Justify the title of the novel Tree Without Roots.
Tree Without Roots is a notable literary work by Syed Waliullah. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Tree Without Roots.
Answer
Justify the title of the novel “Tree Without Roots.” [2020, 2017] ✪✪✪ Or, Comment on the significance of the title “Tree Without Roots.” [2019]
Justifying a literary title means explaining how the title fits the story’s main idea, characters, or message. The title “Tree Without Roots” (1948) perfectly captures the spirit of Syed Waliullah’s (1922-1971) novel. It symbolizes a man’s search for identity, belonging, and survival. Majeed, the central character, is a symbol of a rootless man. He drifts from one place to another in search of stability. When he arrives in Mahabbatpur, he plants himself there like a tree but without real roots.
Rootlessness of Majeed: Majeed is a man without a home, family, or purpose. He comes from a barren, overpopulated village where people suffer from hunger and poverty. He works as a muezzin in the Garo Hills but finds no peace. His rootless condition drives him to search for a better life. One night, he leaves the hills with only a few belongings and a small Koran. The narrator says,
“He immediately struck root in the soil, deeper than the roots of the largest tree in the village.”
Majeed’s journey from the hills to Mahabbatpur shows how poverty and hopelessness make him a “tree without roots.”
Creation of The False Mazar: When Majeed reaches Mahabbatpur, he finds an old neglected grave. He fabricates a dream about a saint named Shah Sadeque and tells the villagers that the saint appeared to him. The villagers believe his story and begin to visit the grave. Majeed covers it with a red cloth and turns it into a mazar. People start to pray there, bringing coins and gifts. Majeed’s survival depends on this faith. His false mazar becomes his root, though it grows from deception.
Dependence on False Faith: Majeed’s power and identity come entirely from the mazar. He knows that his existence depends on people’s belief. Once the people stop believing, he will again become rootless. He even says that man is both sinner and innocent: