THE POST-COLONIAL ELEMENTS IN TARIQ REHMAN’S SHORT STORY TITLED “CHARITY”

Abstract

The paper aims to explore cultural clash in Tariq Rehman’s short story titled “The Charity” by analyzing the cultural clash and conflicts. This paper employs post-colonial theory as a conceptual framework and applies the concept of the ‘other’ as a tool to understand the real conflict existing in the form of cultural collision in this investigation by applying qualitative content analysis as a method. It is observed from the analysis of the text that socio-cultural fusion and mutual existence are eminent which ultimately leads to the cultural collision in the post-colonial society. In this story the two leading characters represent cultural confrontation. Which leads them towards marginalization and makes them alienated sharing the same nationality while living far apart from each other. In post-colonial environment clash emerges when the social elites impose their exotic values on the poor indigenous people. The story line encounters cultural clash between the East and the West highlighted in the sprawling streets of Raja Bazaar.