Irony In Upamanyu Chatterjee's Weight Loss

He further adds that these metaphors, when seen in the light of the context of the work, highlight the irony inherent in the structure of the text. This theory can be safely applied on Upamanyu Chatterjee’s novels. The titles of the novels are carefully devised master metaphors that are charged with irony that permeates the entire structure of the novels. The liet-motif of the novels is suggested by their title. Irony emerges from the application of the master metaphors on the overall context of the novel. In other words, the meaning that issues from the analysis of the novels helps to understand the ironic image created or the strong statement being suggested by these metaphors.

In Weight Loss, the metaphor of ‘weight’ has double meaning. It stands for the burden of physique as well as the burden of ties and responsibilities, and Bhola wants to get rid of both. This metaphor of ‘weight’ keeps recurring in the novel. Bhola consistently strives to trim himself and hence has no ‘weight,’ which implies no substance and no character. His ‘weight loss programme’ reflects

His life happens to be a futile exercise in shedding what is extraneous- weight, food, chores, relationships and, ultimately, the sap in his veins. Chatterjee in his writing is an uncompromising realist. He is evidently aware of the diseases of Indian set-up and his novels attempt to give a searing picture of that reality. Chatterjee emerges from these pages as a man who seriously takes the ethical development of his age as the vocation of novelist. There is a persistent opinion in a large section of critics that Chatterjee’s work is unredeemed by any positive value. But substantiating to any such view would amount to undermining the value of Chatterjee’s literature as his genuine concern for growing debasement and a hope of betterment behind the façade of cynicism is too obvious to