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Communication and Presentation Skills

The Dog of Tithwal by Saadat Hasan Manto is an allegorical short story that critiques the absurdity and brutality of war during the India-Pakistan partition, focusing on a stray dog caught between opposing military camps. The narrative explores themes of the futility of war, the consequences of extreme nationalism, the loss of innocence, and the dehumanization in warfare, ultimately illustrating how innocent lives are tragically affected by human conflict. Manto's story serves as a poignant reminder of the irrational divisions created by war and the moral costs of such aggression.

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Syed Umer Zia
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2 views2 pages

Communication and Presentation Skills

The Dog of Tithwal by Saadat Hasan Manto is an allegorical short story that critiques the absurdity and brutality of war during the India-Pakistan partition, focusing on a stray dog caught between opposing military camps. The narrative explores themes of the futility of war, the consequences of extreme nationalism, the loss of innocence, and the dehumanization in warfare, ultimately illustrating how innocent lives are tragically affected by human conflict. Manto's story serves as a poignant reminder of the irrational divisions created by war and the moral costs of such aggression.

Uploaded by

Syed Umer Zia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Communication And Presentation Skills.

NAME: Ahsan Saleem


IDNO: 574-2023

ASSIGNMENT No.1

Q:NO. Critically Analyse the The dog of tithwal and written by S.H Manto , highlights
it's "Gist" and emerging themes.

Highlights and Themes of The Dog of Tithwal by Saadat Hasan Manto.

Highlights.

The Dog of Tithwal is an allegorical short story set against the backdrop of the
IndiaPakistan partition, depicting the absurdity and brutality of war. A stray dog,
oblivious to human conflicts, finds itself trapped between two opposing military
camps one Indian, one Pakistani. Soldiers from both sides interact with the dog
initially with amusement, but soon their suspicion and hostility take over. The dog is
forced to choose a side reflecting the rigid and arbitrary divisions imposed by war.
Ultimately, the dog is killed, symbolizing the tragic fate of the innocent in violent
conflicts.

Emerging Themes.
Futility and Absurdity of War.

Manto critiques the senselessness of war by showing how even a harmless creature
becomes a casualty of human conflict. The story underscores how war distorts
reality, making soldiers perceive threats where none exist. The death of the dog
who neither understands nor belongs to either side mirrors the countless lives lost
due to blind aggression.

Nationalism and Its Consequences.

The story explores how extreme nationalism leads individuals to abandon their
sense of humanity. The soldiers project their animosities onto the dog, questioning
its loyalty despite its neutrality. The dog’s tragic fate symbolizes how blind allegiance
to nationalistic ideologies can create unnecessary hostility.

Loss of Innocence.

The dog represents purity and innocence, wandering freely between the two camps
without recognizing human-made borders. As soldiers grow increasingly hostile,
they strip away the dog’s innocence, forcing it into a conflict it does not understand.
Its eventual death reinforces the idea that war does not discriminate—innocence is
just another casualty.

Dehumanization in Warfare.

The soldiers treatment of the dog reveals how war conditions people to lose
empathy, viewing everything in terms of us and them. They treat the dog as an
enemy simply because it does not belong to either side mirroring how war turns
people against each other for arbitrary reasons. Manto highlights how even ordinary
men, under the influence of war, can commit cruel acts without realizing the moral
cost.

Through The Dog of Tithwal, Manto delivers a powerful critique of war, nationalism,
and human cruelty. The story compels readers to reflect on the irrational divisions
created by conflict and the innocent lives that become its unintended victims.

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