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1. Is Shakespeare mentioned in the novel? Or are his plays referred in the novel?
Second time:
Cinta’s eyes sparkled, brightly enough to pierce the gathering darkness. ‘Ah tesoro, non ti ricordi? Remember Othello? Your Merchant would not have been the first, or last, dark-skinned man in Venice. It was then the most cosmopolitan place in the world. Visitors from other parts of Europe always commented on how many foreigners there were in Venice including people from the Levant, North Africa, Mali. That was why Shakespeare set those two plays in Venice – it was the only plausible setting for characters like Shylock and Othello.’ (Ghosh)
2. What is the role of Nakhuda Ilyas in the legend of the Gun Merchant.
3. Characters in one column and their profession in another.
| Character | Profession |
|---|---|
| Dinanath Dutta | Rare Book Dealer |
| Piya Roy | Marine Biologist |
| Cinta Schiavon | Scholar of Venetian History |
| Nakhuda Ilyas | Sea Captain |
| Bonduki Sadagar (Gun Merchant) | Merchant |
| Manasa Devi | Hindu Goddess of Snakes (Mythological) |
| Character | Belief/Attitude |
|---|---|
| Cinta Schiavon | Believer in mystical happenings & presence of the soul of dead people |
| Piya Roy | Rationalizes all uncanny happenings |
| Dinanath Dutta (Deen) | Skeptic who is in-between but slightly towards center-right |
At the end of Gun Island, Amitav Ghosh draws an interesting comparison between the book and the mobile phone, reflecting on how modes of storytelling and communication have evolved over time. This comparison serves as a metaphor for the shifts in human connection, memory, and the dissemination of knowledge.
Deen, the protagonist, reflects on the ancient power of books as vessels of knowledge, memory, and culture. In contrast, the mobile phone represents modernity, immediacy, and global connectivity. The phone, much like books, acts as a repository of stories, but in a digital and fragmented form. While books are associated with deep, reflective engagement, the mobile phone symbolizes a dynamic and rapidly changing mode of interaction, one that is more inclusive but less contemplative.
The novel doesn’t treat this comparison as a dichotomy but rather as a continuum. The ancient legends and myths that Deen uncovers throughout the story—such as that of Nakhuda Ilyas—are preserved in written form, but their relevance and survival into the present are only made possible by modern technologies like the internet and mobile phones. For instance, Deen learns of various connections and histories through web searches and discussions mediated by technology, showing how the phone helps bridge the gap between past and present.
By the end of the novel, this comparison underscores a broader theme: the interconnectedness of the world and the ways in which stories, whether written in books or transmitted through digital devices, are crucial in shaping human understanding and resilience in the face of global challenges. It’s less about one medium replacing the other and more about how both coexist and contribute to the preservation and evolution of knowledge in different forms.
Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island is a compelling novel that blends historical fiction with contemporary concerns, exploring themes of migration, climate change, and myth. The story follows Deen, a Bengali-American rare book dealer, who embarks on a journey to uncover the legend of the Gun Merchant, a tale rooted in Bengali folklore. As Deen navigates the complexities of his own identity, he becomes entangled in a web of global crises, including environmental destruction and displacement. Through its multi-layered narrative, Gun Island reflects on the interconnectedness of cultures, histories, and the challenges facing the modern world.
The central theme of Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island is the interconnectedness of human history, migration, and the environmental crises that shape our world. The novel explores how the past and present are intertwined through myths, legends, and global movements of people, while also addressing the pressing issue of climate change. Ghosh examines how human actions—ranging from historical trade to contemporary ecological destruction—affect the environment, leading to displacement and migration. At its core, the novel underscores the fragility of human existence in the face of a rapidly changing world, urging reflection on the ways we are all linked across time and space.
Worksheet 2
| No. | Word | No of time word appears |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flood | 20 |
| 2 | Cyclone | 16 |
| 3 | Storm | 1 |
| 4 | Calamities | 2 |
| 5 | Drought | 9 |
| 6 | Wild Fire | 17 |
| 7 | Weather | 35 |
| 8 | Tsunami | 3 |
| 9 | Apocalypse | 4 |
| 10 | Volcano | 3 |
| 11 | Temperature | 2 |
| 12 | Reforestation | 1 |
| 13 | Famine | 4 |
| 14 | Tufaan | 1 |
| 15 | Earthquake | 2 |
| 16 | Plague | 11 |
| 17 | Smoke | 23 |
| 18 | Air Quality | 1 |
| 19 | Tornado | 10 |
| 20 | Global Warming | 1 |
| 21 | Green House | 1 |
| 22 | Hailstone | 6 |
The title Gun Island is a direct reference to the historical and linguistic connections between Venice and the world of trade, particularly in relation to weapons and armaments. The story touches on the transformation of Venice, particularly the Jewish ghetto, where guns, bullets, and other armaments were historically produced in foundries. The term “Gun Island” is an extension of this historical context, where the word for "foundry" (getto) became associated with Venice in Arabic as "al-Bunduqeyya," which not only referred to the city but also to weapons like guns and bullets.
This connection is further explored when the protagonist realizes that the name "Bonduki Sadagar," which he believed meant "The Gun Merchant," could actually mean "The Merchant Who Went to Venice." The title thus becomes symbolic of the intersection of history, trade, and violence, as well as a literal and metaphorical place of transformation and reconnection across cultures. The "Gun Island" becomes a symbolic space where the past—through the merchant trade, myths, and historical events—continues to influence the present. It reflects the novel's central themes of migration, historical legacies, and the interconnectedness of global cultures.
3.Match the characters with the reasons for migration
| Character | Reason for Migration |
|---|---|
| Dinanath | A sense of inexplicable restlessness |
| Palash | To improve socio-economic conditions |
| Kabir and Bilal | Violence, riots, family disputes, and communal tensions |
| Tipu and Rafi | Extreme poverty |
| Lubna Khala and Munir | Natural disasters |
| Theorist | Theoretical Approach |
|---|---|
| Bronislaw Malinowski | Functionalism |
| Claude Levi-Strauss | Structuralism |
| Sigmund Freud | Psychoanalysis |
| Emile Durkheim & Jane Harrison | Myth and Ritual |
Summary of the Article
The article critiques Eurocentric humanism, rooted in Cartesian rationalism, which elevates humans as rational beings while relegating others (animals, natives) to a subhuman, mechanistic status ("bete-machine"). This dualism shaped Europe’s cultural hegemony, legitimizing colonial domination and marginalizing indigenous cultures, myths, and languages as primitive.
Amitav Ghosh’s novel Gun Island serves as a lens to explore postcolonial resistance and posthuman imagination by reviving suppressed native myths, such as the tale of the "Gun Merchant" (Banduki Sodagorer Dham). The article highlights how colonialism erased native traditions, relegating them to the fringes of history as irrational and naïve.
Through the protagonist’s journey into the Sundarbans, the novel dismantles colonial rationality by forcing him to abandon modernity and engage with indigenous culture, myths, and the natural world. This transformation, symbolized by the narrator’s physical immersion in the Sundarbans’ mud, signifies a unification with native traditions. The role of Rafi, a local boy, further embodies resistance to Eurocentric rationality, blurring human-animal distinctions and evoking Derrida’s concept of khora, a space beyond binary oppositions.
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Postcolonial Resistance through MythExplore how Gun Island revives native myths like the tale of the "Gun Merchant" to challenge colonial narratives. Examine the role of folklore in reclaiming cultural identity and resisting Eurocentric rationality.
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Climate Change and MigrationAnalyze the novel’s engagement with contemporary issues such as climate change and its impact on migration. Discuss how environmental crises are intertwined with historical and cultural displacements, emphasizing global interconnectedness.
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Human-Animal Relationships and PosthumanismInvestigate the blurred boundaries between humans and animals in the novel. Use posthumanist frameworks to study how the Sundarbans’ ecosystem becomes a space for challenging anthropocentrism and redefining coexistence.
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Heterotopias and Counter-SpacesExamine the Sundarbans as a heterotopic space that resists colonial rationality. Discuss how Ghosh uses the setting to create alternative spaces of knowledge, emphasizing indigenous practices and cosmologies.
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Transcultural Interactions and GlobalizationStudy how Gun Island navigates the tensions between local and global cultures. Focus on the characters’ interactions across cultural boundaries and their implications for understanding identity and belonging in a globalized world.
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Myth, Memory, and Identity FormationResearch the role of memory and mythology in shaping personal and cultural identities. Discuss how the novel connects its characters to their ancestral pasts through myths, creating a dialogue between history and contemporary realities.
Write Multiple Choice Questions on Amitav Ghosh’s novel Gun Island, Underline correct
answer.
1. What is the central myth explored in Gun Island?
a) The legend of the Sundarbans tiger
b) The myth of the Gun Merchant
c) The story of the Serpent King
d) The tale of the Rain God
2. What is the name of the narrator in the novel?
a) Rafi
b) Kanai
c) Dinanath Datta (Deen)
d) Piya
3. Which language does the term "Bundook" originate from in the novel?
a) Bengali
b) Persian
c) Arabic
d) Sanskrit
4. What major global issue does Gun Island highlight?
a) Urbanization
b) Climate change and migration
c) Political corruption
d) Religious intolerance
5. What is the central myth referenced in Gun Island?
a) The tale of the Sundarbans Tiger
b) The story of the Snake Goddess
c) The Shrine of the Gun Merchant
d) The Legend of the River Spirits
Summary of the Videos:
Characters and Summary - 1 | Sundarbans | Gun Island
Novel begins with the narrator Dinanath Dutta talking about the word gun island. Then we get to know his background. He lives in Brooklyn and he often visits Calcutta which is his birth place. He is a dealer of rare books. He is in his 50s. He is at a Sundarban that is sinking because of climate change. Now there is another reason that he comes here. He gets to know about the story of a shrine of Manasa Devi by Nilima Bose. He also meets Piyali Roy who is a folklore researcher. We are also introduced to the climate change and bhola cyclone that occurs near Sundarban.
By an incident he decides to visit that shrine and there he meets few other people who are related to the shrine and know the story of the shrine. There is a merchant who goes against Mnasa Devi and leaves the country but there are also snakes behind it, and other natural calamities also happen with him. At last he makes the shrine of Mansa Devi and becomes free from her wrath.
Characters and Summary - 2 | Sundarbans | Gun Island
There is a seminar in Los Angeles. Where Lisa is a key figure that is delivering a lecture. The place also changed because there was a wildfire in Los Angeles. There she delivers a lecture on climate change and how bark beetles that eat wood are found in Venice and the whole city now is in danger and climate change is also a reason for wildfire. When she says this she is considered a threat to society and there are death threat that she receives. In the video there is an example of a similar plot discussed in the movie “Don’t look up”. The commit was coming towards the earth. Scientists say that it will end the existence of earth but nobody believes it and ultimately that happens and everyone dies. By doing this and not taking scientists seriously, we are going back to the dark ages.
There is also a reference to Gun Island that is Vanish. The title Gun Island is a direct reference to the historical and linguistic connections between Venice and the world of trade, particularly in relation to weapons and armaments. The story touches on the transformation of Venice, particularly the Jewish ghetto, where guns, bullets, and other armaments were historically produced in foundries. The term “Gun Island” is an extension of this historical context, where the word for "foundry" (getto) became associated with Venice in Arabic as "al-Bunduqeyya," which not only referred to the city but also to weapons like guns and bullets.
This connection is further explored when the protagonist realizes that the name "Bonduki Sadagar," which he believed meant "The Gun Merchant," could actually mean "The Merchant Who Went to Venice." The title thus becomes symbolic of the intersection of history, trade, and violence, as well as a literal and metaphorical place of transformation and reconnection across cultures. The "Gun Island" becomes a symbolic space where the past—through the merchant trade, myths, and historical events—continues to influence the present. It reflects the novel's central themes of migration, historical legacies, and the interconnectedness of global cultures.
There are other names also that have different significance.
Land of Palm Sugar Candy (Taal Misri Desh)- Egypt
Land of Kerchief(Rumali Desh)- Turkey
Land of Chains(Shikol Dwip) - Sicily
In the video there is a comparison of Varanasi and Venice. Both places are considered as ancient civilizations. People have been living there for so many years. In Varanasi people used to have a small temple in their home, but now it has lost that importance. There is a background story also told by Cinta, she had a husband and a daughter that died in an accident. Her daughter's name was Lucia, whom she still talks to. She believes she is with her even after her death.
A very good post colonial insight that Ghosh has used in the novel. He showed Cinta believing more in superstitions and showed Piya and Dinanath more rational. It breaks the stereotype that Indians are more superstitious. Another reading one can do in the myth of Manasa devi is that, Mansa devi is not a goddess that shows wrath but it is the presentation of nature itself. When there is natural calamity people tend to believe in some supernatural power that controls it. But now there is no need to tell a story in that manner because now we have scientific reasons behind all natural calamities. One can be more rational in that manner.
We also get the story of people from Bangladesh that work in the construction work in the Vanice. How human trafficking happens and how immigrants are being exploited by various powers. Dinanath sees serpents and spiders everywhere and he believes that everything is happening because of Mansa Devi’s shrine. But he gets to know about the reality that the spider and snakes are moving towards another part of the world, or they can be seen where they usually can not be seen, because of climate change and global warming.
One can also compare immigrants with the slave trade that used to happen in colonial period. Because the situation of the immigrants are the same. They are being killed, they are exploited, their organs are also transplanted forcibly if they can give back their debts. In the contemporary world we also find similarities. When Donald Trump became president he announced that he will take strict action against illegal immigrants, so there is terror in that group of people. One can also draw a parallel that when the third world countries were under colonial rule they transferred all wealth to first world countries. The first world countries have done more damage to ecology than the third world and now people are suffering here because of that and they are not allowed to go to that country also.
As we know that Amitav Ghosh is anthropologist and he brings that in the novel also. In the translation and comparative studies it is argued that, it is very difficult to find the perfect word for translating the work, there are so many meanings that are lost in translation. We find a similar thing here. The title of the novel ‘Gun Island’ seems at first that the island is related to the business of guns. But it's not that. The term “Gun Island” is an extension of this historical context, where the word for "foundry" (getto) became associated with Venice in Arabic as "al-Bunduqeyya," which not only referred to the city but also to weapons like guns and bullets.
The ‘sadagar’ word also has a different aura of meaning than the charm of the word we lost when we translate it into English. There is also a discussion between Dinanath and Tipu. The word ‘Bhut’ also has a different connotation. ‘Bhut’ means what existed or existed in the past. That can also be interpreted as ghost or possession but possession also has another meaning. When we get to know about something else that is difficult to digest or understand, we call it possession. But it is a new knowledge that we are not able to cope with. It is kind of a ‘risveglio’ Italian word which means ‘awakening’.
There are other names also that have different significance.
Land of Palm Sugar Candy (Taal Misri Desh)- Egypt
Land of Kerchief(Rumali Desh)- Turkey
Land of Chains(Shikol Dwip) - Sicily
Stories
In this section Ghosh argues that modern novels are not able to discuss the issue of climate change. For that he comes up with the idea of uncanny. That one can see in the novel ‘Gun Island'. There are things which are so difficult to understand in the novel. For example the serpent accident, Cinta talking with her daughter, the mystery of Mansa Devi and Chand Saudagar. Through this uncanny portrays Ghosh argues about the real issue in contemporary time.
History
Ghosh also goes into the history of the places. How and why people were doing certain rituals and when colonizers reached there they took it as unscientific and superstitious. He brings out the very idea of the myth. Myth itself has a history and it's significant but in global forces this small shrines and worshipping places have to change their roots.
Imperialism
Ghosh also talks about the new imperialism that is harming the climate and due to that others also have to face the consequences. Empires in first world countries have earned the money and they are well settled now the third world countries are facing the consequences. And they are not allowed to even migrate to a better place.
In the contemporary time one can find that there are boundaries of nations. One can not freely travel from one place to another for a better future. The poor and marginalized are suffering their life because of the climate that is not caused by them but still they are facing the consequences.
Another learning outcome one can get from the novel is how Rafi and Bilal take care of Tipu and Kabir. They are migrants but still in every condition they help the family of the other.
There is discussion of climate change also that how Sundarban and Venice are sinking and due to that how poor people are suffering. People in Sundarban who only know farming and are dependent only on their land are suffering when due to climate change their lands sink.
There are many reasons for migration that we find with various characters.
1. Bilal and Kabir migrate because of Communal violence.
2. Tipu and Rafi migrate because of poverty.
3. Palash migrates because of his socio- economic conditions.
4. Deenanath migrates because of some type of restlessness.
Ghosh uses very good technique to tell a story. It is a merge of myth and history. There is reference to the myth of Chandi Sadagar and Mansa devi. We enter the myth like it is insignificant. But Ghosh makes us realise there is a reason behind all the myths. Then we get to know the history behind the making of the shrine and the background story of Vanish. Then we get to know the function behind the history. The reality of the myth. In bygone ages there were no written documents as such so the knowledge was spread through oral traditions and in that tradition such myth also travels the world same goes with the story of that shrine. Ghosh goes with three parallel stories on is of myth of Chand Sadagar' second is history of Banduki Sadakat and the contemporary that is of Dinanath that will also become history or myth one day.
There are four techniques to read myth.
1 Functionalism - Bronislow Kasper
2 Structuralism - Claude levi-Strass
3 Psychoanalysis - Sigmund Freud
4 Myth and Rituals - Emiel Durkhiem, Jane Harrison
Functionalism:
The shrine is built to be worshipped and there is a story related to that. Here is a story of Mansa devi there. Previously there were no tools to explain everything to everyone, so there were some rituals in religion so people followed it without any question. The Mansa devi shrine was also such a symbol to save nature. Now it is not the Mansa devi’s wrath but is it nature who is changing the course of life. In the book ‘The Great Derangement' Ghosh also suggests the same solution. He argues that now we don't have time to explain everything to everyone, we have to contact the religious leaders to spread the message to everyone.
Part III - Historification of Myth & Mythification of History
Structuralism:
There is a binary that old people who believe in some myth are always superstitious but in conversation of Dinanath and Kanai Dutt we find that Kanai Dutt is an intelligent figure believing in myths and having an old age. The binary of East and West is also being broken in the novel. It is largely believed that East is more superstitious than west but it is vice versa in the novel. Cinta is more superstitious than Piyali. It becomes more concerned about the human being rather than being a westerner or eastern. The reference of Othello also comes when a black man helps them find a way during a tornado.
Psychoanalysis:
There is a repression barrier in every human being that differs us from animals that Freud argued. And that is reflected in the myth also but that can be visible only if we deconstruct the myth. Myths are the dream of the entire culture. There is an example of Adam and Eve where the apple is seen as a sexual activity and snake is seen as a phallic symbol. Mansadevi’s myth and the reference to snakes can be interpreted in a similar manner. In the human mind there dream to go beyond the imaginable and travel to know more but society was always against it so in the Sadagar's myth it is also reflected. But still people migrate to other places for a better future. There are many examples in the novel such as Chand Sadagar, Palash, Deen, Rafi, Tipu, and Munil.
We always go to the past to understand contemporary events. One can understand the present better if one sees history. Every event becomes a myth and it will be visited by others after many years and they will understand something from the contemporary.
References:
Barad, Dilip. “Gun Island.” Gun Island, 23 Jan. 2022, blog.dilipbarad.com/2022/01/gun-island.html.
Barad, Dilip. “Flipped Learning Activity Instructions: Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh.” ResearchGate, Jan. 2025, www.researchgate.net/publication/388143893_Flipped_Learning_Activity_Instructions_Gun_Island_by_Amitav_Ghosh.
DoE-MKBU. “Characters and Summary - 1 | Sundarbans | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 17 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn70pnUIK1Y.
DoE-MKBU. “Characters and Summary - 2 | USA | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 17 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiYLTn7cWm8.
DoE-MKBU. “Climate Change | the Great Derangement | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 21 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_3tD4voebA.
DoE-MKBU. “Etymological Mystery | Title of the Novel | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 19 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yg5RmjBlTk.
DoE-MKBU. “Migration | Human Trafficking | Refugee Crisis | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 21 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLeskjjZRzI.
DoE-MKBU. “Part I - Historification of Myth and Mythification of History | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 21 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBLsFEKLGd0.
DoE-MKBU. “Part II | Historification of Myth and Mythification of History | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 23 Jan. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP2HerbJ5-g.
DoE-MKBU. “Part III - Historification of Myth and Mythification of History | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 23 Jan. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVLqxT_mUCg.
DoE-MKBU. “Summary - 3 | Venice | Part 2 of Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 18 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F3n_rrRG9M.
Ghosh, Amitav. Gun Island: A Novel. 2019.
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