Themes in “The Laid-off Man”

By Javed Qazi
Introduction
In the short story “The Laid off Man”, the postcolonial writer Javed
Qazi has highlighted the cultural and economic problems of America
with disastrous consequences for the individuals. He is also critical of
cultural, political realities of the present day .He throws light on the
dark side of supreme power “America”, people of America and their
insecurities. Followings are the major themes discussed in this short
story.
Picture of American Society
American society has made a wonderful material progress. This
progress has led American people to develop heartless material
attitudes and behaviors. Let us discuss various aspects of American
society how the writer has criticized.
Americans have turned their economy into an uncertain area of
life. Mostly economic activities deal with money manipulation. That is
why companies are born, get meteoric rise and soon undergo sheer
downfall. Such a company Techware Solutions which laid off many
employees including Dec and Bob Wilson.
On account of their native materialism, the Americans don’t
believe in introspection and self-accountability. Like Bob was not ready
to accept his short comings or deficiencies. He showed a fierce
reaction. He became destructive and ended up being killed by police
cops.
The writer has showed that how Americans get marry. They have
their view of dating and getting to know each other. The relation of
Janet and Bob depicts this materialistic thinking of American society.
She’s with his when he’s able to keep her recreated. Otherwise she has
no concerns about him being in trouble.

Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system in which country’s trade and
industry are controlled by private owners for profit making. In other
words in this system individuals use wealth or property to make more
wealth. Following the capitalistic attitude Techware Solutions laid off
many employees including Bob Wilson and Dev. The laid off employees
were fully aware of the cause of their being fired. Some of them left
silently and other said that it was due to capitalism and this remark
shows the frustration of the laid off employees. This frustration turns
Bob into a violent beast and he attacks the company with ammunition
ends up being killed by police.
Capitalism is also operating in human relationships with equal
cruelty. For example, Janet is Bob’s current girlfriend. Their relationship
is absolutely materialistic. When Bob is arrested in account of his
intrusion in Techware, she shows no concern about Bob’s trouble.
Rather she expresses moral doubts about Bob’s conduct. Her real
nature comes out when Bob tells Dev that she’s with him as long as he
can keep her recreated. Thus we come to know why Janet becomes
cool when Bob is in jail.
Arrange Marriage
One of the most visible theme which we observe is arrange
marriage. It is a debate whether the marriage should be loved or
arranged. The couple of Dev and Rushmi have an arrange marriage.
Dev’s parents have selected Rushmi and planned everything according
to the customs of their society.
Dev’s friends cannot understand that how he can marry a girl he
never dated. They often teased him about marrying a stranger. In
response Dev will answer politely by saying that their view of love
marriage and dating do not make a relation that last long but arrange
marriage work better for us. It is the matter of their culture.
The argument in favor of love marriage is that the partners come
to know the habits, vision and personality traits before tying the knot. If
they don’t find capability between each other they part their ways. But
this is not the case. Those who are interested are too young to
understand each other, get emotionally attached and are not able to
judge each other.
In case of an arrange marriage the duty of understanding and
knowing is performed by the parents. They check the matches on the
basis of equal social ranks and similar cultural backgrounds. If a rift
occurs the parents on both sides are there to resolve everything.
When we read the story we find that the arranged marriage has
been discussed and explained
Function of Art
Art is an absorbing activity. For example, Dev starts sketching and
planning and he forgets himself. In fact, he wasn’t even aware of being
hungry so enthralled he became by the magical way in which colors
mixed and blended and the form of brand new hues as they flowed
across the paper captivated him.
Till the end of the afternoon, he realized that a very strange thing
had happened. He suddenly found himself perfectly at peace with
himself and the world. The anger and bitterness which is due to anxiety
of finding a job, has been whipped him up into frenzy earlier in the day,
seemed to have ebbed away. It does not feel like work, something that
fatigued and drained a person but like a self-replenishing source of
pleasure and energy.
Activities other than art prove frustrating because repetitive
process is involved in them. For example, in computer programming,
one is to be very meticulous and stay within a set of prescribed rule of
logic and syntax. But art of painting requires an altogether different
approach. We do things instinctively and experimentally, unsure of
what then end product would look like. One is to be willing to accept
random results and unpredictable consequences. But all these chances,
developments and happy accidents are a natural part of the process.
The painting proved to be a pressure relief value for him. Dev
discovered a vast view source of creative energy within himself, an
untapped reservoir that he did not know he had possessed.
Art brings about permanence in objects. For example, Bob
performed a very dashing act. But he could survive his act. After Bob’s
end, Dev took out his art supplies and after a long time hard work he
ended up making the image of a flower that would never wither, never
die.
Eastern Culture VS Western Culture
On account of the heartless materialism, the economic system in
America has took such a turn that it’ll end up in ruin. With the help of
capitalism, the companies grow with a rapid speed but sooner or later
their graph do down into dust. Similar is the case with Dev’s and Bob’s
company that they are fired from it. Rushmi’s reaction of saying that all
the life her father worked in Indian Railways, even though the pay was
not too much but they don’t have the fear of being kicked out at any
time. In short, American companies bulge like a bubble and later burst
like bubble putting their employees in shock.
The most discussed thing is about eastern and western culture.
Both societies have their own experiences as well as point of views. In
eastern culture, arranged marriages are preferred, as in the case of Dev
and Rushmi, who are coupled up by their parents. But we see that
Dev’s friends make fun of him by saying that if he ends up with
someone who he can’t stand etc. But Dev responses politely by saying
that for their culture arrange marriages works and western people are
not so successful in developing a relationship based on temporary
feeling which is true in the case of Janet and Bob where there is no
mutual love and understanding. She’s with him if he is providing her
what she wants, otherwise she does not even care about him.
Another different trait which is visible is that not only Americans
are materialistic but also do not have sense of self analysis. They do not
accept their own flaws and blame others for anything bad. Whereas
Eastern people have enough sense that maybe if any bad thing happen
is because of their own faults. Just like the scenario of Dev and Bob,
Dev accepts the fact that maybe he is fired due to an inability but Bob’s
attitude is way more terrible. Not only he does not find his faults, he
attacks the company and caused much trouble.
Conclusion
To sum up we can say that writer has portrayed the merciless
American society with the help of the culture and people of America.
They are the people who don’t accept their failures. They blame others
and do not realize their own shortcomings. In relationships they have
materialistic approach and do not care about emotions. On the other
hand, the Eastern people do not have the same mindset, as they have
the warm feelings of understanding, introspection and stability.