When starting this book I still had the masterpiece that is Parable of the Sower by Octavio Butler still stuck in my mind. Like the faint smell of rain soaked into the grass after a storm it lingered in my mind, how it created a world molded by the societal issues of the 90s that have remained unsolved and themes touched upon with a lens, unlike other books in its genres. When we were told to read The Hungry Tide for class, as it explores similar themes, I had expected it to be of the same grandiose as Sower. Perhaps that expectation soured my reading experience, as I was constantly waiting for that moment when I would realize why it was worthy of making our list of assigned readings. I didn’t connect with it as I did with Sower, but that does not make it a bad book. Far from it actually, the two have just very different approaches to their topics. Sower for instance is very on the nose with how its world has fallen from grace. In the first few pages, we are given a hint to this dystopian society with the description of the father of the main character’s church.

“But after it had been slept in by the homeless, robbed, and vandalized several times, someone poured gasoline in and around it and burned it down. Seven of the homeless people sleeping inside on that last night burned with it” (Parable of the Sower, pg 11)

    The Hungry Tide however is more of a slowburn towards the destruction,both the biggest example and the reveal of it. It isn’t until page 26 that the reader is given a hint about the troubles the island faces.

“But still, it amazed him that someone from a background like hers had lasted in Lusibari as long as she had — he knew from his mother’s accounts that they belonged to a family that was notable for its attachment to creature comforts. And in Lusibari, as he knew from experience, there was little to be had by way of comforts and amenities.” (Pg 26)

    Even then it could be explained away as poverty and unfortunately, many of us are used to seeing the impoverished and poverty without much thought aside from pity. The issues that plague the world of The Hungry Tide are addressed less directly than the issues discussed in Sower. Climate change and the disappearance of animals, stronger animals taking their place and clashing with humanity are less easy to give a single cause to, unlike a drug epidemic where many blame those who take the drugs instead of looking at the broader picture. In turn, this grounds The Hungry Tide closer to reality compared to Sower, it’s just difficult to see at first since most readers live in/adjacent to similar situations or are used to hearing about them on the news.

“Just a word of warning my dear. Fond as I am of my nephew, I feel I should tell you that he’s one of those men who likes to think of himself as being irresistible to the other sex. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t lack for women who’re foolish enough to confirm such a man’s opinion of himself, and Kanai seems always to be looking for them. I don’t know how you describe that kind of man nowadays, my dear – but in my time we used to call them ‘fast’.” She paused. raising her eyebrows. “Do you get my meaning?”

“I sure do.” (208)

Kanai is a man of the present. Even in his love life, this becomes evident. “Although unmarried, he was, as he, liked to say, rarely single: over the past many years, several women had drifted in and out of his life.” (14) He’ll go to whoever women interests him and it wouldn’t last long. He would move on to the next like an uninteresting book. Recently he was seeing an Odissi dancer, which did not last long. The Odissi dancer told him to never call her or go after her. Which like any in this situation, tried to, but ultimately failed. He truly thinks he is irresistible, the only attractive man out there. His looks, his jobs, his ideals, never looking back at the past, he’s a running red flag.

Until Piya enters the scene, the first thing he sets his eyes upon is her body. “His eyes settled on her slim, shapely figure.” (3) It’s quite strange, it’s like he is objectifying her. Upon interacting with Piya, he instantly thought of the idea of starting a fling with her. “If Piya decided to avail herself of his invitation, then there was no reason not to savor whatever pleasures might be on offer.” (14) Kanai can not seem to interact with a woman normally without it being sexual or of romantic interest. He wouldn’t say no to the offer either, as he is already self-aware that all his relationships will flop, so there is no point in being committed.

Continuing reading Kanai’s uncle’s letters, his uncle mentions the dolphins that Piya has been searching for. “I turned to see another of these creatures, rolling through the water. This time I also caught a glimpse of a small triangular fin. Although I had never before seen this animal, I knew it had to be a dolphin.” (194) With this knowledge, Kanai joins Piya in search for them. Though not for the dolphins, but for himself. This is his way of getting close to Piya if it means he has some sort of connection. He says that Piya would need a translator, as he is one himself. It would make her journey easier since she does not speak Bangla like the others, but at the same time, it’s more of an excuse to be closer to her. It is beneficial to him. Kanai tells his aunt that he will be leaving with Piya. His reasoning is that translator excuse. But Kanai’s aunt caught him in this act, she is aware of his antics. “She looked at him shrewdly. “It’s the girl, isn’t it? Piya?” Kanai looked away in silence, and she said, with a bitterness he had never heard in her voice before, “You’re all the same, you men. Who can blame the tigers when predators like you pass for human beings?” (202) Kanai never bothers to defend himself, as he knows this is the truth. Kanai’s aunt as a woman, would know all too well what her nephew’s actions entail.

Kanai talks to Moyna, Fokir’s wife. She is worried that Piya and Fokir may get together. She asks Kanai to intervene, which then prompts Kanai to ask if she was ever curious what would be like to be with another man. Moyna then responds: “She rose angrily to her feet. “Kanai-babu, you’re making a fool of me, aren’t you? You want me to say yes and then you’ll laugh in my face. You’ll tell everybody what I said. I may be a village girl Kanai-babu, but I’m not so foolish as to answer a question like that. I can see that you play this game with every woman who crosses your path.” (215) Kanai told Moyna that he was joking, but knowing him it most likely wasn’t. Once Moyna shows how upset she is by his comment, he retaliates. Kanai makes it very clear when he wants to flirt with a woman. But every women around him won’t fall for this and crictize him for his actions. Kanai knows nothing about love and Moyna tells him he needs to see this through a different perspective.

Piya is aware that Kanai is trying to flirt with him, but so far she does not seem interested. Will they get together or will Piya leave like the others? Piya won’t fall for him, she’s even glad that Kanai’s flirting was interrupted by Fokir. Kanai was annoyed. Another failure.

“Do be careful, my dear. It’s dangerous in the forest – and not just because of the animals.” (209)

                    The theme “Language” is heavily focused on throughout The Hungry Tide. Piya, Kanai, and Fokir all share their own unique language that helps them communicate. The only character who completely understands is Kanai and he uses that to his advantage. Throughout the beginning we see Piya speaking no Bengali due to her trauma but in part two: Intermediaries, Piya verbally expresses her emotions and trauma too Nilima. I feel that this show enormous growth and trust that Piya is building and this is also a form of language. As we continue to read and get into part two: Words we see Monya budding into Fokir and Piya’s connection by ordering Kanai keep an eye on them. I do understand that Fokir is her husband, but we all, the audience is able to observe the genuine bond they share. Although Piya and Fokir face the disadvantage of not completely understanding each other due to their spoken language they still communicate through body and emotional language. It is impressive that Kanai has the advantage of understanding them both but yet can’t seem to get in the middle of them.  

                   The section titled Leaving Lusibari eye contact is the form of language that is the highlight. The scene on pages 218 where Monya is furious and dashing through the crowd because Fokir didn’t take Tulu to school was very shocking because on the beginning of the pages 219 it states that Monya and Kanai made eye contact and then Fokir’s eyes met with his. This specific scene speaks a lot upon the relationship of these four people share, it is something like a love square and is very much complicated because of all the different languages spoken. I was very invested in this scene because I know strong eye contact has a deeper mean. I was invested because if Fokir feels this romantic bond with Piya and then sees Kanai and Monya somewhat sharing a connection then why are you giving Kanai the hard stare. 

                  Part two: Interrogations made me a bit sad because I understood that the tiger killing was the first disadvantage that Fokir and Piya faced. Piya was shocked that Fokir took part of the tiger killing, she went ahead and dismissed her feelings towards him due to his involvement. Piya was genuinely hurt about the tiger killing, she understood that they had no choice but to kill the tiger for their safety but yet it hurt her and lead her to understand that Fokir and her do live completely different lives. She opened up to Kanai and expressed herself. Their different language equaled a different lifestyle, which was their disadvantage. Although they share a romantic connection, it will be hair to maintain without Kanai. 

In Amitav Ghosh’s novel, The Hungry Tide, one of the main characters, Piya goes to Canning, a town in India to study and survey marine mammals, specifically the Gangetic and Irrawadddy dolphin. Even though Piya is of Indian descent, she knows none of the language spoken in the region, only enough “to be able to provide due warning of her incomprehension” (4). Piya has made no effort to learn the language because her work doesn’t typically require much talking. Visual communication has proven much more useful to her. All she has to do is show fishermen or boatmen a display card of the animals she is surveying and “they would recognize the animal and point her to places where they were commonly seen” (28). Her reliance purely on visual communication could be perceived as ignorant or foolish considering her work typically takes her to unexpected or remote locations of the world. Not to mention, if these fisherman or boatmen can’t “make the connection between the picture and animals they represented” (28) then that could cause a huge hindrance to her work and time. Without being able to speak the language of the area she is in; it limits her ability to form a connection with the people or safely navigate her surroundings, which puts her at risk of being exploited. This is illustrated when her guard introduces her to a river guide who tries to overcharge her for his services. Even though she is able to figure out their plan, she has no choice but to go along with it because she can’t get anyone else to do it.

Although her visual communication has its limitations, it proves to be almost as effective as spoken language when connecting with others. This is depicted when she meets Fokir, a local fisherman she unintentionally got robbed. Even though they don’t share the same language, they are able to communicate and connect with each other. Piya uses gestures and her cards to communicate with Fokir and he’s willing to patiently pay attention and understand. When Fokir cooks for Piya, she respectfully denies his food due to its spiciness by acting “out a little charade of her intestinal sufferings” (81). Instead of getting upset or offended, Fokir laughs at her gestures, not out of mockery, but to acknowledge that he understands.

Even though nonverbal language can be limiting, it can facilitate a deeper level of understanding and trust than spoken language.