31 pages • 1 hour read
Bhisham SahniTamas
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1972A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Pig
The pig that Nathu kills might be the same pig that is thrown on the steps of the mosque. Through no fault of its own, it becomes embroiled in the political and religious conflicts of others. It is significant that, despite being a trapped animal, it manages to inflict significant damage on Nathu before he kills it. And although he manages to kill the pig eventually, it comes at great cost to him, and to others. The manner of the pig’s death then, and Nathu’s subsequent ambivalence about his involvement in it, allows Sahni to suggest that violence is unlikely to bring about anything positive in the long run.
Mynah Bird
Before leaving home for the last time, Harnam Singh opens the door of his Mynah bird’s cage. However, it refuses to leave. All of the characters in Tamas can be seen to choose remaining inside open cages of their own. The cages are made of dogma, of stereotypes, of religion, of racism, of addiction, of bloodlust, of nationalism, and of a misplaced sense of duty. The difference is that the bird does eventually leave its cage. As the novel ends, the people it depicts have gained no new understanding, despite having lost a great deal.
Lathi Sticks
The lathi is a stick used for fighting in the martial art of Lathi Kela. However, despite their lethal potential—as demonstrated in the death of The General—most of the characters who carry lathis use them as walking sticks. Context dictates which purpose a lathi serves at any given moment: a support for walking, or a deadly weapon. This is also a reflection on how the members of different faiths see each other. A Muslim may view a Hindu as a friend if the Hindu is the only person he can buy textiles or tools from. A Hindu may feel the same about the Muslim who serves him tea or beer because he owns the only bar in the neighborhood. But as the riots begin, each person becomes blinded by difference and sees his former friends as enemies.
