An Analysis of Environmental Elements in the Novel "Paagal Khana”

Abstract

The postmodern situation of the twentieth century, with its alienation and anguish, has led contemporary humans to reconsider their detachment from nature. Nature maintains a certain balance, and when that balance is disrupted, it reacts strongly to restore equilibrium—a reaction that all phenomena and creatures must endure. In the modern era, humans are often blamed for disturbing this balance. The wave of environmental awareness has connected literary creativity worldwide and highlighted new possibilities for the ecological study of literature.

The novel “Paagal Khana” (Madhouse) is based on nuclear radiation and its harmful effects. Through the novel, the author expresses a painful realization—that people remain unaware of the impending devastation. They fail to grasp that radiation has affected humans, animals, birds, plants, and even the waters of the ocean. The world is losing its natural beauty. Unknowingly, we continue severing our bond with nature. Radiation not only causes terrestrial destruction but also poisons the atmosphere. Every living being has suffered from this environmental pollution, and the effects of contaminated air are so long-lasting that future generations will be impacted as well. Hijab Imtiaz Ali’s novel stands as a profound and serious critique of the negative use of scientific advancements and their disastrous consequences.