Prabal Bhowmik
All About Ambedkar: A Journal on Theory and Praxis, Volume 2, Issue 1, January-April, 2021, 21-26
ABSTRACT
There have been a variety of readings ranging from the examination of the subalternity of the Santhals, the representation of the Adivasi consciousness, and conflicts of different natures to the analysis of the dialectic of tribal voices in the stories of Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar’s The Adivasi Shall Not Dance. The majority of these readings focus on the history of oppression, exploitation, and alienation of the Adivasis from the mainstream societal discourse. However, this paper aims at exploring the complex interplay of power and resistance underlying the final act of resistance by the narrator and protagonist Mangal Murmu of the title story, “The Adivasi Shall Not Dance” through his refusal to dance before the President of India which is a subversive act in itself.
Prabal Bhowmik studies English literature at Presidency University, Kolkata. His email id is prabalbhowmik920@gmail.com.