Speaking for the Silent: A Postcolonial Analysis of Saadat Hasan Manto’s Toba Tek Singh, Loosen up and Black Salwar

Abstract

The present research aims to explore a selection of three stories by the acclaimed author, Saadat Hassan Manto. The selected stories include, Toba Tek Singh, Loosen up and Black Salwar as translated by T. Naqvi. This data has been analyzed by using the theoretical framework, namely “Subaltern” by Postcolonial theorist, Gyateri Spivak. The present investigation adopted the Qualitative mode of inquiry. The data extracted from the short stories were analyzed by using the textual analysis method. The study goes on to depict the portrayal of the subaltern in different contexts of the post partition era. The findings of the study reveal that an extraordinary amount of the writer’s efforts is focused on pointing out and highlighting the subaltern status of the people from different strata of society. The element of the Subaltern was manifested in the insane, the sane, the powerful, the helpless and the Anglo- Indians.