নারায়ণ গঙ্গোপাধ্যায়ের গল্পবিশ্ব : বিশ্বযুদ্ধ ও মন্বন্তরের প্রেক্ষাপটে শ্রেণিভেদে বাংলার মানুষের মূল্যবোধের অবক্ষয় ও করুণ আর্তনাদের প্রতিচ্ছবি/ Narayan Gangopadhyay's Story World: A reflection of the degradation of values and the pitiful cries of the peopl

Abstract

The Second World War was a turning point in the lives of people in India and across the world. Although Indians were not directly involved in the War but the war deeply affected their lives and created a new social reality. Many writers of the time responded to these changes, and Narayan Gangopadhyay was one of them, emerging in Bengali literature during the turbulent 1940s. As literature reflects society, his writings clearly show the realities of his time. A socially aware and sensitive writer, he was disturbed by contemporary events and portrayed them honestly in his stories. His works mainly depict the impact of the Second World War, especially the famine, starvation, black marketing, smuggling, and the cholera epidemic that devastated Bengal. Yet, he did not only focus on suffering, he also expressed hope for the end of famine and dreamed of a peaceful and prosperous “Golden Bengal.” His stories consistently speak of the importance of survival and love for life, as he believed that despair and loss are never final, and that standing strong and continuing to live is the greatest truth. Though his writings rooted in a particular historical moment, but his stories remain relevant and meaningful for all time.