Death
The motif of death is evident from the circumstances in the novel. The setting of the novel is the partition of sub-continent and deaths on massive scale were the outcome of the partition process. The Muslims were slaughtered by the Hindus and Sikhs and the Hindus were killed by the Muslims. Ameer’s death was also because of the clash between the Muslims and Hindus. The motif of death in the context of partition and as a tragic part of life has been employed by all the partition writers. Whether its Manto, Ashfaq Ahmad or Rajinder Singh, the partition literature is replete with the horrors of death. Laila’s life is also continuously affected by the death of her closed ones.
Uncle Hamid
Laila’s uncle symbolizes the patriarchy in the sub-continent. The males used to treat women like their subjects. They were not allowed to live their lives freely because it was compulsory for them to follow the instructions of the male members of their family. Ahmad Nadeem has also given an account of male chauvinism in the novel ‘Twilight in Delhi’, which has also been written in the context of British rule and the partition process. Uncle Hamid does not allow Laila to marry the person of her choice because he wants her to marry the man whom he would choose for her. He pretends to be a liberal man but he does not act like an open-minded person.
Asad
Asad symbolizes the secular Islam and the confused state of Muslims in post-independence times and in Pakistan or India after partition. Laila marries Ameer by going against her family but after Ameer’s dead she gets bewildered about her future and her views regarding politics. She never gets indulge in politics or political debates and often chastised by her uncle because of her lack of concern regarding political views. When Ameer dies in an assault, she realizes that she would have take part in political matters and her acceptance of Asad at the end of the novel symbolizes her acceptance of secular Islam and the confused state of her mind.
