Flipped Learning Activity Instructions: Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh
Dilip Barad, M K Bhavnagar University, Gujarat
Visit the teacher’s blog: Prof. Dilip Barad's Blog on Gun Island.
Gun Island - Amitav Ghosh
Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island weaves together themes of migration, climate change, and human connections, much like his earlier works such as The Hungry Tide. The story follows Deen, a rare-book collector living in New York, who returns to the Sundarbans in West Bengal to unravel the mystery of Bonduki Sadagar, a 17th-century merchant known as the “Gun Merchant.” According to legend, the merchant was pursued by Manasa Devi, the goddess of snakes, as a way to confront his greed and make him aware of the natural world.
As Deen digs deeper, he learns that “Bonduki Sadagar” might not mean the Gun Merchant but “the Merchant who went to Venice,” since Venice was once called al-Bunduqevya. His journey takes him to Venice, where he uncovers the struggles of Bangladeshi migrants working under harsh conditions. Their dangerous journeys and the hostility they face stand in stark contrast to the merchant’s thriving trade in the past. The novel draws powerful parallels between the legends of the past and the crises of the present, tying together human greed, migration, and the environment.
Characters and Summary - 1
The novel begins with Dinanath Datta, also known as Deen or Dino, a rare book dealer and researcher of Asian antiquities. Through Deen’s perspective, the narrative unfolds, intertwining myth, migration, and historical exploration. The myth of the "Gun Merchant" (Bonduki Sadagar) highlights cultural histories and their influence on the characters. Migration emerges as a central theme, reflected in the struggles of characters like Deen, who travels to America for research.
Deen encounters Kanai Dutt (from The Hungry Tide), who mocks him, and Nilima Bose, who runs an NGO helping the marginalized. Piya, a marine biologist studying dolphins in the Sundarbans, also plays a role in connecting the novel's ecological themes. The story references significant events like the Bhola Cyclone of the 1970s, exploring natural disasters and climate change, recurring themes in Amitav Ghosh’s work.
Key characters include Moyna, a nurse; her son Tipu, skilled in technology; and Horen Naskar, caretaker of the Shrine of Mansa Devi. The shrine, featuring symbolic designs, becomes central to the story’s mystical elements. The novel blends folklore, history, and environmental awareness, culminating in Tipu’s cryptic declaration, “Rani is in danger,” referring to a dolphin, adding layers of mystery and interconnectedness to the narrative.
The talk centers on Deen Datta, a Brooklyn-based rare book trader, who embarks on a journey inspired by the Bengali myth of the "Gun Merchant." His quest spans the Sundarbans, Los Angeles, Venice, and beyond, intertwining myth with contemporary themes like migration and climate change. Along the way, Deen interacts with characters such as Piya Roy, a cetologist studying dolphins and wildfires; Lisa, an entomologist researching bark beetles; Cinta, an Italian historian exploring mythological connections; and Rafi, a migrant worker.
The novel delves into calamities like wildfires in Los Angeles and the role of ancient myths in understanding present realities. Venice, referred to as "Gun Island," is highlighted for its historical ties to the myth. Gisa, a filmmaker, plans documentaries on migrant journeys, involving Deen as a translator, further connecting storytelling with modern migration crises. Through these threads, the novel bridges legend and contemporary issues, underscoring the relevance of myth in today's world.
The second section of the novel follows Dinanath's experiences in Venice, highlighting the struggles of Bangladeshi migrants like Rafi and Lubna Khala, while examining themes of human trafficking, climate change, and cultural interdependence. The narrative contrasts mysticism and reason, with Piyali embodying a scientific perspective opposed to Dinanath's belief in myths.
Venice is used as a metaphor for cities endangered by rising floods, drawing attention to the effects of environmental degradation. The plight of migrants and systemic exploitation is vividly depicted, revealing the harsh realities of human trafficking and financial despair. The story explores the interplay between belief systems and perceptions, prompting readers to reflect on how myths and science shape our understanding of the world.
A dramatic dolphin beaching incident underscores the impact of human activity on the environment and the interconnectedness of all life, tying themes of sacrifice and loss to both marine life and migrant struggles. Ghosh uses storytelling to preserve cultural histories, linking individual and collective experiences to contemporary global challenges.
The relationships among Dinanath, Piyali, Rafi, and Lubna emphasize resilience and unity in facing adversity, offering a message of hope amid the trials of migration and environmental crises. Through their connections, the novel invites empathy for underrepresented perspectives and underscores the need for collective responsibility toward the natural world and humanity.
Thematic Study
In Gun Island, Amitav Ghosh bridges the past and present by blending the mythification of history and the historification of myth. The novel reinterprets the Bengali folktale of "Bonduki Sadagar" (the Gun Merchant), a story of a merchant fleeing the serpent goddess Manasa Devi. Ghosh historicizes this myth by anchoring it in tangible cultural and geographical settings like Venice and the Sundarbans, transforming it into a narrative about trade, migration, and human resilience in the face of socioeconomic challenges.
Simultaneously, Ghosh mythifies history by embedding contemporary crises—climate change, forced migration, and ecological collapse—into the mythological narrative. Through Deen's exploration, the connections between the Gun Merchant’s story and modern events highlight how ancient myths offer insights into global issues. Recurring symbols such as snakes, storms, and displacement illustrate nature’s reaction to human exploitation, merging myth and history into a unified reflection of humanity's struggles. This dynamic interplay redefines myths as living, evolving narratives that address both timeless and urgent realities, making history resonate with universal truths.
Part 2 Historification of Myth and Mythification of History
In Gun Island, Amitav Ghosh intertwines the Bengali folklore of Chand Saudagar and Manasa Devi with themes of nature, spirituality, and human resilience. Rituals like temple visits and pilgrimages (Dhaam) symbolize humanity's connection to the divine and nature. Dinanath’s struggles in the Sundarbans reflect the spiritual journey and the idea of nature's power over humanity.
Ghosh connects 17th-century calamities with modern crises like pandemics and climate change, showing how myths evolve to address universal challenges. Sacred groves represent cultural and ecological harmony, emphasizing the interdependence of humans and nature. The novel also aligns with contemporary reinterpretations of myths, such as Amish Tripathi’s portrayal of Sita as a warrior, illustrating how present narratives shape tomorrow's myths. Ghosh ultimately bridges the past and present, making myths relevant to global issues today.
Part 3 Historification of Myth and Mythification of History
A structuralist reading of Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island uncovers the interplay between mythology, history, and science. The myth of Mansa Devi reflects ecological imbalance and humanity’s guilt over environmental exploitation, as seen in Deen’s psychological journey from skepticism to accepting the power of myths. His interactions with Kanai, Piyali, and Cinta highlight the tension between belief, rationality, and the interconnectedness of timelines.
The novel explores displacement and migration through characters like Tipu, whose restlessness mirrors the trauma of being uprooted. Piyali’s environmental advocacy and Cinta’s historical inquiries symbolize efforts to reconcile past traumas with present realities. By blending myths, science, and history, Gun Island addresses global challenges like climate change and migration, emphasizing humanity’s deep ties to nature and cultural memory.
Climate Change -The Great Derangement
This video lecture explores Amitav Ghosh's portrayal of climate change in Gun Island and literature. Ghosh critiques modern storytelling's inability to address environmental crises, a phenomenon he calls "The Great Derangement," highlighting how climate change narratives are marginalized.
Gun Island bridges this gap by intertwining myth with contemporary events, making climate change and its effects on migration central to the narrative. Through Dinanath's journey, Ghosh illustrates displacement and unpredictability in a world grappling with environmental challenges. The lecture emphasizes the need for reimagined literary frameworks that engage with climate change, urging writers and readers to confront these pressing issues actively.
Migration|Human Trafficking
This video lecture explores the theme of migration in Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island, emphasizing its impact on national identity and community. It critiques the selfish tendencies often involved in addressing crises, urging a more empathetic response to the migration, human trafficking, and refugee issues portrayed in the novel.
Ghosh highlights migration as a result of sociopolitical instability, economic inequality, and climate change, focusing on characters like Tipu and Rafi who escape poverty and ecological disasters. Their experiences reflect the harsh realities faced by migrants today, including falling prey to human trafficking. By linking the Gun Merchant's ancient story to modern migration, Ghosh blurs myth and reality, showing how displacement is both a historical and contemporary issue.
Conclusion-
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.
Baraiya, Latta. “Gun Island Group Presentation.” SlideShare, 17 Jan. 2022, www.slideshare.net/slideshow/gun-island-group-presentation/251006318.
Clark, Alex. “Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh Review – Climate and Culture in Crisis.” The Guardian, 5 June 2019, www.theguardian.com/books/2019/jun/05/gun-island-amitav-ghosh-review.
DoE-MKBU. “Characters and Summary - 1 | Sundarbans | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 17 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn70pnUIK1Y.
---. “Characters and Summary - 2 | USA | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 17 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiYLTn7cWm8.
---. “Climate Change | the Great Derangement | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 21 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_3tD4voebA.
---. “Etymological Mystery | Title of the Novel | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 19 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yg5RmjBlTk.
---. “Migration | Human Trafficking | Refugee Crisis | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 21 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLeskjjZRzI.
---. “Part I - Historification of Myth and Mythification of History | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 21 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBLsFEKLGd0.
---. “Part II | Historification of Myth and Mythification of History | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 23 Jan. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP2HerbJ5-g.
---. “Part III - Historification of Myth and Mythification of History | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh.” YouTube, 23 Jan. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVLqxT_mUCg.
---. “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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