Basheer, the Legend

Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, one of the most celebrated voices in Malayalam literature, is known for blending humor, satire, and deep human truths in simple, everyday language. His short story My Granddad Had an Elephant is a humorous yet thought-provoking narrative that examines the illusions of pride and the traps of false prestige.

At its surface, the story recounts a family that once owned an elephant, a symbol of wealth and status. Even after the elephant is sold to pay off debts, the family continues to boast, “My granddad had an elephant!” This repeated assertion becomes both a joke and a tragedy, as the family’s obsession with a bygone glory blinds them to present realities and pushes them deeper into financial ruin.

Vaikom Muhammad Basheer’s short story “My Granddad Had an Elephant” is a humorous and satirical piece that explores human foolishness, greed, and blind faith.

The narrator recalls how his grandfather once owned a majestic elephant. After the grandfather’s death, the elephant was sold to pay off debts, but the family kept repeating with pride, “My granddad had an elephant!” Even though the animal was long gone, they clung to the memory of it, as if it were a matter of great prestige.

Gradually, the family’s obsession with the idea of the elephant grows. They spend beyond their means, borrowing money and pretending to still live in the glory of owning one. The narrator humorously describes how their financial ruin deepened, simply because they continued to boast about a possession they no longer had.

By the end, the story makes it clear that clinging to the past, living on borrowed pride, and valuing empty prestige can only lead to destruction.

Adaptability and Resilience in the Story

What makes the story significant is how it highlights the dangers of refusing to adapt. Instead of accepting change and adjusting their lives after losing the elephant, the family clings to the memory of it. Their inability to adapt to new circumstances leads to downfall. Basheer shows that true resilience does not lie in glorifying the past but in facing hardships realistically and rebuilding life with courage and humility.

The contrast is striking: while the family chooses nostalgia over survival, the narrator’s witty observations point readers toward a more practical wisdom. Adaptability would have meant living within their means and letting go of borrowed pride; resilience would have meant finding dignity in hard work rather than false prestige.

Amal Jaz. P

V Semester B. A. English Language and Literature

Al Shifa College of Arts and Science, Kizhattoor, Perinthalmanna