Ingrained Symbols and Hierarchy of Needs: Interpreting Syed Waliullah's Tree Without Roots through the Lens of Peirce and Maslow

Abstract

This article analyses the complex symbolism and psychological aspects of Tree Without Roots (1967) by Syed Waliullah, utilising the theoretical frameworks of Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotics and Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Waliullah, as a post-colonial Bangladeshi author, employs symbols that illustrate the social, political, and cultural transformations of the post-colonial period, challenging the reader to reconsider the very foundations of human desire within a historically oppressed context. The novel, a transcreation of his earlier work Lal Shalu (1948), embodies profound symbolic levels, with the altered title conveying substantial significance. This study takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining Peirce’s semiotic analysis of significant personalities and events with Maslow's psychology theory, in contrast to prior research that concentrated on existential topics. This is an original research paper that employs a qualitative, theory-driven interpretive methodology rooted in the principles of literary criticism. Thus, the research identifies that the symbolic landscapes, as well as the actions of the characters, are associated and provide an understanding of the nature of human beings. This paper not only illustrates the application of the Interdisciplinary approach to understand the richness of Syed Waliullah’s literary work but also, by analysing his work through the lens of Maslow's hierarchy and Peirce’s semiotics, scholars can draw parallels between seemingly disparate literary traditions, fostering a deeper understanding of how identity, cultural memory, and colonial legacies shape human experience universally.