This novel follows the journeys of three different yet interconnected people who try to advance their individual lives from within an enormous and complex society. Ultimately, Majumdar criticizes society’s power over the individual and the futility of the individual’s desperate fight against institutions beyond their control. The first example of this is, of course, Jivan, who fights for her life but is defeated by the justice system, by popular opinion, by Islamophobia, and by society’s psychological need to blame a scapegoat for tragedy. The second example is Lovely, who seems to be the only character close to overcoming her social marginalization. Although Lovely is on the way to fame, she still endured years of heartache, abandonment, and prejudice to persevere. Even after Lovely gains success, she still thinks about people like Jivan and Azad, who were not so lucky in their pursuit of freedom.

The third example is PT Sir, who achieves success, but at the cost of his morals, which causes internal conflict borne of guilt and shock. PT Sir’s story shows that assimilating into society’s most powerful ranks often requires compromising your humanity and integrity. This theme is a universal one; even though A Burning takes place in India, the individual’s never-ending fight against society occurs in all communities.