The Hungry Tide

The Hungry Tide

by

Amitav Ghosh

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The Hungry Tide: Part 2: The Day After Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
The day after the storm passes, the Megha is most of the way to Garjontola when Kanai and Horen see Fokir's boat in the distance. The boats slowly approach each other and soon, those on the Megha realize there's only one person in the boat. Moyna watches, transfixed, as they realize it's Piya. Moyna sits and begins to break her marital bangles, making herself bleed. Horen and Kanai carry Moyna into a cabin and by the time they return to the deck, Piya is alongside the Megha. Kanai catches her as she stumbles onto the deck. She says that Fokir died when something heavy hit him and crushed him. He said Moyna and Tutul's names as he died.
Moyna's reaction to the news of her husband's death makes it clear that on some level, she did genuinely care for and love Fokir, no matter how frustrating she found his love of the natural world and his disdain for education. When Fokir spoke Moyna and Tutul's names with his last breath, it in turn shows that he was loyal to his family to the very end, regardless of the way that Moyna treated him and his feelings for Piya.
Themes
Language Theme Icon
Man vs. Nature Theme Icon
Idealism and Theory vs. Practicality and Action Theme Icon
Fokir's body is cremated that evening. He's one of only a few casualties. Over the next few days, Piya stays with Moyna and Tutul. As Piya holds Tutul, she thinks of the impact that killed Fokir. She'd felt rather than heard him say Moyna and Tutul's names, and remembers the promises she'd made to him as he died. She'd tried to tell him how loved he was, and felt as though he understood.
Piya's musings about Fokir's last moments suggests that during that time, she truly understood that verbal communication is nowhere near as effective as a shared emotional language like love. With this, love takes its place with fear as one of the most effective communication methods.
Themes
Language Theme Icon
Idealism and Theory vs. Practicality and Action Theme Icon