Abstract: Following the theory of survival of the fittest, every individual is fighting for their existence. With growing materialism and capitalism, their struggle becomes more difficult and multifaceted. Often, they choose an unjust way to accomplish their needs. Manik Bandopadhyay, being a true representative of popular culture, peeps into the very core of the dark psychology of human beings. He performed the role of a torch bearer for the Bengali literary world and has explored untouched aspects of human society, painting a wonderful picture of the infinite dimensions of human emotions that were rarely found earlier. His writings present the imminent reality of the human condition, desperation, small town generalities and their degrading human values. This paper would aim to decipher the struggle of the marginalised to survive in the postcolonial world and explore the complexity of their human psyche through the selected short stories of Manik Bandopadhyay. Characters in his short stories choose a way to be alive which may compel them to take up subversive or at times, criminal pursuits. From the periphery of traditional literary canon, he breaks the conventional discourse prevalent among his contemporaries thereby re-orienting ideas and traditions of a war-ravaged, economically and psychologically deprived society.
Ms. Doyel Tripathy (Sun,) studied this question.