Assignment -Contemporary Literatures in English

 

"Gun Island"- Climate Fiction

Name: Emisha Ravani

Paper: 207:Contemporary Literatures in English

Roll no: 07

Enrollment no: 4069206420210031

Email id: emisharavani3459@gmail.com

Batch: 2021-2023(M.A. Sem 4) 

Submitted to: S. B. Gardi Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Introduction 

Gun Island, Amitav Ghosh continues to explore the familiar themes of cross-cultural exchange and migration that are present in his earlier works. Environmental concerns such as climate change and pollution are also highlighted, reflecting a continuity from his previous novels, including The Hungry Tide and The Great Derangement. The book follows the journey of Deen, a rare book collector and scholar, who travels from his home in New York to the Sunderbans in West Bengal to uncover the legend of Bonduki Sada-gar, a seventeenth-century merchant known as "The Gun Merchant," and his encounter with Manasa Devi, a mythical snake goddess who represents the conflict between profit and the natural world. In a talk in New Delhi, Ghosh explained that the merchant serves as a metaphor for trade and the pursuit of profit, while the goddess represents the need for restraint and the recognition of the interconnectedness of all living things.

Amitav Ghosh's novel, Gun Island, explores a range of cross-cultural patterns familiar in his previous works. The story uncovers a fascinating piece of history, revealing that the Arabic name for Venice was al-Bunduqevya, which means guns. As a result, Deen, a rare book collector and scholar, sets out on a journey to the Sunderbans in West Bengal to uncover the mystery and legend of the seventeenth-century merchant, Bonduki Sada-gar, translated as "The Gun Merchant." However, Deen soon realizes that the name might not have meant the Gun Merchant, but the Merchant who went to Venice.

Ghosh juxtaposes the Gun Merchant's past with the current reality of illegal Bangladeshi migrants who face strong opposition from Italian authorities. The second part of the novel reveals the hazardous journey of these migrants across the Middle East and Africa. In contrast, the Gun Merchant's journey to Venice was prosperous and devoid of such obstacles. Unlike Ghosh's previous works, women play a more significant role in Gun Island. Cinta, a scholar from Venice, conducts research on the role of Venice in the medieval spice trade from India, while Piya Roy, the cetologist from The Hungry Tide, reappears in the novel as a romantic interest for Deen. Nilima Bose runs a charitable organization called the Badabon Trust, and Lubna, a Bangladeshi immigrant, advocates for illegal migrants' rights.

In Gun Island, Ghosh skillfully blends myth and history, fact and fiction, and creates a diverse set of characters from various countries. The novel contrasts nostalgia for a lost past with the concerns of the present. The story raises environmental issues such as climate change and the dumping of chemical waste into rivers by factories, which is a continuation of the themes in Ghosh's previous works.

Amitav Ghosh

Amitav Ghosh is an Indian author who explores themes of national and personal identity in his novels, using intricate narrative techniques. Born on July 11, 1956, in Calcutta (now Kolkata), Ghosh spent his childhood in various countries due to his father's career as a diplomat, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Iran. He earned his Bachelor's degree in 1976 and Master's degree in 1978 from the University of Delhi, while also working as a journalist. Later, he pursued a Ph.D. in social anthropology at the University of Oxford, graduating in 1982. Throughout his career, Ghosh has taught at several institutions, including the University of Delhi, the American University in Cairo, Columbia University in New York City, and Queens College of the City University of New York. After joining Harvard University in 2004, he eventually transitioned to full-time writing and divided his time between India and the United States.

Amitav Ghosh is an acclaimed Indian author whose novels explore themes of postcolonialism, identity, and history. His debut novel, The Circle of Reason (1986), follows an Indian protagonist who is falsely accused of terrorism and must flee to northern Africa and the Middle East. The Shadow Lines (1988), a family saga set against the backdrop of India's independence from Britain in 1947, blends postcolonial and postmodern elements and was widely translated.

Ghosh ventured into science fiction with The Calcutta Chromosome: A Novel of Fevers, Delirium, and Discovery (1995), which presents an alternate history of the discovery of malaria. He continued to explore historical and familial narratives in The Glass Palace (2000), a story of Burma's occupation by the British and The Hungry Tide (2004), set in Bengal. The Ibis trilogy, beginning with Sea of Poppies (2009), returns to historical fiction, tracing the journeys of characters aboard a ship carrying indentured laborers and opium during the first Opium War. The series continued with River of Smoke (2011) and Flood of Fire (2015). Ghosh's nonfiction work includes In an Antique Land (1992), a genre-bending memoir that draws on his experiences in a rural Egyptian village, and Dancing in Cambodia, at Large in Burma (1998), The Imam and the Indian (2002), and Incendiary Circumstances: A Chronicle of the Turmoil of Our Times (2005). In his latest novel, Gun Island (2019), Ghosh weaves together myth and contemporary issues such as climate change. With a diverse range of literary styles and subject matter, Ghosh has earned an international readership and critical acclaim.

Cli-fi Novels

Cli-fi, a subgenre of fiction literature, explores the theme of a changing or changed climate. While rooted in science fiction, it also draws on realism and the supernatural to create stories that often feature accelerated pacing punctuated by crisis, an anxious and fearful mood, and settings undergoing dramatic transformations. Unlike traditional science fiction, cli-fi often centers on the emotional arcs of the characters rather than on the action. By exploring fictional solutions to the climate crisis, cli-fi encourages readers to imagine real-life solutions and to emotionally connect with the issue.

The power of storytelling to build emotional resilience is one of the main benefits of cli-fi. Through connecting with characters experiencing the effects of climate change, readers can better imagine themselves experiencing similar effects in the future. Research has shown that a lack of emotional connection to one's future self can prevent individuals from taking actions to mitigate climate change. By presenting potential consequences of climate change, cli-fi can help readers connect emotionally to the issue and potentially drive them to action. Additionally, cli-fi can serve as an alternative starting point for discussions about climate change, making the issue more approachable and relatable to a wider audience. Ultimately, cli-fi has the potential to play an important role in helping society prepare for and address the climate crisis.

In recent decades, literature has embraced eco-criticism, an interdisciplinary movement that delves into critical writings about human-caused environmental damage. As climate change becomes an increasingly pressing topic, fiction writers are addressing it through the popular genre of "cli-fi", or climate fiction. Cli-fi stories use symbols, narratives, and concepts to represent and give meaning to climate change in our society. These works often present apocalyptic views of environmental changes, such as floods, fires, and storms. However, they also reflect on political and social failures to address climate change by framing it in a tangible and concrete narrative that emphasizes the urgency of collective action.

While some cli-fi novels rely solely on apocalyptic narratives, this approach is problematic when it fails to explore the potential for collective action to reverse environmental deterioration. To avoid this pitfall, authors like Amitav Ghosh offer compelling examples of climate fiction that do not shy away from the gravity of climate change, but also highlight the power of individual and collective action. His 2019 novel, Gun Island, is a powerful example of cli-fi that emphasizes both the urgency of the climate crisis and the potential for transformative change through collective action.

Cli-fi - Gun Island

Gun Island, a novel by Amitav Ghosh, intertwines history, culture, and nature in a striking way. The protagonist, Deen Datta, is a Bengali antique book dealer living in New York who, during a trip back home, learns of a Bengali legend from a relative that challenges his knowledge of Indian folklore. This legend, about the Gun Merchant, leads Deen to a temple in the Sundarbans, the mangrove forests in the Bay of Bengal, where he uncovers the full story of the Gun Merchant's travels to escape persecution from the Goddess Manasa Devi. This discovery sets off a personal and literal journey for Deen, who is joined by a marine biologist, Piya, and two teenagers, Tipu and Rafi. Later, his university advisor, Cinta, an Italian professor, also joins the expedition. Their journey takes them from India to Los Angeles and Venice, testing Deen's rationality while exposing the environmental consequences of capitalism. Throughout the novel, Ghosh puts history, culture, and nature on an equal plane, creating a rich and complex narrative that explores the intersection of these three elements.

Climate fiction often uses apocalyptic narratives to convey the urgency and horror of environmental changes. This is also evident in Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island, which briefly references the 2009 cyclone Aila that devastated the Sundarbans. Ghosh highlights the impact of human activity on exacerbating the destruction caused by natural disasters, resulting in permanent social change in the area.

The effects of climatic changes are also evident in Deen's travels to Los Angeles and Venice, where wildfires and rising water levels threaten the cities. Ghosh portrays the disruption of various animal species' distribution patterns due to ecological chaos, particularly with Piya's concern for the dolphins she studies and Deen's encounters with non-native venomous creatures in Venice and LA. These species' migration north is a result of rising temperatures and habitat destruction. It's not only animals that are impacted by climate change; people are also forced to migrate due to a complex interplay of colonial history, capitalism, and environmental degradation. Ghosh deftly weaves these themes together, creating a powerful narrative that explores the devastating consequences of our actions on the planet. Despite the apocalyptic backdrop of Gun Island, Ghosh's central theme revolves around the importance of cultivating a shared sense of humanity that transcends species boundaries. The author posits that humanity's ability to care for and love Mother Earth can only be rekindled by first caring for and loving one another.

Throughout the novel, Ghosh highlights the struggles faced by displaced and migrating humans, particularly through the story of Tipu and Rafi. These two young men, who meet through Deen, embark on a treacherous journey to Europe in search of a better life. Tipu is ambitious and driven, while Rafi has always lived a simple life in a small village in the Sundarbans. The two pay smugglers to transport them from Bangladesh to Turkey, traversing India, Pakistan, and Iran in overcrowded minibuses. Along the way, they are forced to stop at connection houses near borders, where they are extorted for more money to continue their journey.

Ghosh's portrayal of the hardships faced by migrants sheds light on the complex web of socioeconomic and political factors that drive human displacement. Through Tipu and Rafi's story, he challenges readers to confront the harsh reality faced by millions of people around the world and to consider the importance of cultivating a more compassionate, trans-species sense of community.

Gun Island highlights the harsh reality of migration and the plight of those who risk everything for a chance at a better life. This is exemplified by the story of Tipu and Rafi, whose dangerous journey to Europe through multiple countries mirrors the experiences of many migrants. The struggles of migrants do not end when they reach their destination, as they often face discrimination and hostility. In the novel, the Blue Boat episode showcases the ongoing migration crisis in Europe, with the fate of climate refugees left in the hands of policymakers. The atmosphere surrounding the Blue Boat's arrival is tense, with activists and the media on one side and the Navy and anti-immigrant protesters on the other. Ghosh's vivid portrayal of the terrified migrants and their stories adds an emotional depth to the scene, underscoring the urgency of finding humane solutions to the migration crisis.

In Gun Island, Ghosh acknowledges that an apocalyptic narrative can be limiting if it doesn't provide room for transformation and renewal. Thus, his characters are not passive victims of circumstances but rather empowered agents of change. Deen, Piya, Rafi, Tipu, and Cinta travel great distances, braving perilous journeys, in search of better lives. When faced with the most harrowing situations, they do not stand idly by but choose to take action. They come together with other like-minded individuals, determined to help others and create a better future.

Ghosh tackles various pressing issues, such as xenophobia, immigration, climate change, and environmental degradation, in Gun Island. Despite the bleakness of the scenario, the author presents a vision of interconnectedness and collective action that encourages mutual awareness and cooperation. Rather than succumbing to despair and inaction, the characters' ability to connect with one another and form alliances allows them to move beyond their initial passivity and apathy.

Through his portrayal of characters who take responsibility, care for others, and act, Ghosh highlights the potential for social and political projects that prioritize the well-being of individuals and the environment. The novel suggests that by connecting with others and acting collectively, we can create positive change and overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Conclusion

Gun Island is a work of fiction that belongs to the emerging genre of climate fiction or cli-fi. This genre encompasses a wide range of literary works that address the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on individuals, societies, and the planet. The novel presents a dystopian vision of the world, where natural disasters and human actions have caused irreversible damage to the environment and led to the displacement of people and species. The narrative of Gun Island is centered around the interconnectedness of humans and the environment and how human actions have affected the natural world. The novel highlights the devastating consequences of climate change and environmental degradation, such as rising sea levels, floods, and droughts. It also explores the social and political implications of these environmental changes, such as forced migration, xenophobia, and social inequality.

Works Cited

Farrar, Straus, et al. “Cli-Fi (Climate Fiction) - Climate in Arts and History.” Clark Science Center, https://www.science.smith.edu/climatelit/cli-fi/. Accessed 29 March 2023.

Ghosh, Amitav, and Allison Hedge. “Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh.” World Literature Today, 2019, https://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2019/autumn/gun-island-amitav-ghosh. Accessed 28 March 2023.

“"Gun Island": When a Climate Novel Speaks to Our Sense of Humanity.” By Arcadia, 28 January 2022, https://www.byarcadia.org/post/gun-island-when-a-climate-novel-speaks-to-our-sense-of-humanity. Accessed 29 March 2023.

Luebering, JE. “Amitav Ghosh | Biography, Books, & Facts | Britannica.” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Amitav-Ghosh. Accessed 28 March 2023.