An Exploration of the Partition and Its Literary Voices

Abstract

This article is an exploration of the different literary narratives about the Partition of India and Pakistan. It reflects on the literary landscape of the Partition, covering key literary moments that depicted the events and the consequences of Britain’s desertion of India. Land is frequently used as a symbol of human identity. The disruption of identity caused directly by the Partition is presented as apocalyptic, and more importantly, unnatural. Saadat Hasan Manto’s iconic short stories are a staple in the Urdu literary world, giving us a stark view into psychological and social ramifications for both men and women. His literature was not only used to educate those who were not aware of the Partition, but to also document the brutal and sadistic events that happened after. Ultimately, the vicious separation of land led to both an identity and cultural gap, which still has ramifications in the modern day.