Introduction
“The
Last Metaphor” is a three-act play written by Usman Ali. Usman Ali is a
Pakistani dramatist and critic born in 1978.
Through the course of this drama uniquely presents Pakistani culture. The whole plot of the drama revolves around two characters; Jugnoo and Banka who are a representative of the lower class of the society involved in crimes such as murder, theft, and rape. The dramatist very accurately gives a precise picture of the Pakistani society predominated by evils such as corruption, poverty, terrorism, robbery, and murder, with the use of certain elements that reflect the culture of Pakistan.
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Representation
of Pakistani Culture
There
is a certain constituent of a culture through which it is distinguished from
other cultures. In this play, the writer also represented the Pakistani culture
in certain ways for instance with the use of certain visual imageries, the use
of language and religious references, and also by pointing out certain evils
which are unfortunately becoming a part of Pakistani culture.
Visual Imageries
The dramatist very artistically presents Pakistani culture with the use of certain visual imageries. For instance, the imagery of a crow sitting on an electric wire in Act 1 connects us to the usual image of birds sitting on the electric wires in a busy crowded street. Similarly, the description of the road where the two boys were being beaten up jogs down our memory of a slum area in a big city having a heap of trash, empty bottles, and dung on the roadside where people stand witnessing daily fights without helping. The dramatist portrays striking imagery of the busy road as “A stench was coming from the market. The sound of cats and crickets… Ponds sounded with frogs and walls reverberated with crickets… The road was littered with empty bottles and dung… one crow was sitting on the electric cable above the crowd… The road was untarred. A heap of trash was set on fire” (Ali, 2014). The heart-wrenching imagery of two young boys being wrongfully beaten by the police and people witnessing this brutality like an audience watching a play presents rightfully the notion of every day’s life. Similarly, the imagery of Jugnoo and Banka sitting near the fire pit to warm themselves and drinking coffee resemblance the life of a common Pakistani sitting in front of the pit to warm himself.
Language
Language is one of the most important components of a culture and culture is presented through the language of the natives. Though the play is written in the English language there is significant use of certain vocabulary which connects us to Pakistani culture. For instance, the names of the characters like Jugnoo, Balli, Sheru, and Banka strike an image of a Pakistani name. Similarly, the references of the gravediggers and the holy water are quite significant as they connect us directly with the religion which is an important constituent of the culture.
Social Evils in
Pakistani Culture
The Pakistani culture is predominated by certain social evils which are becoming an important aspect of our society. The writer in the last part of Act 3 criticizes the system, institutions, art, and history of Pakistani culture and through the character of Jugnoo throws them into the pit of fire as they are not functioning properly.
Poverty
Poverty is one of the most dominant social evil of Pakistani society. Pakistan is a third world country with a poverty ratio of 24.3% as calculated in the 2019 census. This social evil of Pakistani culture is also presented by Usman Ali in his play. Firstly, he presents this notion through the dialogue of Banka in Act 1 where he tells Jugnoo how his father and brother died while working in the well pointing out the harsh living conditions of the people belonging to the lower class who risk their lives to earn bread and butter for their family.
Theft and Murden
Crimes like theft and murder are also the dominant social evils in Pakistan. Though the crime rate of Pakistan is decreasing due to the inflammation of prices and poverty it is pretty common with the ratio of 4.20 per 100k population as calculated in 2017. These evils are also presented in the drama through the main characters of the drama; Jugnoo and Banks who are in fact gangsters involved in many violent crimes such as theft, murders, assassinations, and rape. Jugnoo himself admits in Act 3: “I robbed the people and killed the innocent. I looted markets and raped women” (Ali, 2014). The incident of the two boys being murdered by the policemen is also significant as the same incident occurred in Pakistan on August 15, 2010, when two brothers were killed, hung, and mutilated in Sialkot with the support of local police and Rescue 1122 after being accused of robbery, dacoit and murder (Lynching of Mughees and Muneeb Butt, n.d.). Later after the judicial inquiry, it was found that the boys had been innocent and the police had failed to stop that attack on these boys and were an acquaintance. (Lynching of Mughees and Muneeb Butt, n.d.)
Brutality and Corruption
Corruption is one of the most significant and presiding social evils in Pakistani society. The writer presented different forms of corruption in this drama. Firstly, the writer criticizes the corruption of the police force by highlighting the aspect that how these saviors of justice are more brutal than the gangsters as highlighted in Act 1 by Jugnoo. Jugnoo narrates to his friend Banka an incident he witnessed while he was running away from the police. He tells his friend how five policemen dragged a boy and spitted on him. Another boy was also held captive by these policemen who were brutally beating these boys in different stages. Firstly, by taking off their shirt, then tying their hand after this slapping and spitting on them and again slapping them while the witnesses of this incident are enjoying themselves by clapping to this great play performed by these officers. After beating these innocent boys till death by these corrupt officers declare are declared. He further highlights the brutality of these officers as “I had never beaten with sticks as they did” (Ali, 2014). Secondly, Usman Ali also presents a different notion that how powerful and corrupt people are always in control. Firstly, he presents this notion by stating that how a security guard can be bought by promising him a refrigerator so he can arrange dowry for his daughter’s wedding “I promised a refrigerator. He was worried about his daughter’s wedding” (Ali, 2014). Secondly, how these forces catch only those people who are involved in crimes related to influential people as Banka tells Jugnoo that “the doctor you shot was an influential man. His elder brother is a personal secretary to the minister” (Ali, 2014). Lastly, how sometimes the friends and family of these poor criminals are tortured i.e. how in the Act 3 Banka reveals Jugnoo’s father was tortured: “They dragged your father in the streets. His clothes were torn. One was kicking him and the other spitting on him” (Ali, 2014).
Conclusion
In conclusion, one may say that the drama “The Last Metaphor” is a vivid and accurate representation of Pakistani culture and Pakistani society as it not only incorporated the use of certain imageries and diction to present the Pakistani culture but also points out the social evils such as murder, theft, robbery, corruption, flattery, and poverty which are the reason for degradation of a society.
