FL:GUN ISLAND
FLIPPED LEARNING ACTIVITY | GUN ISLAND
This blog post is part of a flipped learning task assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. For this task, we need to watch videos about the novel Gun Island (2019) by Amitav Ghosh. After watching each video, write a short summary of what I learned from it and complete worksheets provided.
Worksheets for Flipped Classroom Activities
Worksheet 1
1. Is Shakespeare mentioned in the novel? Or are his plays referred in the novel?
The first mention talks about the history of Shakespeare’s Venice. Cinta explains that a real-life version of Shylock would have lived in the Jewish quarter in Venice, which existed from 1541. This was when the Venetian Republic allowed Jews to live in the city, but with strict rules, like wearing special clothes, staying away from Christians, and living on a separate island.
The second mention highlights that Shakespeare set two of his plays in Venice because it was the perfect place for characters like Shylock and Othello.
The third mention comes in the chapter called ‘Friends,’ where Shakespeare’s influence shows in the themes of his plays.
2. What is the role of Nakhuda Ilyas in the legend of the Gun Merchant.
In Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh, the term nakhuda means both "ship owner" and "ship's captain," a term used in the Indian Ocean trade. Nakhuda Ilyas, an important character in the Gun Merchant's story, is shown as a brave and loyal protector. He saves the Gun Merchant from pirates and goes with him on a dangerous journey. They face challenges like "poison-spitting monsters" and a "burning wind." These dangers represent the fragility of human life and the effects of natural disasters. Through Nakhuda Ilyas, the story connects history with modern environmental issues, focusing on resilience and survival.
3. Characters in one column and their profession in another.
4. Write the name of relevant character.
5. What sort of comparison between the book and the mobile is presented at the end of the novel?
In Gun Island, books and mobile phones show the difference between old and modern ways of connecting. Books, especially those about myths and history, provide deep knowledge and transport us to different worlds. For example, the Gun Merchant sees Manasa Devi in a book, showing how books connect us to the past and shape our understanding of reality. An old palm-leaf manuscript also reminds us of the link between books and ancient cultures.
On the other hand, mobile phones allow fast and easy communication. Piya’s phone helps characters like Dinanath talk instantly, no matter the distance. Emails and the Internet make it simple to exchange information and stay connected in real-time, something books cannot do.
The novel shows that both books and mobile phones help us connect, but in different ways. Books offer a deep connection to the past and encourage thinking, while mobile phones allow quick connections with people everywhere. Both help us share stories, reflecting how communication has evolved.
6. Tell me something about Amitav Ghosh’s novel Gun Island in 100 words.
Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island follows Deen, a Bengali-American rare book dealer, on a journey connected to a legend from the Sundarbans. The novel blends history, myth, and climate change, exploring migration, environmental destruction, and global warming. Through different characters and their experiences with nature’s forces, like cyclones and floods, Ghosh shows how human lives are linked to ecological changes. The story connects the past with the present, highlighting how modern life and climate crises affect identity, memory, and survival.
7. What is the central theme of Amitav Ghosh’s novel ‘Gun Island’?
The central theme of Amitav Ghosh’s novel Gun Island is the interconnectedness of history, myth, and climate change. The novel explores migration, environmental destruction, and global warming, showing how human lives are deeply linked to ecological changes. Through the protagonist Deen’s journey, Ghosh highlights the impact of modernity on identity, memory, and survival, emphasizing how the past and present are woven together in the face of a changing world.
Worksheet 2 :
1. Write 10-12 words about climate change in the novel. Mention number of times they recur.
The title Gun Island in Amitav Ghosh's novel carries deep symbolic meaning, blending history, mythology, and themes of climate change and migration.
"Gun Island" refers to Bonduk-dwip (literally "Gun Island"), a mythical place where the Gun Merchant seeks refuge. It represents both physical and emotional isolation, showing how people are shaped by their past but also affected by natural disasters like floods and rising sea levels.
The word "gun" symbolizes conflict, linking to colonial history, trade, and war. The Gun Merchant’s story reflects struggles with both colonial legacies and present challenges. The term "island" highlights separation, as characters in the novel often feel disconnected from the world around them. This also ties into environmental issues, as real islands are increasingly threatened by climate change.
The novel also explores global connections through words like “Venedig” (Venice) and “hazelnut,” which point to historical trade routes and migration. Venice, with its colonial past, contrasts with Bengal’s myths, showing how history, culture, and global movements are intertwined.
Overall, the title Gun Island brings together themes of myth and history, migration, violence, and survival, making readers think about how people navigate their past while facing modern environmental and social challenges.
3.Match the characters with the reasons for migration.
Saikat Chakraborty’s article, "Towards a Post(colonial)human Culture: Revisiting Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island as a Fall of Eurocentric Humanism," explores how Gun Island challenges the idea that Western knowledge is superior to other ways of understanding the world.
For centuries, European thinkers have separated humans from animals and viewed non-European cultures as less advanced. This belief, called Eurocentric humanism, justified colonialism by portraying Western civilization as bringing progress to "backward" societies.
In Gun Island, Amitav Ghosh questions this idea by reviving the Bengali folk tale of Banduki Sodagar (The Gun Merchant). The main character, Deen, is a Western-educated scholar who initially dismisses the myth as just a story. But as he travels through the Sundarbans, he realizes the value of indigenous knowledge. His logical, scientific thinking is challenged by events he cannot explain. A local boy, Rafi, helps him see that traditional wisdom is just as important as Western education.
The article also explains how the Sundarbans act as a heterotopia a special space where normal rules of knowledge and power don’t apply. In this unpredictable landscape, Deen moves away from modern technology and reconnects with nature and local traditions. This change represents a rejection of colonial thinking and a recognition of the value of non-Western knowledge.
The article suggests that Gun Island imagines a future where different cultures and species are more connected. By blending myth, migration, and environmental themes, the novel challenges Western dominance over knowledge and promotes a world where humans and nature coexist in harmony. Through this, Ghosh shows the importance of indigenous stories and traditions in creating a more inclusive understanding of the world.
6. Suggest research possibilities in Amitav Ghosh’s novel ‘Gun Island’.
7. Generate a sonnet on Amitav Ghosh’s novel Gun Island.
A Sonnet on Gun Island
Through shifting tides where myths and truths entwine,
A merchant flees, his fate in legends cast.
From Sundarbans to Venice’s old design,
The echoes of the past shape shadows vast.
The rising seas, the storms that sweep the land,
Reveal the warnings ancient tales once told.
Yet human steps still trace the shifting sand,
As borders break and destinies unfold.
The Gun Merchant’s tale, a whispered plea,
Of exile, loss, and journeys yet untold.
Where nature speaks in silent mystery,
And stories cross the lines the maps behold.
Through land and sea, through myth and time’s embrace,
Ghosh weaves a world where past and present race.
8. Multiple Choice Questions on Amitav Ghosh’s novel Gun Island.
1. What is the primary environmental concern explored in Gun Island?
2. Which natural disaster is mentioned most frequently in the novel?
3. What is the significance of the character Manasa Devi in Gun Island?
4. Which place is NOT directly referenced in Gun Island?
5. What role does technology, particularly mobile phones, play in the novel?
9. With the help of Google Translate, write Hindi & English translation of 5 Italian words from the novel.
Here are five Italian words from Gun Island with their Hindi and English translations:
- Venedig – वेनेडिग (Hindi) – Venice (English)
- Pistola – पिस्तौला (Hindi) – Gun (English)
- Isola – इसोला (Hindi) – Island (English)
- Serpente – सर्पेंटे (Hindi) – Snake (English)
- Tempesta – टेम्पेस्टा (Hindi) – Storm (English)
Summary of the videos:
Video 1 :
In this video, we are introduced to the beginning of Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh. It reveals the main characters, the legend of Bonduki Sadagar , the story of Chand Sadagar and Mansa Devi, and the shrine of Mansa Devi, as well as the early development of the plot. The novel explores themes like myth, history, climate change, and human-centered thinking. It is part of the climate fiction genre, which focuses on environmental issues. Ghosh also explored similar themes in his previous works The Great Derangement and The Hungry Tide.
The story follows Dinanath Datta , a rare book dealer struggling financially. He loves myths and folklore, and his journey begins when he hears about the legend of Bonduki Sadagar from Nilima Bose. Although he lives in Brooklyn, the myth draws him to the Sundarbans. His research leads him to discussions with historian Giacinta Schiavon . A key theme in the novel is migration, symbolized by migratory birds, which mirrors the movement of characters and the historical changes in their lives.
During his journey, Deen meets Kanai Dutt, who mocks him and doesn’t respect his work. Nilima Bose runs an NGO to help landless, poor people in the Sundarbans. Piyali Roy , a marine biologist, studies dolphin migration and beaching. The novel also discusses the Bhola Cyclone and its damage, with a focus on climate change. It introduces Mansa Devi’s shrine, which survived the cyclone while nearby villages were destroyed. The shrine’s design resembles Bishnupur temples and features symbols like snakes, guns, ships, and waterways.
The novel also introduces Tipu, the son of Moyna and Fokir. Fokir died while helping Piya with dolphin research. Piya helps Tipu study in the U.S., but he later falls into bad company. Another key character is Rafi, the grandson of a boatman who cares for the Mansa Devi shrine. As Deen continues his research, he begins to question the myths about the shrine. The novel blends reality and magic, making readers wonder what is real and what is myth.
The story then moves to Italy, where Cinta shares a 20-year-old story about Mansa Devi, encouraging Deen to visit the shrine. As the story develops, Tipu is bitten by a cobra and says, "Rani is in danger," referring to a dolphin named Rani. This moment adds mystery and suspense, leaving readers to wonder if Tipu’s words are just imagination or if they have a deeper meaning.
In this video, the story focuses on memory, existence, and societal challenges, all set against the backdrop of climate change, migration, and environmental crises. Memory links the past with the present, keeping alive the voices and dreams of those who have passed, and shaping who we are today. The wildfires in Los Angeles symbolize the far-reaching impact of climate change, showing that no one, regardless of wealth or status, is immune to the damage caused by environmental disasters.
The story follows Dino, who returns to Brooklyn after his trip to the Sundarbans. He learns about a climate change conference in Los Angeles and decides to go there. On the flight, he sees the wildfires below and receives a strange email, which turns out to be from Tipu, adding mystery to the story. Another important character is Lisa, a researcher studying bark beetles. She explains how global warming has caused these beetles to invade forests, making trees more vulnerable to wildfires. Despite her important work, Lisa faces criticism, humiliation, and even death threats, showing how society often rejects those who speak uncomfortable truths.
The narrative also touches on migration and displacement. Cinta tells the story of a historical gun merchant who traveled to different places, including:
- Gun Island (Venice)
- Land of Palm Sugar Candy (Egypt)
- Land of Kerechieves (Turkey)
- Land of Chains (Sicily)
The story combines personal loss, environmental issues, and societal struggles. The wildfires represent the immediate threat of climate change, while Lisa’s challenges highlight the difficulties faced by those trying to raise awareness. The historical references, like the origin of "ghetto," show how the past and present are connected. The story encourages us to think about how these issues are linked and calls for empathy and collective action to address climate change.
Video: 3: Summary - 3 | Venice:
In the second part of Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island, the focus shifts to migration, climate change, and the connections between cultures, blending personal stories with bigger social and environmental issues. Dinanath, the main character, is invited to Venice by an Italian scholar named Chinta, but he’s unsure because of financial struggles. Later, a documentary filmmaker named Giza offers him a paid job as a Bengali translator for Bangladeshi migrants in Venice. As Dinanath works with these migrants, he meets people like Lubna Khala and Bilal, who face major challenges, such as displacement from floods in Bangladesh and exploitation in Venice’s job market. This highlights the global migration crisis and the mistreatment of migrant workers.
The novel explores several themes, including "The Ghetto," "Strandings," "Dreams," "Warnings," and "High Water," each of which examines Venice’s culture and the environmental problems threatening the city. Climate change plays a big role, especially the rising waters in Venice and the spread of harmful species like shipworms and spiders. The novel also critiques industries such as tourism and pharmaceuticals for contributing to labor exploitation and environmental damage. Ghosh connects this exploitation to the history of the slave trade, showing that modern labor issues for migrants are linked to past injustices.
Dinanath reflects on the spiritual connection between Venice and Varanasi, seeing both cities as places of decay and death. These cities represent the fragility of human civilization. Throughout the story, Dinanath and Piya discuss the balance between scientific explanations and cultural myths. While Piya trusts scientific reasons for events, Dinanath is drawn to cultural beliefs that help people understand the world, highlighting the clash between modern science and traditional ways of thinking.
The novel also references popular culture, like the Netflix film Don’t Look Up, which connects climate crisis denial with capitalist exploitation. This comparison strengthens the novel’s critique of how the world refuses to face the environmental disaster happening around us. This part of Gun Island explores personal and social issues like migration, exploitation, and climate change, while showing how human and environmental crises are linked. The story criticizes modern society’s treatment of human rights and ecological problems, urging us to rethink our relationship with the world.
Thematic Study:
In this video, we learn that Amitav Ghosh’s novel Gun Island explores how language shapes the way we understand the world. The discussion focuses on how words change meaning over time and across cultures. The title Gun Island doesn’t refer to weapons; "Gun" comes from the Venetian dialect and represents Venice. The character Chinta, a historian, helps explain how words can have different meanings in different languages.
Some words in the novel have changed over time. For example, "ghetto" originally referred to a foundry in Venice but later became associated with Jewish neighborhoods. The word "saudagar" in Bangla sounds grand, but "merchant" in English feels simpler. "Booth," meaning ghost, comes from the Sanskrit word "bhu," meaning to exist, linking the supernatural with reality. The "Gun Merchant" is not an arms dealer, but a traveler who visited Venice. The video also shows how tools like Google Translate can help understand words but may disconnect us from traditional knowledge.
The video further explores the idea of possession, asking if the past still affects the present through memory and language. In Christian tradition, possession is seen negatively, but in other cultures, it has different meanings. The novel links this to historical inquisition practices, where people were punished for beliefs that didn’t fit religious norms. It also connects etymology to real-world issues like climate change and migration, using the example of spiders moving because of global warming as a symbol of constant change.
Overall, this video helps us see how Gun Island connects language, history, and myths. It shows how words evolve and how translation can change meanings. The novel encourages us to think about how language affects our worldview and how history is always present in our lives. Through this, Amitav Ghosh reveals deeper connections between language, culture, and human experience.
Video 2: Part I - Historification of Myth & Mythification of History:
In this video, the discussion focuses on how Amitav Ghosh blends myth and history in Gun Island. The video explains how the myth of Mansa Devi and the gun merchant is tied to real historical events like human trafficking and migration. Ghosh shows that myths, often seen as supernatural, actually reflect both the past and the present, offering insights into current issues like climate change and human trafficking.
Symbols, such as the hooded snake at Mansa Devi’s shrine, connect the myth to cultural and historical identities. The main character, Deen, travels to real places like Venice and the Sundarbans, learning how the myth is linked to real-world problems. Ghosh reinterprets the Bengali folktale Bonduki Sadagar (the Gun Merchant) to highlight themes of trade, migration, and survival, showing that myths can be based on historical truths.
The video also mentions four key academic tools for studying myths:
- Functionalism (Malinowski)
- Structuralism (Lévi-Strauss)
- Psychoanalysis (Freud)
- Myth and Ritual (Durkheim, Harrison)
These theories help us understand that myths are not just stories, but important cultural tales that explain behaviors and reflect both past and present issues. By connecting modern problems like climate change and migration to the myth, Ghosh shows that myths are still relevant today. The symbols of snakes, storms, and human displacement show how nature reacts to human actions, blending myth with history. The novel suggests that myths evolve over time, offering lessons about humanity’s ongoing struggles.
This video is a follow-up to the previous one, where we talked about how history and myth influence each other. In this video, we focus on how Gun Island connects the myth of Mansa Devi to modern issues like climate change and migration. The novel uses rituals, especially pilgrimages, to show how they symbolize human resilience and our deep connection to nature. Pilgrimages were once tied to the Mansa Devi myth, which helped explain these rituals, but now, Ghosh uses this myth to talk about today’s ecological problems.
Through characters like Dinanath, Ghosh links the myth to real-world events such as natural disasters and migration. Dinanath’s experiences reflect the struggles people face due to environmental changes, and the novel critiques issues like coal mining that contribute to climate change. Ghosh suggests that the "anger of nature" seen in natural disasters is a result of human neglect and harm to the environment. He uses ideas like functionalism and collective effervescence to explain how rituals help communities cope and find meaning during times of crisis.
The concept of Sanskritization is also important here, as it shows how myths and rituals change over time to reflect shifting cultural and environmental realities. Ghosh reinterprets the Mansa Devi myth, shifting away from the supernatural and using it to address today’s environmental challenges. In Gun Island, myths are not just preserved traditions but also powerful tools for understanding and responding to global issues.
Video 4: Part III - Historification of Myth and Mythification of History:
In Part III of the series "Historification of Myth and Mythification of History," the focus is on how colonialism has affected the way Eastern and Western cultures view each other. Edward Said’s idea of Orientalism is key here, criticizing how the West has portrayed the East as inferior, backward, and exotic. This idea shows up in Gun Island, where characters like Dinanath, Kanai, and Nilima deal with the lasting effects of colonialism on their identities.
Dinanath, who has spent time in the West, feels influenced by Western ideas and sees himself as superior. Kanai challenges this, mocking Dinanath and questioning his self-importance. This tension shows how colonialism shaped how Eastern people viewed their own worth compared to the West.
The novel challenges rigid cultural identities, showing that Eastern and Western perspectives are connected. Characters like Kanai and Nilima argue that these boundaries are flexible, which reflects Ghosh’s belief that solving global issues like climate change needs both Eastern wisdom and Western science. Ghosh also highlights the importance of Eastern myths, suggesting they offer valuable insights for modern issues like migration and environmental crises. By reinterpreting these myths, we can better understand human behavior and social struggles, encouraging a more connected and compassionate view of history and today’s challenges.
Video 5 : Climate Change | The Great Derangement:
In this video lecture, Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh is discussed as a response to the issues raised in his earlier book, The Great Derangement. Ghosh critiques how modern literature fails to address climate change, which he calls "The Great Derangement." This term points out how environmental crises are often ignored in mainstream stories.
Gun Island uses myths alongside real-world events to highlight the climate crisis. The main character, Dinanath, faces displacement and unpredictability, reflecting the struggles many face because of environmental changes. Ghosh blends myths like Mansa Devi and the Gun Merchant with current issues, offering insights into the climate crisis. The combination of rational and mystical characters, such as Piali Roy and Chinta, helps Ghosh engage both Eastern and Western audiences, challenging cultural stereotypes.
Ghosh also critiques the systemic causes of climate change, including colonialism, capitalism, and industrialization. He points out how Western industrial practices, like coal mining, have worsened environmental damage and how colonial powers dismissed traditional ecological knowledge that could have helped. Despite the bleak realities of climate change, Ghosh offers hope, calling for collective action based on respect for nature, inspired by both religious and cultural practices. The novel also uses magical realism to reflect the unpredictable nature of climate change. Through this, Ghosh encourages a new way of thinking about how literature can address environmental issues, urging writers and readers to engage with the challenges our world faces.
Video 6: Theme of Migration | Human Trafficking | Refugee Crisis:
In this video, we focus on the theme of migration in Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island, which explores the challenges of human displacement caused by environmental changes, political issues, and economic struggles. The novel shows migration not just as a search for better opportunities but as a response to crises like climate change, war, poverty, and violence.
Ghosh uses the sinking city of Venice and the flood-prone Sundarbans as symbols of the dangers of rising sea levels and environmental damage. Characters like Lubna Khala, who escapes rising waters, and Tipu and Rafi, who flee poverty, represent real-life migrants forced to leave their homes. These personal stories reflect the tough realities of migration, which is often about survival in a world affected by climate change.
The novel also links migration to human trafficking and the refugee crisis, showing both humanitarian efforts and self-interest in society. Characters like Kabir, Bilal, and Palash illustrate how economic and national priorities often take precedence over the well-being of migrants. Gun Island presents migration as a repeated human experience shaped by environmental and political issues, urging readers to be more compassionate and open-minded.
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