DefinePK

Abstract

Rashid Amjad is considered one of the prominent short story writers of the 20th century. He skillfully portrayed internal and external human conflicts, social injustices, psychological complexities, political oppression, and martial law through symbolic, abstract, and philosophical storytelling. His stories often use satire and humor to expose societal harshness.His narrative style is unique and symbolic. Instead of directly addressing political issues like martial law, he uses metaphors—as seen in his famous story "The City Grown in a Flowerpot", where the flowerpot represents a controlled, limited society.His collections such as Kaaghaz Ki Faseel, Makhan Ka Baal, Sannata Bolta Hai, Dil Darya, and Aik Nasal Ka Tamasha feature various forms of satire. Sometimes it's aimed at internal conflicts, sometimes at societal hypocrisy, and sometimes at psychological defeat. He presents the common man's helplessness, despair, and identity crisis in a deep and thought-provoking manner.His humor is not light-hearted but rather bitter and meaningful, provoking the reader to reflect. In "Sannata Bolta Hai", he critiques the soulless, mechanical life of modern man, while in "Dil Darya" and "Aik Nasal Ka Tamasha", he explores ego, self-deception, and the psychology of power through intellectual satire.Rashid Amjad targets a hypocritical society bound by superficial customs, hollow values, and class divisions. Through satire, he holds a mirror to the reader, reminding them that the real problem lies not in the external world, but in human thought, selfishness, and silence.