1. What are some ongoing debates about definitions of cli-fi or Anthropocene fiction as a genre, and how does Jones position Ghosh’s novel within those debates? Note how the author cites two prior arguments regarding “the novels of the Anthropocene” and rejects both, creating space for their own, new approach.
2. How does Jones untie the complex knot the novel ties around the fate of the refugees in Morichjhapi? Do you buy this reading?
3. What are the “two discourses” that Jones points out that characterize the way climate refugees tend to be viewed and interpreted? What alternatives does he present to these problematic discourses?
4. How does Jones read Ghosh’s novel within a longer literary history of representations of utopia? How is The Hungry Tide both like and unlike classic utopias, from Thomas More’s to the present?
5. Where should we look for Anthropocene fiction? What are the arguments for the preeminence of science fiction in this field, and how does Jones revise this consensus? How does Jones’s argument relate to Ghosh’s from earlier in the term?

In the chapters “The Beginning Again” through “The Megha”, the relationships built are being further established. Piya and Kanai have reunited after Piyas long journey to Mashima. Throughout these chapters, Kanai helps Piya by helping her translate the things the other characters say so Piya can finally understand and have conversations. The way Kanai talks to Piya is very interesting because his arrogance and superiority shines through in their conversations, especially the ones about Fokir. After speaking to Fokir and relaying information back to Piya, even Piya can feel Kanai’s arrogance. “She hadn’t understood what had passed between the two men,

but there was no mistaking the condescension in Kanai’s voice as he was speaking to Fokir: it was the kind of tone in which someone might address a dimwitted waiter, at once jocular and hectoring.” It is evident that Kanai is not fond of Fokir in these moments as he looks down on him. Kanai can also be seen starting to like Piya. When he sees her about to go on the launch with only Fokir and Horne, he steps up and offers her to be her translator just to be with her. “Piya raised her hand to her earlobe in the gesture that Kanai had noticed before. That movement made her seem at once as graceful as a dancer and as vulnerable as a child, and it made Kanai’s heart stop. He could not bear to think that she would be going the next day.” Piya and Kanai’s relationship develops as Kanai’s feelings develop. Kanai is also openly telling Piya how he feels and says, “I’d say Moyna is the kind of woman who would be good for a brief but exciting dalliance,” he said. “A fling, as we used to say. But as for anything more lasting — no. I’d say someone like you would be much more to my taste.” showing that he does have feelings for Piya.

Fokir and Piya’s relationship throughout these chapters deepen as well because of the journey they had on the boat together. Fokir has finally brought Piya to Mashima and leaves her there despite Piya not wanting him to leave. When Piya learns that Fokir is married, Piya feels somewhat jealous of Moyna, Fokir’s wife. “Piya’s attention drifted away from Kanai to the woman who was Fokir’s wife. She felt a twinge of envy at the thought of her going back to Fokir and Tutul while she returned to the absence upstairs.” Although Piya doesn’t want to feel this type of way, she can’t help it since the bond she had built with Fokir was unique and special in a way only they would understand. When she goes over to Moyna and Fokirs house with Kanai, she is expecting to speak with Fokir only to be left disappointed by the fact Fokir seems as if he does not want to be there. She instead talks to Moyna. However, when it came time for her to give money to Moyna in honor to thank Fokir, Piya can’t help but want Fokir to take it himself. This shows, Piya has grown to care for Fokir as she does not want to treat him as if he were not there. Fokir has grown to care for Piya as well in the way he makes note of her eating preferences and informs his wife of it to better accommodate Piya. Both Fokir and Piya have care for one another because of what they had been through.

Aside from Fokir and Piya, we see the relationship between Moyna and Fokir. Moyna and Fokirs relationship seems complicated as they don’t seem very happy with one another and their views differ. “He told her it didn’t bode well to take money for something like this.” “And what was her answer?” “She told him they had no choice: there was no food in the house and no money either. Nothing except a few crabs.” This goes to show how Fokir and Moynas ideals are different. Fokir seems to think more emotionally while Moyna thinks more logically. When Piya praises Fokir for his knowledge of river, Moyna puts her husband down by saying, “She said that her life would be a lot easier if her husband had a little more gyan(knowledge) and a little less gaan(song).” This differed from Piya since Piya actually admires Fokirs singing and songs as well as acknowledges his knowledge of the river.

• two minutes to think and write about the prompt
• two minutes to talk with a partner about it: just grab the person next to you!
• then we’ll share your pair’s thoughts with the big group

As many of you have noted, Kanai remains a remarkably unsympathetic character through much of the novel. How does his portrayal change as the novel approaches the end? What are some signs, both “inner” and “outer,” that he has undergone a transformation of sorts? What do you think Ghosh intends by staging such a dramatic transformation in this character?

In Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide, the chapters “Memory” to “Kratie” talk about the deep connections between memory, identity, and place. These chapters explore the narratives of the main characters Piya, Fokir, and Kanai, and how their relationships with each other and the Sundarbans shape their experiences and identities.

The argument in these chapters is that memory and history influence who we are and how we engage with the world. Piya, a marine biologist, returns to the Sundarbans to study the river dolphins. For her, this journey is not just about research. It is also personal. Piya’s memories of her childhood visits to the area play a role in her connection to the land. These memories shape her sense of belonging and show how the past informs the present. As she navigates the beauty and challenges of the Sundarbans, Piya is looking to connect  her scientific pursuits with her emotional ties to the region.

Fokir, a local fisherman, offers a contrasting perspective. His knowledge of the Sundarbans is rooted in lived experience, not formal education. Fokir’s connection to the land is intuitive and practical, informed by years of working in its waters. As he assists Piya in her research, their relationship develops from an initial language barrier into a meaningful partnership. This relationship emphasizes the importance of mutual respect and understanding across cultural and educational divides. Piya learns to appreciate Fokir’s insights about the environment, which enrich her understanding of her work and deepen her personal journey.

Kanai, the third main character, introduces another layer to the narrative. A city-dweller who returns to the Sundarbans to settle his late aunt’s affairs, Kanai often approaches situations with an analytical lens. His perspective contrasts with Piya’s and Fokir’s, reflecting the tensions that arise from differing backgrounds and lifestyles. While Piya is driven by her scientific curiosity and emotional connections, Kanai initially struggles to grasp the complexities of rural life. His character embodies the challenges faced by those who try to bridge the gap between urban and rural identities.

The relationships among Piya, Fokir, and Kanai are crucial to the development of the narrative. Piya and Fokir’s bond goes from a simple working relationship to a deep mutual understanding. Their interactions illustrate how knowledge can come from both scientific inquiry and personal experience. Fokir teaches Piya about the local ecology and the cultural significance of the land. This allows her to connect her scientific goals with the lives of the people around her.

Kanai’s interactions with Piya and Fokir reveal the complexities of identity and belonging. His initial detachment from the region and its people highlights the disconnect that can arise from urbanization. As he confronts his assumptions and biases, Kanai’s character undergoes significant growth. He begins to recognize the value of local knowledge and the importance of understanding the unique challenges faced by the inhabitants of the Sundarbans.

The relationships in these chapters also hint at broader themes of environmentalism and conservation. As Piya becomes more aware of the ecological threats facing the Sundarbans, she realizes that her scientific work is intimately linked to the lives of the people who depend on the land. Fokir’s deep-rooted understanding of the ecosystem raises ethical questions about conservation efforts and the need for inclusive approaches that respect local traditions and knowledge. This dynamic highlights the complexities of conservation in a region where human lives and natural ecosystems are intricately intertwined.

In conclusion, Ghosh connects personal narratives with broader socio-political themes, emphasizing the importance of understanding and respecting the different experiences of individuals in shaping identity. These relationships invite us as readers to reflect on our connections to place and the complexities of human experience in a rapidly changing world. Ghosh’s narrative serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all life and the vital role that memory and history play in our understanding of the present. Through these characters’ journeys, Ghosh highlights the importance of empathy and the need to listen to different voices in the conversation about conservation and identity.

Our relationships to nature and the environment are either trivially acknowledged or fantastically exaggerated. Flooding is an occasional annoyance  to some but to others it is a sign of the impending end of times. Tornadoes are a spectacle reserved for the metropolitan or a serious danger for rural midwesterners.  The way climate change is framed often is in these two modes; the spectacle or the trivial. In both instances, it is seen as something separate from the sphere of our personal, social, and macro-societal relations. Yet is it so fantastical to understand how a hurricane or heavy rain or any climatological phenomenon comes to ultimately set and define our ‘everdays’.

 Amitav Ghosh’s ‘The Hungry Tide’ precisely acknowledges this connection between marco-climate change, history, society, and ,at the heart of his novel , the personal. The novel follows marine biologist Piya Roy, on a quest to study a rare species of dolphins in the Sundarbans, a mangrove forests in the Bay of Bengal. Helping her on the quest is Forkir, a stoic  local fisherman and Kanai, an arrogant bourgeois translator. As the book descends deeper and deeper the lines between our characters’ personal, political, and social relations get blurred, all within the context of a complex setting, which in of itself is a character. The space the characters inhabit isn’t arbitrary, it doesn’t just ‘stage’ the characters , nor does it get framed in a fantastical and inhuman way. The Sudarbans are a quite fascinating and alien place for characters outside of it, but for the characters who live there , the Sundarbans are part of them.

When recounting this mythical tale, Nirmal [being conjured through his writings,via Kainai] mentions how;

“That’s what happened, then. They crossed the line by mistake and ended up on one of Dokkhin Rai’s islands. Whenever you have a storm like that – one that appears so suddenly out of nowhere – you know it’s the doing of Dokkhin Rai and his demons.”

I grew impatient and said, “Horen! A storm is an atmospheric disturbance. It has neither intention nor motive.”

I had spoken so sharply that he would not disagree with me, although he could not bring himself to agree either. “As to that, Saar,” he said, “let us leave each other to our beliefs and see what the future holds” (Ghosh 123).

This belief Horen is not unlike any  other aetiological myth, but within the context of a  globalized world, Nirmal cannot bring himself to understand how someone can believe that as an adequate explanation. And persistent throughout the book the characters that are more metropolitan and liberal in their socialization, find that the world they project onto the Sundarbans is completely misconstrued. It isn’t just some uncivilized wasteland where tides drown and tigers eat human beings, but it is in some sense “the everyday”. What Ghosh attempts to do in this book is to situate us in a place where climate change has not only just affected, it is actively affecting, but it isn’t the crux of the story. The crux of the story is the relationships between people, and how those relationships get messed around with due to these big, “unchangeable” conditions.