Communication with Dolphins vs Piya and Fokier’s Relationship.
Most of the time we think of ourselves as separate from nature and the creatures that occupy its habitats. In Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide, Piya experiences nature and humans working as one. This scene is essential to the understanding and underlying knowledge of the novel. When the fishermen are fishing with the dolphins, communication is present. Although the dolphins understand what they are doing, both the fishermen and dolphins have no idea what each other are saying. There is a common knowledge through movement and sound that allow for a better view of the possible relationships we can have with nature. Although some scenarios seem impossible, there is never a limit to how we can communicate with different species. This aspect of the story helps to explain one of the main concepts: Language isn’t necessary to interact with others. Although having a common language is a more natural way of communicating, there are many another way of describing may that take a longer time to get your point across. Although using words seems like the only practical way, we are narrowing the ability of our minds when we think that way.
The relationship between the dolphins and the fishermen resembles the silent relationship that Piya has with Fokir. In both links, there is a language barrier that is separating them but also bringing them together. Although the dolphins don’t understand what is said to them, they know the actions he asked of them. Something that came to mind for me was that a language barrier isn’t something that should be intimidating, it’s just a barrier that you have to get past. There are many ways of explaining that people seem to forget. When you interact with someone who doesn’t speak the same language, it is easy to believe that there is no point in trying to communicate with them because they won’t understand. Paiya learns this lesson slowly. Although she knows what she wants to ask Fokir, she struggles to get her point across with words. Gradually she learns that using motions and images makes communicating way easier. Once she realized that there wasn’t a barrier in front of her, explaining things to Fokir became way more manageable for both of them.