Flip Activity : Gun Island

 Flip  Learning Activity : Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh

This blog is a part of Flip Learnin Activity assigned by Dr. Professor Dilip Barad Sir, Department of English, MKBU. And in this blog I will discuss about the worksheet of Gun Island with the help of Novel Gun Island and discuss about the various questions based on it.

Generated by chatgpt

                                  Gun Island  by Amitav Ghosh 

Worksheet 1 

Worksheet 1 on ‘Gun Island’ – Amitav Ghosh 

1. Is Shakespeare mentioned in the novel? Or are his plays referred in the novel? (Write on the reverse side of this paper)

Response : Yes, Shakespeare is mentioned in the novel. His plays Othello and The Merchant of Venice are referenced when Cinta discusses the presence of dark-skinned men in Venice, explaining that it was a cosmopolitan city where foreigners, including people from the Levant, North Africa, and Mali, were common. This is why Shakespeare set those two plays in Venice.

2. What is the role of Nakhuda Ilyas in the legend of the Gun Merchant.  

Response : Nakhuda Ilyas, a Muslim ship’s captain, plays a crucial role in the legend of the Gun Merchant. When the Merchant is enslaved by sea bandits, Captain Ilyas purchases and frees him. The Merchant then guides Ilyas to an island rich in cowrie shells, allowing them both to amass wealth. Later, when the Merchant seeks refuge from the wrath of Manasa Devi, Ilyas helps him find shelter on Gun Island, where the story takes a tragic turn.

3. Make a table: write name of important characters in one column and their profession in another. 

Response : 

Character	Profession
Dinanath (Deen)	Dealer in rare books
Piya	Marine biologist
Rafi	Fisherman
Cinta	Historian
Tipu	Student and migrant worker

4. Fill the table. Write the name of relevant character:

Character	Trait
Cinta	Believer in mystical happenings & presence of the soul of dead people
Deen (Dinanath)	Rationalizes all uncanny happenings |
Rafi	Skeptic who is in-between but slightly towards center-right

5. What sort of comparison between the book and the mobile is presented at the end of the novel? (Write on the reverse side of this paper) 

Response :

The novel presents a contrast between the book and the mobile phone in terms of how they connect people and preserve history. The protagonist, Deen, initially places great value on books as repositories of knowledge, but he later realizes that mobile phones, through social media and instant connectivity, also play a crucial role in shaping modern narratives and spreading stories rapidly.

II – Use ChatGPT > chat.openai.com and type these prompts to write the answers 

6. Tell me something about Amitav Ghosh’s novel Gun Island in 100 words 

Response : 

 Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island is a contemporary novel blending myth, history, and climate change narratives. The story follows Deen Datta, a rare-book dealer, as he unravels the legend of the "Gun Merchant," a tale linked to the goddess Manasa. His journey takes him from Bengal to Venice, where he encounters migrants, scholars, and supernatural occurrences. The novel explores themes of displacement, environmental crises, and the interconnectedness of global histories. Through Deen’s skepticism and self-discovery, Gun Island challenges perceptions of reality while addressing urgent issues like climate change and forced migration.

7. What is the central theme of Amitav Ghosh’s novel ‘Gun Island’?

Response : 

 The central theme of Gun Island revolves around migration—both human and ecological—driven by environmental and socio-political forces. Ghosh interweaves history, mythology, and contemporary global crises to depict a world in flux, where climate change forces people and animals to move across borders. The novel also explores interconnected histories of trade, colonialism, and personal transformation, reflecting on how myths and folklore hold hidden truths about the present. Through Deen’s journey, Gun Island highlights the inescapable consequences of climate change, forced migration, and the ever-evolving relationship between humans and nature.

Worksheet 2 

Worksheet 2 on  Gun Island  based on the novel:

# III - Browse through the digital copy of the novel to find the answers

1. Write 10-12 words about climate change in the novel. Mention the number of times they recur.  

   - Words related to climate change: 

Cyclone, Wildfires, Storms, Rising Seas, Floods, Drought, Migration, Extinction, Pollution, Greenhouse gases.  

   - Recurrence: 

The novel frequently mentions environmental disasters such as wildfires in California, cyclones in Bengal, and rising sea levels affecting the Sundarbans. These terms recur throughout the novel as Ghosh ties climate change to forced migration.

2.  Explain the title of the novel. [Keywords: Venice, Hazelnut]  

   - The title Gun Island originates from the Bengali legend of Bonduki Sadagar, the Gun Merchant, who flees to a distant land to escape the wrath of Manasa Devi. The protagonist, Deen, discovers that "Gun Island" refers to Venice (Venedig in German), a historic hub of maritime trade. The mention of hazelnuts connects to the Venetian spice trade, highlighting the novel's theme of historical migration and global trade networks.

3. Match the characters with the reasons for migration.

Response :

Character	Reason for Migration
Dinanath (Deen)	Natural calamities
Palash	Poverty
Kabir and Bilal	Violence, riots, family feuds, and communal reasons
Tipu and Rafi	To better their socio-economic condition
Lubna Khala and Munir	Some uncanny sort of restlessness

4. Match the theorist with the theoretical approach to study mythology.

Theorist	Theoretical Approach
Bronislaw Malinowski	Functionalism
Claude Levi-Strauss	Structuralism
Sigmund Freud	Psychoanalysis
Emile Durkheim & Jane Harrison	Myth and Ritual

#  IV - Using  ChatGPT for the following answers

5. Summarize the article  ["Towards a Postcolonial Human Culture: Revisiting Amitav Ghosh’s Gun Island as a Fall of Eurocentric Humanism" by Saikat Chakraborty](https://posthumanism.in/articles/towards-a-postcolonialhuman-culture-revisiting-amitav-ghoshs-gun-island-as-a-fall-of-eurocentric-humanism-by-saikat-chakraborty/).  

   - The article discusses how Gun Island deconstructs Eurocentric humanism by emphasizing ecological crises and forced migration. Ghosh challenges the Western perspective of nature as separate from humans and instead presents a world where myths and histories blend with contemporary ecological realities. The novel critiques colonial legacies and global capitalism's impact on climate change, urging a rethinking of human agency beyond the Western anthropocentric model.

6. Suggest research possibilities in Amitav Ghosh’s novel Gun Island.  

   -  Climate Change and Migration : The novel links environmental crises to mass displacement.  

   -  Myth and History : How Ghosh blends folklore with historical narratives.  

   -  Postcolonial and Eco-Criticism : Examining colonial trade's role in environmental damage.  

   -  Interconnections Between Past and Present : The role of globalization in historical and modern migration.  

   -  Literary Narrative of Environmentalism : How fiction raises awareness of climate change.  

7.  Generate a sonnet on Amitav Ghosh’s novel  Gun Island. 

Response :

 Upon the shores where myths and truths collide,  

   A merchant flees, yet fate still draws him near,  

   Through Venice, Sundarbans, the rising tide,  

   A world in flux, where nature’s voice we hear.  

   The earth rebels with storms and burning skies,  

   A journey paved with exile, fear, and change,  

   In echoes deep, old tales begin to rise,  

   Yet time distorts, and futures rearrange.  

   Through legends past and tempests yet to be,  

   The merchant’s path is writ in shifting sand,  

   A warning cast upon the endless sea,  

   That nature speaks—a fate we must withstand.  

8. Write Multiple Choice Questions on Amitav Ghosh’s novel Gun Island (underline correct answers). 

   1. What is the profession of Dinanath (Deen)?  

      a) Historian  

      b) Rare book dealer  

      c) Marine biologist  

      d) Archaeologist  

   2. Which goddess is central to the novel’s legend?  

      a) Kali  

      b) Durga  

      c) Manasa Devi

      d) Saraswati  

9. Write Hindi & English translations of 5 Italian words from the novel.

Italian	English	Hindi
Venedig	Venice	वेनिस
Libreria	Bookstore	पुस्तकालय
Nave	Ship	जहाज
Fuga	Escape	पलायन
Tempesta	Storm	तूफान

Videos based on the Summary 

Video 1 

1. Characters and Summary - 1 | Sundarbans | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh

Dinanath Dutta, also known as 'Deen' in America and 'Dino' in Italy, is the protagonist of Gun Island, and the novel unfolds through his experiences and exploration of a myth. A rare book dealer living in Brooklyn, he visits Kolkata during November-December, a time when migratory birds and foreign visitors arrive, reflecting the novel’s theme of migration. Struggling financially despite his profession, he recalls his past as a folklore researcher and his journey to America for doctoral research in his early 30s. While in India, he reconnects with Kanai Dutta, a character from  'The Hungry Tide', who mocks Deen’s limited understanding of folklore. Through discussions with Giacinta Schiavon, Deen realizes that folklore is often dismissed as fantasy, but it holds deeper historical and ecological truths. His journey takes him to the Sundarbans, where he meets Horen Naskar, a wise fisherman who guides him, Nilima Bose, a dedicated social worker, and Moyna Mondal, a resilient nurse. Piya Roy, a marine biologist, connects science with conservation, while Rafi and Tipu represent the younger generation forced to migrate due to climate change and economic hardship. Through these encounters, Deen begins to see the connections between myth, history, and the pressing issues of the modern world.

Video 2 

2. Characters and Summary - 2 | USA | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh

After his journey to the Sundarbans, Dino returns to Brooklyn and learns from Piya and Cinta about an academic conference on climate change in Los Angeles. While flying there, he sees a massive wildfire below. Around the same time, he receives a suspicious email, which turns out to be from Tipu. In Los Angeles, he meets Lisa, an entomologist studying bark beetles that have migrated due to global warming, causing damage to forests and increasing the risk of wildfires. Despite her important research, Lisa faces threats and public backlash, showing how society resists facing environmental crises. Later, Dino and Cinta discuss the journey of the Gun Merchant, which Cinta connects to real historical places, including Venice, Egypt, Turkey, and Sicily. According to her, the Gun Merchant was captured by pirates at the Island of Chains and later sold in Goa, where Nakhuda Ilyas freed him. Dino wants to travel to Italy but lacks the financial means. Fortunately, Gisa, a documentary filmmaker and Cinta’s niece, invites him to help translate Bangla for her film about migrant workers in Italy. Toward the end, it is revealed that Cinta’s daughter Lucia and her husband Giacomo died in a car accident, adding an emotional depth to the novel’s themes of migration and loss.

Video 3 

3. Summary - 3 | Venice | Part 2 of Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh

Part two of the novel takes place primarily in Venice and is divided into twelve chapters. This section introduces a large number of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Italy, including Bilal and Kabir, who work in construction under the guidance of Lubna Khala. Dino travels to Venice and experiences unsettling encounters with spiders and snakes, which Piyali Roy rationalizes. Meanwhile, Piyali receives an anonymous email about a mass dolphin stranding, which she attributes to industrial pollution. Bilal and Kabir recount their experiences with human trafficking, exposing the dangers of migration. As Dino and Cinta walk through Venice, they notice that the city is sinking due to shipworms, organisms that have migrated because of global warming. A mysterious Ethiopian woman appears during an incident involving the Blue Boat, adding an element of mysticism to the story. The group boards the Blue Boat to rescue Tipu but is caught in a violent hailstorm, ultimately escaping with the help of mystical forces. By the end of the novel, Dino completes the mythical journey of Bonduki Sadagar. The story concludes with Cinta’s death, as she passes away believing her daughter Lucia has come to take her, bringing together the novel’s themes of myth, migration, climate change, and loss.

Thematic Study of 'Gun Island

1. Etymological Mystery | Title of the Novel | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh

In Gun Island, Amitav Ghosh uses language in a special way to connect history, myth, and migration. The title Gun Island is not about guns but has a deeper meaning. It refers to Venice, a city important to the story. The word "gun" comes from old names for Venice, like al-Bunduqeyya in Arabic and Venedig in German. This shows how the Gun Merchant’s journey is linked to trade and travel across different lands.  

The novel also explores the word "Bhuta." Tipu asks Dino if it means a ghost, but Dino explains that in Sanskrit, it originally meant "a being" or "something that existed before." When combined with "Kal," meaning time, it becomes "Kal Bhut," which means "something from the past." This shows how the novel connects old stories and memories to the present.  

Another important idea is "possession," which usually means being taken over by a demon. But Dino sees it as a way to describe human greed and fear. Instead of being about real demons, it represents people’s endless desires and the way they harm the world.  

By using these words, Ghosh shows how languages and cultures are connected. The novel uses rich and meaningful words to explore migration, climate change, and human nature, making readers think about how the past still shapes our world today.

2. Part I - Historification of Myth & Mythification of History | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh

Migration is a key theme in Gun Island, shaping the lives of its characters. The novel shows that people leave their homes not just for better jobs but also because of war, poverty, natural disasters, and violence, with climate change being the biggest reason for displacement. Amitav Ghosh uses Venice, which is sinking, and the Sundarbans, where sea levels are rising, to show how environmental changes force people to move. Lubna Khala recalls escaping floodwaters by climbing a tree, only for her brother to be bitten by a snake also seeking safety. Kabir and Bilal leave due to land riots and financial struggles, while Tipu and Rafi migrate because of extreme poverty. Palash is influenced by the internet, dreaming of a better life abroad. The novel highlights the hardships migrants face, whether due to nature, money, or social problems, and connects climate change with political and social issues. Gun Island presents migration as a shared human experience, urging readers to reflect on its deeper impact in today's world.

3. Climate Change | The Great Derangement | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh

4. Migration | Human Trafficking | Refugee Crisis | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh

Gun Island is a climate fiction novel that explores how human actions have led to environmental crises like rising sea levels, wildfires, and extreme weather. Amitav Ghosh connects the story to his earlier work, The Great Derangement, emphasizing the need for global cooperation to protect the planet. The novel criticizes colonialism and capitalism for ignoring traditional ecological knowledge, which could have prevented environmental damage. Through words like wildfire, tsunami, and greenhouse gases, Ghosh highlights the urgency of climate change. Blending myth, history, and environmental awareness, Gun Island serves as both a story and a warning, urging readers to rethink their relationship with nature and take action.

Part 2   Historification of Myth & Mythification of History / Gun Iland Amitav Ghosh

This video discusses  about  the theme of myth and history in the novel. It also talks how the myth of Mansa Devi, is initially seen as supernatural, actually it reflects historical events. The protagonist Dinanath’s journey through real-world locations uncovers the historical truth behind the myth, with connections to issues like human trafficking. The novel challenges the view of myths as mere fiction, suggesting they contain historical truths. The discussion also introduces four academic tools to study myths. Functionalism (Malinowski), structuralism (Lévi-Strauss), psychoanalysis (Freud), and myth and ritual (Durkheim, Harrison). These frameworks help explore how myths legitimize behaviors and beliefs in societies, showing how myths serve cultural functions while reflecting historical realities.

Part III - Historification of Myth and Mythification of History | Gun Island | Amitav Ghosh

In Gun Island's "Part III - Historification of Myth and Mythification of History," the novel explores how cultural stories are shaped by colonialism and the differences between Eastern and Western views. Edward Said’s idea of Orientalism explains how the West misrepresented the East. Characters like Dinanath, Kanai, and Nilima reflect these tensions, showing how cultures mix and challenge old beliefs. The novel suggests that solving global issues like climate change requires both Eastern wisdom and Western science. Ghosh also shows that myths can be reinterpreted to help understand modern challenges and human behavior.

Thanku !!!