The pig that Nathu kills might be the same pig that is thrown on the steps of the mosque. Through no fault of its own, it becomes embroiled in the political and religious conflicts of others. It is significant that, despite being a trapped animal, it manages to inflict significant damage on Nathu before he kills it. And although he manages to kill the pig eventually, it comes at great cost to him, and to others. The manner of the pig’s death then, and Nathu’s subsequent ambivalence about his involvement in it, allows Sahni to suggest that violence is unlikely to bring about anything positive in the long run. 

Before leaving home for the last time, Harnam Singh opens the door of his Mynah bird’s cage. However, it refuses to leave. All of the characters in Tamas can be seen to choose remaining inside open cages of their own. The cages are made of dogma, of stereotypes, of religion, of racism, of addiction, of bloodlust, of nationalism, and of a misplaced sense of duty. The difference is that the bird does eventually leave its cage. As the novel ends, the people it depicts have gained no new understanding, despite having lost a great deal.