The powerful figurative language of 'Roots' by Anjana S

The effect of India-Pakistan Partition on relationships between two communities is addressed in the story ‘Roots’ written by Ismat Chughtai. The title of the short story depicts the strong roots of an old woman who is unable to uproot herself from the land where all her memories of home lie.

           Utilising powerful and figurative language, the author has successfully conveyed the seriousness and the impact of the problems that had emerged. Down below are some of the impactful sentences from the story:

“India was operated upon with such clumsy hands and blunt knives that thousands of arteries were left open. Rivers of blood flowed, and no one had the strength left to stitch the wounds.”

These sentences point out the intricacy of the Partition. ‘Clumsy hands and blunt knives’ refers to the Britishers who exploited India and left many damages. The authentic goods and properties of the nation were stolen and thousands of people lost their lives as the British poorly ruled over India for a period of time.

“Between these two flags, there was a chasm miles wide.”

Although Roopchandji’s house was right next to Abba’s, the different flags that were raised on both the houses seems to have distanced them apart. Basically, the sentence reveals how the families grew apart due to the Partition.

“Ten images of flesh and blood– ten human beings were born that hallowed room from the sacred womb which they left behind that day.”

The beautiful metonymy, ‘the sacred womb’ represents Amma. The children that she painfully gave birth to and showered all her love on, left her lamenting alone as they abandoned her.

“Time passed on, but Amma stayed steadfast in her position like a banyan tree that stands upright through storms and blizzards.”

Simile is applied here to compare Amma to a banyan tree whose roots delve deep into the earth making it withstand any external stimuli. Just like the banyan tree, Amma’s roots, that is, her connection with the land she lived her whole life in, was extremely strong. She was reluctant to uproot herself to another unknown land leaving everything behind.

“His special target was the vacant house that stood across the road and seemed to taunt him as though he had broken it, brick by brick, with his own hands.”

Here, the feeling of guilt that built over Roopchandji after witnessing his neighbours leave is depicted. He is angry at himself for not doing anything about it. This sentence shows how compassion was still inside him towards Abba’s family.