Exploration of Betrayal in Exploited Spaces: A Bakhtinian Study of The Shadow of the Crescent Moon

Abstract

In post 9/11 literature, the wave of terrorism and its penetration into third world countries have been a serious concern. Since then, Pakistani literature has encapsulated the impact of war on terror in multi-faceted ways – investigating its implications on social, political and cultural levels. This article strives to focus on how betrayal seeps into the exploited spaces of the tribal areas. Bakhtinian studies assess the concept of betrayal from multiple perspectives, considering the applicability of the terms in unveiling the betrayal in relationships and state level as well. By the application of the concepts of chronotope and polyphony, the enforcement and discretion of being betrayed or by betraying have been analysed via considering the aftermaths of imposed war in terms of social-political aspects. The work has also focused on the penetration of betrayal in fictional tribal areas, by the youngsters of a native town who associated themselves with violent groups, spreading anarchy and disorder. The transgression from the order of the normal life due to encounter with grotesque reality has been unveiled in the study. With fear of violence, hope also germinates in the disordered world. It elucidates the multidimensional view of betrayal due to the disparities faced by the people of the tribal area.