the demonstration of brutal massacre of Muslims and Sikhs in trains and the annihilation of people in the villages as well as rivers are the best illustrations to prove the incredible agonies and aches of the people of sub-continent. This study is an effort to develop argument and interpretation of the consequences of partition made by two well-known contemporary writers who themselves personally observed the event and managed to display a better view in terms of their interpretations through their writings. The methodology is textual analysis and close reading along with the techniques of narration and the evaluation of settings used by the both writers.