Selfhood and Creativity in Taufiq Rafat’s “Reflections”

Reconstruction of selfhood is a central theme of post-colonial writers. They strived hard to decolonize their lost identity through creative works. They consider revival of selfhood an elemental source for creative consciousness. It is a base for developing a pure creative thinking. In fact, a desire for reshaping selfhood and identity gave birth to post-colonial writings. Frantz Fanon emphasized on the need of complete rejection of colonial influence in order to attain autonomous self. He lays this responsibility of reviving selfhood on writers and most importantly on poets as they enjoy direct access to masses. Pakistani post-colonial writers particularly poets also tried to revive their splendid self through their writings. Taufiq Rafat coined “Pakistani idiom” to entitle a distinguished identity to Pakistani literary world as well as its dazzling culture. He sublimed Pakistani culture through his influential works. The present study also focuses on Taufiq Rafat‘s efforts to recover selfhood and a distinguished creative expression through his seminal poem “REFLECTIONS”. The analytical framework is borrowed from Fanon’s notion of reviving selfhood for autonomous expression by rejecting the colonial influence and by meticulously concentrating on indigenous culture. The close study of a poem ‘Reflections’ will highlight distinguished Pakistani culture and identity. It will also open new vistas for young researchers to explore in the area of selfhood and creative expression.