The quote ‘Silence is Golden’ is extremely subjective in its model and intensely dependent on the context with the situation it can be applied to. Would it be always right to keep quiet, without providing voice to ones intimate thoughts and feelings? Or is it often the better option to speak out, permitting words complete the spaces that stop cannot? Or perhaps what if one had no choice but to remain quiet? In the book ‘The Famished Tide’, Amitav Ghosh signifies the interpersonal class of displaced, misleading fisherman and other primary sector laborers through the character of Fokir, a new man with almost no actual ‘voice’ throughout the entire span of the new. This is where we need to consider the spectrum which contains the several gradation of grey among having a tone of voice and no voice at all. To get ‘silenced’ will not necessarily mean to be robbed of any voice, a concept that is evidently elucidated by Fokir wonderful vital part in the progress of the plan.
We first hear Fokir’s words after this individual rescues Pia from too much water in a water near Canning. The strength and morality of his persona are quickly established even as see him risk his own existence to pull her out of the tumultuous depths. Portion One of the book, entitled ‘The Ebb: Bhata’, gives all of us only seven instances exactly where we notice Fokir’s voice. Most of his dialogues incorporate one expression, but in nearly all case, 1 word is enough for both equally Pia plus the readers to comprehend his intent and the meaning he is aiming to convey. The first phrase we hear Fokir speak is ‘Lusibari'[1], guaranteeing Pia that Lusibari is definitely, indeed, the island he is taking her to. ‘Lusibari’ is additionally the last word that the readers hear him speak in Part A single. The significance is definitely not lost on all of us because ‘Lusibari’ is the place where each of the primary characters of the story meet and steer the plot from the novel into Part Two. The readers quickly realize that Amitav Ghosh’s economy of terms when it comes to offering Fokir dialogue serves to help make the numbered things he says all the more important. Simply by saying the term ‘Lusibari’, having been able to keep the readers which has a feeling of anticipations for what was going to come. An additional extremely important expression that Fokir says is ‘gamchha'[2], a Bengali word for a coarse, silk cotton piece of fabric that is typically used as a towel. The term is at the end of Pia’s tongue yet she are unable to remember this, and in that lays a great immense amount of culture and historical past because it elicits memories of her dad. By giving tone to Pia’s thoughts, readers begin to see how Ghosh uses language to portray Fokir’s understanding of Pia despite the language barrier together.
It will then seem to be odd that Ghosh provides given Fokir almost no tone but provided Horen, an additional fisherman, with one thus strong. We come across Horen’s figure both in Nirmal’s journals in addition to person in Part Two of the novel. It is because although Fokir and Horen share similar profession, they just do not belong to the same social group. Horen is a generation older than Fokir, having been a young person when he understood Kusum, Fokir’s mother. He previously been a laborer all his lifestyle but , Fokir, however , is a young man within a different age group. While the world progresses, this individual remains a humble angler, a fact that disturbs his wife, Moyna, greatly. Yet another way that Ghosh silences a character is by using the text of an additional character against them. Moyna describes Fokir to be ‘like a child’ and says that this individual does not be familiar with ways of the world because he is usually illiterate. [3] She frantically wants a college degree for her child because ‘in fifteen years the seafood will become gone'[4] and Fokir will probably be left without a job to support his relatives. She will not want Tultul, her kid, to follow in the footsteps. It really is made clear towards the readers that Fokir ‘feels out of place'[5] in Lusibari and enjoy living there. Moyna’s decision, nevertheless , seems to override his and he is resigned to surviving in the town instead of in the community. This belittlement could be a reason for why Fokir is voluntarily silent. We come across Moyna undermine him once again when Pia comes to their residence to discuss her plans on her next trip and pay Fokir for his prior services. Although the girl wants to supply the money to Fokir, Moyna stands up and intercepts her ‘with a prolonged palm'[6], making it very clear that the cash was to become handed over to her and not Fokir. Kanai also seems to make this distinction, sharing with Pia that ‘he’s a fisherman and you’re a scientist'[7]. His motive is different from Moyna’s, he can jealous of Pia and Fokir’s developing relationship, yet his purpose is the same. He widens the distance further, showing her that ‘he eliminates animals for any living'[8] when Pia by profession preserves and studies them. Ghosh as well never let us Fokir speak the reasons intended for his actions. This buffer created simply by Moyna and Kanai because they speak more than him works better in silencing him than his lack of words.
The lack of a voice does not automatically indicate the lack of a character’s existence in a book. Fokir’s affect is tangible as we observe him take Piya to Lusibari, be her information, companion and mentor sometimes and save her lifestyle three times, the past time letting go of his individual for hers. The empathy and sadness that the readers feel at the moment of Fokir’s death, despite his insufficient dialogue, is usually testament to his impact in the novel. Piya, in return, appears to be able to get in touch with Fokir through just looks and activities. As the lady fights as the one to protect him during the storm, this individual understands, just like he realized everything else. He understands, ‘even without words'[9].
