Notes on Attia Hosain’s Sunlight on a Broken Column by Student Help.

Notes on Attia Hosain’s Sunlight on a Broken Column by Student Help.

British Rulers and Communal Riots:

It is essential to study the role of the British rulers in the novel. In the novel the narrator focuses more on the reason of communal drifts and partition than just depicting the events. The ideological and mutual differences between the British and the Indian are shown through the characters of Mrs. Martin and Sylvia Tucker Mrs. Martin though friendly with the native people never considers India as her home. Sylvia talks of British arrogance toward the Indians. John criticizes the natives. The ideological difference about nationalism and religion causes argument among Laila’s own friends. Differences on religion and nationalism bring conflict even among the people within the same community and the same family. Asad and Zahid although both are Muslims have different outlook about religion. Asad’s secular outlook keeps him back in India while Zahid maintains a dogmatic fundamentalist view. He says, “I hate those who are enemies of Islam no matter whom they may be and I am prepared to give my life for it” (SOBC, 69). Asad condemns this communal hatred and says, “I am sure of nothing except that hatred breeds hated and violence and sorrow even if we ourselves suffer?” (SOBC, 69). Even Laila is pained to see the growing discord and says, “And now I wonder how far apart we will drive each other ourselves” (SOBC, 256). That is the seed of discord sown by the British was nurtured by the communal hatred and now grown into a well rooted tree the fruits of which were full of bitterness. In Sunlight on a Broken Column, Attia Hosain shows that the British imperialists get success in weakening the nationalist movement by their well-known policy of dividing the two communities. She exposes the role, the British played in developing the communal struggle. Asad represents the Muslims who know very well about the British rulers policy of hating each other and loving them. The novelist tries to trace the causes of the growth of communal hatred and partly blames the British and partly the leaders of both communities. Firstly she discerns the “Divide and Rule” policy of the British Similar views are put by the historian Bipan Chandra, “British policy was solely responsible for the rise and growth of communalism; or that the entire communal antagonism or politics can be attributed to British policy. It is obvious that the British policy of divide and rule could succeed only” (Chandra, 238). It is therefore true and needless to suspect that the British rule played important role in the promotion and growth of communal virus between Hindus and Muslims.