Fear, Trauma, and Feared Lives in Manto’s Khuda Ki Kasm & Sharifan: A Sara Ahmed Perspective on Partition

Abstract

The present research aims to explore the aspect of fear by analyzing Manto’s selected short stories, Khuda ki Kasm and Sharifan, in the context of Partition of the Subcontinent. Saadat Hasan Manto, an Indo-Pak writer, highlighted social, political, racial, economical, and religious issues. He has presented even minor details with keen observation to expose the reality of society. The study is based on Sara Ahmed’s ideas, who has filtered the idea of fear under the title of The Affective Politics of Fear. In her theory, she discusses the function, periphery, object, and impact of fear in connection with culture. By interpreting Manto’s selected works, the study presents instances of affected persons who suffered from fear and examines how fear impacts humans in these stories. It also investigates how anxiety-ridden persons lead their lives under the shadow of fear. Based on the context of Partition, the study captures a picture of brutality by analyzing different characters in Khuda ki Kasm and Sharifan. The study recommends further research on the portrayal of fear across Manto’s broader Partition narratives.