ThAct : Gun Island

 Hello Readers...

This blog is in response of the thinking activity in our department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. This blog is about Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island.

Let us look at some question :

1.) How does Amitabh Ghosh use myth of Gun Merchant "Bondugi Sadagar" and Mansa Devi to initiate  discussion on the issue of Climate Change and Migration/ Refugee Crisis/ Human Trafficking?

Ghosh wants to convey about the major situation we are facing today: climate change and migration, in Gun Island, by using myth. This tale of The Gun Merchant and Manasa Devi was cleverly exploited by Amitav Ghosh. The entire drama revolves around the pilgrimage of both Gun gun and Dinanath. Both the characters and the events are interconnected. It's a storey that's somewhat comparable. Ghosh aims to convey the message of climate change and migration to the world through myth.Gun Island is a narrative of migration and journey, laced with myth and folklore, and set against the backdrop of climate change's worsening crisis. It is a complex plot that weaves together human and animal characters, past and present, natural and supernatural elements. Gun Island looks at several types of migration, from people and entire communities being uprooted from their native place to the recent severe shifts in migratory patterns of various species.

2.) How does Amitabh Ghosh make use of "etymology" of common words to sustain mystery and suspense in the narrative?

The study of the history of words is known as etymology. By extension, a word's etymology refers to its origin and evolution across time. In this work, Ghosh uses a lot of words that have etymologies.

1.Gun Island

2.Bhut - Ghost 

3.Possession 

4.Land of Palm Sugar Candy

5.Land of Kerchieves 

6.Island of Chains

1.Gun Island

A single foundry produced all weapons, including bullets. The word "getto" means "foundry" in Venetian dialect. The term "ghetto" comes from the word "getto" and refers to a Jewish neighbourhood. Three seemingly unrelated elements make up Venice's alternative vocabulary: hazelnuts, bullets, and weapons! Hazelnuts have a similar shape to bullets, which are essential for firearms! "Banadiq" is the Arabic term for Venice, and it is the root of the German and Swedish words "Venedig." In Arabic, "Banadiq" became "al-Bunduqeyya." As a result, this gun is referred to as Venice instead of gun! The final meaning of the title is a trader who went to Venice and discovered a ghetto-foundry.

2.Bhut - Ghost 

Dinanath Datta and Tipu have an email exchange going on. "What does "Bhuta" mean," Tipu inquired of Deen. Is it supposed to mean "ghost" or anything else? According to Deen, the Bangla word bhoot/bhuta means "to be" or "to manifest" because the Sanskrit root "bhu" signifies "to be" or "to manifest." As a result, "bhuta" simply means "being" or "presence." The word "bhuta" can also refer to the past, as in "a previous state of being."

3.Possession

The term "possession" is mentioned throughout the work. When a demon takes control of someone, this is known as possession. And the demon is nothing more than a metaphor for greed, a made-up creature. So possession isn't the same as when someone's soul enters our body and everything! We have seized control of that greed because of our own greed. It's also a type of awakening; you're becoming aware of things you've never thought or felt before. To put it another way, possession is the awareness of things.

4.Land of Palm Sugar Candy

"Taal-misrir-dish" is the Bengali word for it. Desh denotes a country, taal is a type of palm tree that produces sugar syrup, and misri denotes sugar sweet in Bengali. According to Cinta, the Arabic word "Misr" is used to refer to Egypt. As a result, Egypt is the name given to this location.

5.Land of Kerchieves 

Cinta inquired about the Bengali equivalent of this word. Rumaali-desh was the name Deen gave her. Rumaal is a handkerchief in Bengali. It's about Rumelia, according to Chinta, and this Rumeli-Hisari is in Turkey.

6.Island of Chains

"Shikol-dwip" is the Bengali term for this. This is a reference to Sikelia, which is now known as Sicily. As a result, Sicily is referred to as the "Island of Chains."

3.) There are many Italian words in the novel.Have  you tried to translate these words into English or Hindi with the help of Google Translate Aap.If so how is machine transltion help in proper translation of Italian words into English or Hindi?

I looked for Italian words in the novel and used Google Translate to translate them.Click here to view the the spreadsheet.

4.) What are your views on the myth or history in the novel Gun Island to draw attention of the readers towards contemporary issues like Climate Change and Migration ?

Yes, this story is clearly meant to attract the reader's attention to issues such as climate change and migration. Because we are currently confronted with numerous issues related to climate change and migration. It is the writer's responsibility to use art to educate the world's inhabitants.

5.) Is their any connection between "The Great Derangement" and  "Gun Island" ?

Yes, "Gun Island" is a sequel to Ghosh's previous novel "The Great Derangement." Because "What Function Does Literature Play in the Context of Climate Change?" is the central question of this book. Why aren't authors writing about it in their books? And how will they be able to communicate through literature? It claimed that there was insufficient contemporary literature that addressed climate change as a serious present concern. As a result, Gun Island is used to illustrate or explain such difficulties. Literature may help us understand significant challenges such as climate change and migration.Gun Island may appear to be a fun, fast-paced adventure narrative on the surface, but there's a lot going on beneath the surface that's easy to overlook on first reading. 

Thank you...