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Living Between Two Worlds: A Critical Study of Paro Anand’s No Guns at my Son’s Funeral

 


Living Between Two Worlds: A Critical Study of Paro Anand’s No Guns at my Son’s Funeral

 

Garima Kiroula,

Ph.D. Research Scholar,

Government Model Degree College,

Devidhura, Champawat, Uttarakhand, India,

&

Dr. Kiran Bali,

Assistant Professor,

Government Model Degree College,

Devidhura, Champawat, Uttarakhand, India.

Abstract: Kashmir, being one of the conflicted zones in India, has remained under a significant experience of the pain of imposed violence and loss of innocent lives. This painful experience leads to mass migration, violence and displacement. The wide-spread violence in Kashmir left a deep psychological impact on the lives of the people, especially on young people. Among many other mediums, literature always becomes a powerful medium which tries to capture the experience of Kashmiri youth and their complex lives during their ongoing battle with their current circumstances. These traumatic experiences force them to live between two worlds and also give birth to two contrasting and often conflicting aspects that co-exist in the same person. The concept of dual personality exists in literary studies to demonstrate how internal conflicts drive human decision-making and behavioral patterns. Paro Anand, an Indian author, writes extensively for children and young adults. She has emerged as an eminent voice in YA literature. She also writes on serious issues like the Kashmir conflict and its impact on young adults. The article aims at the concept of dual personality and how it works in Anand’s literary work No Guns at my Son’s Funeral.

Keywords: Double life of youth, conflict, dual identity, ethical dimensions.

Introduction

No Guns at My Son’s Funeral is a story of unheard struggles endured by youth in conflict-ridden regions. The novel displays its Kashmir militancy background yet it suits any present-day location which experiences ongoing violent conflicts. The book targets teenage readers and also for adults of all ages. It creates a  clear description of the inner struggles of teenagers, relatable and engaging for the audience. It reflects the interplay between personal psychology, social environment and literary representation. This  theoretical structure brings a  sharper view of the larger implications of identity construction, choice and vulnerability among the youthful population living under duress. Anand situates the dual existence within the wider realm of Indian young adult literature employing symbolism, narrative suspense and character juxtapositions.

The notion of a "life" uncovers the presence of opposing dual identities. A single person being socially approved and outward but the other side concealed, private or frequently conflicting with societal norms. This phenomenon is particularly significant to adolescents. It undergoes a crisis phase amid identity formation, self-exploration and moral growth. Erikson’s psychosocial theory identifies adolescence as a period of identity versus role confusion; during this phase teenagers explore their desires in dreams, values and emotions often conflicting with family expectations. This challenge intensifies especially when confronted with conflict, violence or ideological demands creating a difficult arena for youth as they navigate the connections between survival, belonging and authenticity.

Paro Anand presents the dual nature of youth identity in No Guns at My Son’s Funeral. Anand masterfully conveys the conflict between innocence and aggression, interplay of wishes, societal expectations to the struggle, childhood and ideological influence. The storytelling alternates between Aftab's internal emotions and his external perceptions. Anand demonstrates the way in which individuals experience internal conflicts while dealing with societal pressures and their very own personal strife.

 Anand masterfully conveys the conflict between innocence and aggression, interplay of wishes, societal expectations to the struggle, childhood and ideological influence. The storytelling alternates between Aftab's internal emotions and his external perceptions. Anand portrays the personal experience of inner turmoil, alongside the pressures of societal reality. This approach allows for an exploration of identity division. It clearly reveals how individual ethics, cultural norms and ideological forces collectively influence the choices of young people. The book’s style, concise, highly vivid and rich with imagery heightens the intellectual and emotional tension of leading a double existence. The readers are acutely aware of the fragility and strength within Aftab’s persona.

Understanding the Concept of the Double Life

When literature discusses the existence of dual personalities, it talks about two contrasting and often conflicting aspects that coexist in the same person. The two opposing elements can manifest through three different patterns which show people behaving in either moral or immoral ways, their true self standing against their social persona, and their spiritual goals competing with their earthly ambitions. The concept of dual personality exists in literary studies to demonstrate how internal conflicts drive human decision-making and behavioral patterns. The human nature of people shows its intricate nature because people face challenges when trying to balance their competing desires , their various obligations and their different belief systems.

The concept acquired its theoretical importance because Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung developed their psychological theories about it. Freud's psychoanalytic theory describes human personality development through three components which include the id, ego, and superego that represent basic instincts, mental judgment, and ethical principles. The internal conflict between personal desires and societal obligations or ethical responsibilities creates a continuous battle which characters face during their literary journeys. Jung expanded the concept through his development of the shadow self, which represents the hidden or suppressed side of human personality. The literature examines dual personality through the battle between characters' societal identities and their concealed personal characteristics. The concept of dual personality has existed in literature since ancient times.

 The Western literary tradition has provided writers with a theme which they have used to examine divided identity and moral struggle throughout history. Robert Louis Stevenson presents his famous story through the character of Dr. Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll changes into his evil alter ego Mr. Hyde to show that all people possess both good and bad characteristics. The work established itself as a classic demonstration of human personality's dual nature, which later influenced writers to develop psychological conflict through their literary characters.

 The Indian cultural and philosophical tradition holds the concept of duality which extends back to earlier historical times. Ancient Indian texts demonstrate a recurring theme which showcases the struggle between attachment to material possessions and the fulfillment of spiritual obligations. The contemporary Indian English literary movement developed its dual identity through its depiction of social changes and British colonial influences. The writers studied how different historical periods of people interacted with the modern lifestyles which they encountered.

 The Guide by R.K. Narayan, presents Raju as the main character who undergoes a transformation from his initial role as a dishonest tourist guide to his eventual status as a respected holy man who gains the villagers' admiration. The transformation demonstrates how an individual can display both self-centered actions and progress toward moral development simultaneously. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie presents another significant study of split identity through its characters. Saleem Sinai the main character experiences multiple identity breaks that reflect the political and cultural divisions that followed India's independence. The human mind develops dual personality through its double identity building process which occurs in times of social transformation August by Upamanyu Chatterjee, youth consciousness exists between two separate paths which lead to bureaucratic duties and personal distance from others. Chetan Bhagat in Five Point Someone portrays students who outwardly conform to meritocratic expectations while internally resisting social pressures. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga shows a main character who faces moral dilemmas while he achieves upward social mobility. The conflict stories No Guns at My Son’s Funeral and Being Gandhi by Paro Anand show youth duality which develops into two opposite sides between violent behavior and peaceful development. The works show how Indian youth experience dual existence as they navigate different identity paths while facing various social expectations and moral standards which create confusion about their modern identity formation. The historical evolution of dual personality as a literary concept shows that it functions as both a psychological phenomenon and a philosophical principle. From ancient epics to modern novels, writers have used this theme to portray the inner conflicts of human beings. The Indian perspective views dual personality as more than a contradictory state because it represents a significant phase of human development which leads to self-discovery and ethical growth and personal evolution.

Anand  represents the concept of duality by  highlighting through  structuring of the narrative and perspective. The storytelling alternates between Aftab's internal emotions and his external perceptions. Anand portrays the personal experience of inner turmoil, alongside the pressures of societal reality. This approach allows for an exploration of identity division. It clearly reveals how individual ethics, cultural norms and ideological forces collectively influence the choices of young people. The book’s style, concise, highly vivid and rich with imagery heightens the intellectual and emotional tension of leading a double existence. The readers are acutely aware of the fragility and strength within Aftab’s persona.

The novel uses three elements which operate as the basis of its militant expression through trauma which people cannot expressible through their experience of trauma. The concept of identity crisis creates a framework which describes this state of divided existence. The process of adolescence requires people to establish their identities through finding acceptance from others while pursuing their life goals. Anand shows that political instability and emotional insecurity disrupt this process because they compel young people to choose between different personal and public identities. The public sphere displays a battle between two competing value systems which include familial principles of education and peace and the popular belief in resistance and martyrdom. The existence of a double life demonstrates an unresolved identity conflict which causes young people to switch between their personal relationships and their political loyalties because they cannot fully commit to either side. The psychological division reveals how intergenerational communication has broken down. Parents stay outside their children's emotional worlds because their children keep their traumatic experiences hidden because they fear and want to hide their injuries. Anand shows the family home as a delicate environment through which people project their normal behavior but they cannot experience actual existence. The failure to express traumatic experiences creates a deeper sense of isolation which leads to identity disintegration that ends in actions which bring distress to families and destroy entire communities. Anand shows how people lead double lives through their actual state of existence which reflects their psychological condition of collective trauma. The youth of today exhibit two separate identities which show how their society has been divided through warfare because people now handle their distress through silent behavior.  No Guns at My Son's Funeral uses double life to demonstrate how political violence affects mental health while creating an experience that forces adolescents to break down mentally and transforms their personal sadness into shared national sorrow.

Consequences of Living a Double Life

There are significant psychological, social and ethical consequences, particularly for teenagers living in such complicated and tumultuous settings. In No Guns at My Son’s Funeral Aftab’s life is divided into two facets—one, as the behaved compliant child and the other as someone engaged in violence and swayed by militants and their beliefs. This may be an origin of intense sensations of internal conflict manifesting as guilt, fear, bewilderment and emotional volatility.  The story reveals the mind struggling from meaningful relationships since he cannot express his emotions, hopes or fears with family or friends. Consequently trust and support systems will deteriorate. The requirement for secrecy places an ethical dilemma on young people forcing them to behave against their natural sense of right and wrong thereby causing confusion that intensifies internal conflict. The mental conflict intensifies, over time causing the fragmentation of an identity, the delay of emotional growth and the formation of profound psychological scars that endure indefinitely. Aftab's dual existence, portrayed in Anand's narrative not ends in his death but also forces his family and community to endure grief, remorse and the fallout of ideological conditioning. Lakhani says, Anand through this story highlights the toll of divided identities;   emphasizes that young individuals require nurturing environments, honest dialogue and a sense of community duty, as their guides when facing such challenges so they don’t sacrifice their mental, ethical or social health.

Dual personality in No Guns at My Son’s Funeral

In No Guns at My Son's Funeral Paro Anand studies how armed conflict affects the mental state of young people who live in Kashmir. The novel presents the idea that a single individual can carry two conflicting identities at the same time—one shaped by innocence, family values, and normal childhood desires, and the other influenced by political violence, anger, and militant ideology. The theme of dual personality becomes visible primarily through the life of Aftab who lives a double life as a normal teenage boy during the day and a secret participant in militant activities at night.

Dual personality in the protagonist Aftab

The most significant representation of dual personality appears in Aftab. The first identity of the character shows him as an innocent teenager. He loves playing cricket with friends. He cares about family relationships. He desires to live his life like other boys. Second identity as a Militant recruit where he secretly meets militant leader Akram. Through his activities he takes part in both militant training and attack planning. His belief system develops towards the acceptance of violent resistance.

 Aftab experiences two psychological states which exist simultaneously. He possesses two distinct identities which show his normal adolescent self and his extreme political identity. His dual identity shows itself through his daytime student behavior and his nighttime militant activities. His subconscious battle shows his two separate mental states. His family and friends continue to hold his love but he develops hate for the army and thinks militant attacks receive proper justification.

Psychological conflict within Aftab

Aftab exhibits his double identity through his emotional conflicts, which show his two different sides. Human Side and Violent Side. He loves his mother and sister but he remains loyal to his militant group. The character enjoys both cricket and friendship but he learns the discipline of militants. The character experiences both fear and hesitation and he tries to show his bravery. He considers both life and relationships to be valuable but his views about violence as an essential sacrifice. These contradictions show that Aftab is not naturally violent. The political manipulation and social unrest in his environment lead to his personality division.

Dual personality in Akram

The militant leader Akram serves as an essential character who demonstrates his duality through his actions and public image. The character shows heroic qualities through his charismatic and brave personality. The character inspires young boys through his actions which he performs in front of Aftab. He shows himself to others as a freedom fighter. His hidden reality is that he uses his power to turn young boys into fighters for his militant organization. He uses their pure nature to execute violent operations. He uses them as disposable resources in his operations. Akram possesses two distinct ethical characters which manifest in his public appearance as a heroic revolutionary and his private behavior as a power-hungry extremist. The author uses this contrast to demonstrate how militant ideologies use heroic language to mask their actual purpose of exploiting others. The author shows through his contrasting character display that militant belief systems use their heroic language to hide their actual purpose which is to exploit others. Aftab inspires to join this group because of  Akram, who is his hero and role model and aspires to be like Akram.

 The meeting continued. The plotting, the planning. Aftab loved it all. He felt like a big hero in films. Like Hrithik Roshan in Fiza. He could easily picture Akram in that role. Cloaked in black, green eyes blazing out at those who hurt him. AK-47 in his powerful arms. (Anand 5)

Dual emotional perspective of Aftab ‘s family

In this book, family members face emotional duality because they experience different emotional states. The mother feels deep love for her son and she wants him to have a peaceful life. The mother lives with two permanent fears which include losing him to violence and experiencing social conflict around her. The mother wants her son to have a gun-free funeral but this emotional wish represents the battle between her maternal desires and the violent nature of reality.

Dual identity: Loss of Childhood and Moral Innocence

Anand's No Guns at My Son’s Funeral vividly portrays the end of childhood and the erosion of innocence. With the help of the main character Aftab, the writer illustrates the process of political unrest, armed presence and ideological conflicts. It alters its essence by thrusting children into a realm of concealment and terror burdening them with adult-like duties. Aftab’s association with factions pushes him to the limits of moral and ethical boundaries far beyond what his age should confront. It causes him to enter a cycle of doubting loyalty, violence and survival at the expense of his inherent conscience. The erosion of innocence is made more profound by the ongoing clash between Aftab’s outward persona and his inner self. Outwardly he presents himself as the son and diligent learner yet internally he becomes more and more absorbed into a secret realm shaped by fear, peer influence and the rush of control.  Sapana Desai says, This dual existence accelerates his ethical development, in unnatural and frequently harmful manners as he masters suppressing his feelings. He is hiding his anxieties and rationalizing behaviors that contradict his ethical understanding. Anand emphasizes that this loss transcends misfortune and becomes embedded in a broader social and political context that normalizes violence and exploits the youth .side of Aftab and other boys telling that they are still too young to carry out the terrorist When Feroze said that they are too small  for all these activities and that they were just kids playing at being heroes, Akram dismisses his views and says:

 Nahin, Feroze, you’re wrong. One should never wait till these new recruits are old enough to start thinking for themselves. Then they lose courage, once they know what the dangers ahead of them are. You have to use them while their dreams are bigger than their knowledge. While they’re still hypnotized by its romance, by the likes of you and me. (Anand 8-9)

When disturbed Aftab complains to Akram about the behavior of his parents’, Akram reveals his soft side and exchanges an emotional dialogue with Aftab to gain his confidence. He also shares the history of Feroze with Aftab just to make Aftab feel special. He urges Aftab to be his close ally, someone whom he can depend on when the time comes. Thus Akram uses the situation to his advantage and succeeds in gaining complete control over Aftab.

Akram looked into the boy’s eyes, seriously assessing him. He liked what he saw – honesty, and integrity. An unquestioning innocence. An innocence he could use now and later. An innocence that was like clay in his hands. He would mould it now ....(Anand 23-24).

The novel additionally explores the ethical dimensions of losing innocence. Aftabs encounters with conditioning, militant ideologies and the omnipresence of death test his ethical thinking and moral discernment putting him in situations where he must make decisions that conflict with his inherent kindness and humanity. In this context Anand's account conveys the reality that youngsters in conflict areas must mature far too quickly and are weighed down at an exceedingly young age, with ethical duties and life questions that ought to belong to a later stage.

Through portraying stolen childhood and damaged moral purity No Guns at My Son’s Funeral reveals both the toll of war and serves as a potent critique of the fragility of youth amid political turmoil .Anand’s novel demonstrates that the loss of childhood is both a sorrow and a collective shortcoming; it highlights the critical necessity for safe supportive environments that protect the emotional, moral and mental health of young people.

Anand's No Guns at My Sons Funeral offers an exploration of the intricate connections between youth, conflict and social pressures emphasizing the harsh impact of political unrest on young lives. Through Aftab’s journey it delves into the ethical struggles of leading a double existence—the tension between secrecy and ideological control and society’s demands versus the natural desire for acceptance and emotional safety. Anand uses symbolism, contrast and psychological realism as his artistic methods to demonstrate how youth experience their external struggle between lost innocence and moral dilemmas created by their violent surroundings. The story shows how family bonds and effective communication and community connections help teenagers discover their true selves. People who fail to express themselves and who control their emotions and who cannot communicate effectively become more vulnerable to radicalization while family support and empathetic guidance protect them from dangerous influences.

Anand skillfully employs techniques such as symbolism, contrast and psychological realism to reveal the outer conflicts faced by youth—the loss of innocence and the moral challenges brought on by a violent environment. The story demonstrates how family relationships and community ties together with human interaction create important factors which help teenagers develop their personal identities. The first two elements of the study show how lack of emotional expression together with poor communication abilities create a higher risk of radicalization while the third element demonstrates how family support and compassionate guidance work as protective factors.

 Extending beyond stories the novel urges society to engage in ethical and humanitarian contemplation regarding the broader effects of neglect, violence and social unrest, on the youth.

Anand places his work within the context of Indian young adult literature that addresses challenging social issues and employs storytelling as a means of advocacy, raising awareness and educating. No Guns at My Son’s Funeral is more than a tale of sorrow; it serves as a political critique of the ways political, social and family systems influence the growth of adolescents. The novel calls for a vigilant and ethically conscious community that genuinely safeguards childhood, nurtures moral and emotional growth and tackles the circumstances that make young people susceptible to violence and ideological manipulation. The value that Anand, in this message, places on literature as a mirror of society for introspection, empathy and action.

Work Cited

 

Adiga Aravind. The White Tiger. Harper Collins, 2008.

Anand, Paro. No Guns at My Son’s Funeral. Puffin Books, 2005.

Bhagat Chetan. Five Point Someone: What ,Not to Do at IIT. Rupa & Co., 2014.

Chatterjee Upamanyu. English, August: An Indian Story. Penguin Books, 1988.

Desai, Sapna. “Terrorism and the Loss of Childhood: A Study of Paro Anand’s No Guns at My Son’s Funeral.” Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal vol. 9, Special Issue 2, Mar. 2019, pp. 315–319.

Lakhani, Parth. “Innocence Lost: Childhood Studies and Reconstructing the Child in No Guns at My Son’s Funeral.” The Criterion: An International Journal in English, vol. 12, no. 2, Apr. 2021.

 Narayan. R.K. The Guide. Viking Press, 1958.

Rushdie Salman. Midnight’s Children. Penguin Books, 1991.