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The boy’s name was Keshav, the girl’s Prema. They went to the same college, they were in the same class. Keshav believed in new ways and was opposed to the old caste customs. Prema adhered to the old order and fully accepted the traditions. But ali the same there was a strong attachment between them and the whoie college was aware of it. Although he was a Brahman Keshav re garded marriage with this Baniya girl as the culmination of his life. He didn’t care a straw about his father and mother. Caste traditions he considered a fraud. If anything embodied the truth for him it was Prema. But for Prema it was impossible to take one step in opposition to the dictates of caste and fami ly.

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her from their own blood and reared her with love. To Keshav she said hum bly, ‘Can love be considered only in terms of husband and wife and flot friend ship? I think of love as an attachment of the soul~~ ‘You’il drive me crazy with your rationalizations,’ Keshav said harshly. ‘Just understand this if I’m disappointed I can’t go on living. I’m a material ist and it’s flot possible for me to be satisfied with some intangible happ ness in the world of the imagination.’ He caught Prema’s hand and tried to draw her toward him, but she broke away and said, ‘I told you I’m flot free. Don’t ask me to do something I have norighttodo.’ If she’d spoken harshly he would flot have been so burt. For an instant he restrained himself, then he stood up and said sadly, ‘Just as you wish,’ and slowly walked away. Prema, in tears, continued to sit there.
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One evening the two of them met in a secluded corner of Victoria Park and sat down on the grass facing one another. The strollers had gone off one by one but these two lingered ori. They had got into a discussion it was imposs ible to end. Keshav said angrily, ‘Ali it means is that you don’t care about me.’ Prema tried to caim him down. ‘You’re beirig unjust to me, Keshav. Tt’s 25 only that I don’t know how I can bring it up at horne without upsetting them. They’re devoted to the old traditions. If they hear anything about a matter like this from me can’t you imagine how distressed they’ll be?’ ‘And aren’t you a slave of those old traditions too then?’ Keshav asked her sharply. 30 ‘No, I’m not,’ Prema said, her eyes tender, ‘but what my mother and father want is more important to me than anything.’ ‘And you yourself don’t count at ali?’ ‘If that’s how you want to understarid it.’ ‘I used to think those old ways were just for silly hypocrites but now it 35 seems that educated giris like you knuckie under to them too. Since I’m ready ~to give up everything for you I expect the same thing from you.’ In silence Prema wondered what authority she had over her own life. She had no right to go in any way against the mother and father who had created
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When after supper that night Prema lay down in her mother’s room she could not sleep. Keshav had said things to her that shadowed her heart like reflec tions in unquiet waters, changing at every moment, and she could flot calm them. How could she talk to her mother about such things? Embarrassment kept her silent. She thought, ‘If I don’t marry Keshav what’s left for me in life?’ Whiie she thought about it over and over again her mmd was made up about just one thing—if she did flot marry Keshav she would marry no one. Her mother said, ‘Still flot sleeping? I’ve told you so many times you Qught to do a little work around the house. But you can never take any time off from your books. In a little while you’ll be going to some strange house and who knows what sort of place it will be? If you don’t get accustomed to doing housework, how are you goiflg to manage?’ Naively Prema asked, ‘Why will I be going to a strange house?’ Smiling, her mother said, ‘For a girl it’s the greatest calamity, daughter. After being sheltered at home, as soon as she’s grown up off she goes to live with others. If she gets a good husband her days pass happily, otherwise she has to go through life weeping. Tt ali depends on fate. But in our community there’s no family that appeals to me. There’s no proper regard for girls anywhere. But we have to stay within our caste. Who knows how long caste marriages are going to go on?’ Frightened Prema said, ‘But here and there they’re beginning to have mar riages outside the caste.’ She’d said it for the sake of talking but she trernbled

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lest her mother might guess something. Surprised, her mother asked, ‘You don’t mean among Hindus?’ Then she answered herseif. ‘If this has happened in a few places, then what’s come of it?’ Prema did flot reply. She was afraid her mother had understood her mean ing. She saw her future in that moment before her like a great dark tunnel opening its mouth to swallow her up. Tt was a long time before she could fall asleep.
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When she got up early in the morning Prema was aware of a strange new cour age. We all make important decisions on the spur of the moment as though some divine power impelled us toward them, and so it was with Prema. Until yesterday she’d considered her parents’ ideas as unchallengeable, but facing the problem courage was bom in her, much in the way a quiet breeze coming against a mountain sweeps over the summit in a violent gust. Prema thought, ‘Agreed, this body is my mother’s and father’s but whatever my own self, my soul, is to get must be got in this body. To hesitate now would flot only be unfitting, it would be fatal Why sacrifice your life for false principle? If a marriage isn’t founded on love then it’s just a business bargain with the body. Could you give yourself without love?’ And she rebelled against the idea that she could be married off to somebody she had never seen. After breakfast she had started to read when her father called her affection ately. ‘Yesterday I went to see your principal and he had a bt of praise for you.’ ‘You’re only saying that!’ ‘No, it’s true.’ Then he opened a drawer of his desk and took out a picture set in a velvet frame. He showed it to her and said, ‘This boy came out first in the Civil Service examinations. You must have heard of him.’ He had brought up the subject in such a way as flot to give away his inten tion, but it was clear to Prema, she saw through it at once. Without looking at the picture she said, ‘No, I don’t know who he is.’ With feigned surprise her father said, ‘What? You haven’t even heard his name? His picture and an article about him are in today’s paper.’ ‘Suppose they are?’ Prema said. ‘The examinations don’t mean anything to me. I always assumed that people who took those exams must be terribly con ceited. After all, what do they aim for except to lord it over their wretched,

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penniless brothers?—And pile up a fortune doing it. That’s no great career to aspire to.’ The objection was spiteful, unjust. Her father had assumed that after his eulogy she would be interested. When he’d listened to her answer he said sharply, ‘You talk as though money and power mean nothing to you.’ ‘That’s right,’ she said, ‘they don’t mean a thing to me. I look for self sacrifice in a man. I know some boys who wouldn’t accept that kind of posi tion even if you tried to force it on them.’ ‘Well, I’ ve learned something new today!’ he said sarcastically ‘And still I see people swarming around trying to get the meanest little jobs—I’d just like to see the face of one of these fellows capable of such self-sacrifice. If I did I’d get down on my knees to him.’ Perhaps if she’d heard these words on another occasion Prema might have hung her head in shame. But this time, like a soldier with a dark tunnel behind him, there was no way for her to go except forward. Scarcely controlling her anger, her eyes full of indignation, she went to her room and from among several pictures of Keshav picked out the one she considered the worst and brought it back and set it down in front of her father. He wanted to give it no more than a casual glance, but at the first glimpse he was drawn to it. Keshav was tall and even though thin one recognized a strength and discipline about him; he was flot particularly handsome but his face reflected such intelligence that one felt confidence in him. While he booked at it her father said, ‘Who is he?’ Prema, bowing her head, said hesitantly, ‘He’s in my class.’ ‘Is he of our community?’ Prema’s face clouded over: her destiny was to be decided on the answer. She realised that it was useless to have brought out the picture. The firmness she had had for an instant weakened before this simple question. In a low voice she said, ‘No, he’s flot, he’s a Brahman.’ And even while she was saying it, agitated she left the room as though the atmosphere there were suffocating her, and on the other side of the wall she began to cry. Her father’s anger was so great at first that he wanted to call her out again and tell her plainly it was impossible. He got as far as the door, but seeing Pre ma crying his anger softened. He was aware of what Prema felt for this boy and he believed in education for women but he intended to maintain the family traditions. He would have sacrificed all his property for a suitable bridegroom of his own caste. But outside the limits of his community he could flot con ceive of any bridegroom worthy or noble enough; he could flot imagine any 39

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disgrace greater than going beyond thern. ‘From today on you’ll stop going to college,’ he said with a harsh tone. ‘If education teaches you to disregard our traditions, then education is wicked.’ Tirnidly Prema said, ‘But it’s almost time for the examinations.’ ‘Forget about thern.’ Then he went into his room and pondered a long time.
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One day six months later Prema’s father came horne and cailed Vriddha, his wife, for a private talk. ‘As far as I know,’ he said, ‘Keshav’s a well-brought-up and brilliant boy. I’m afraid that Prerna’s grieving to the point where she might take her life. You and I have tried to explain and so have others but nobody has had the slightest effect on her. What are we going to do about it?’ Anxiously his wife said, ‘Let her, but if she has her way how can you face the dishonour? How could I ever have borne a wicked girl like that?’ He frowned and said with a tone of reproach, ‘I’ve heard that a thousand times. But just how long can we moan about this caste tradition business? You’re rnistaken if you think the bird’s going to stay hopping at horne once it’s spread its wings. I’ve thought about the problem objectively and I’ve come to the conclusion that we’re obliged to face the emergency. I can’t watch Prerna die in the name of caste rules. Let people laugh but the time is not far off when all these old restrictions will be broken. Even today there have been hundreds of marriages outside the caste limitations. If the aim of rnarriage is a happy life for a man and a woman together we can’t oppose Prema.’ Vriddha was angry. ‘If that’s your intention then why ask rne?’ she said. ‘But I say that I won’t have anything to do with this marriage, and I’il never look at that girl’s face again, I’ll consider her as dead as our sons who died.’ ‘Well then, what else can you suggest?’ ‘What if we do let her rnarry this boy? He’ll take his civil service examina tions in two years and with what he has to offer it will be a great deal if he becornes a clerk in sorne office.’ ‘But what if Prema should kiil herself?’ ‘Then let her—you’ve encouraged her, haven’t you? If she doesn’t care about us why should we blacken our name for her? Anyway, suicide’s no game—it’s only a threat. The heart’s like a wild horse—until it’s broken and bridled nobody can touch it. If her heart stays like that who’s to say that she’ll
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stick with Keshav for a whole life-time? The way she’s in love with him today, well, she can be in love with somebody else just as much tomorrow. And because of this you’re ready to be disgraced?’ Her husband gave her a questioning look. ‘And if tomorrow ~he should go and marry Keshav, then what will you do? Then how much of your honour will be left? Out of shyness or consideration for us she may flot have done anything yet, but if she decides to be stubborn there’s nothing you or I can do.’ It had never occurred to Vriddha that the problem could have such a dread ful ending. His meaning struck her with the violence of a bullet. She sat silent for a moment as though the shock had scattered her wits. Then backing down, she said, ‘What wild ideas you have! Until today I’ve never heard of a decent girl marrying according to her own wish.’ ‘You may not have heard of it but I have, I’ve seen it and it’s entirely pos sible.’ ‘The day it happens will be my last!’ ‘But if it has to be this way isn’t it preferable that we make the proper arrangements? If we’re to be disgraced we may as well be efficient about it. Send for Keshav tomorrow and see what he has to say.’

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Keshav’s father lived off a government pension. By nature he was ill-tem pered and miserly; he found satisfaction only in religious ostentation He was totally without imagination and unable to respect the personal feelings of any body else. At present he was still living in the sarne world in which he had passed his childhood and youth. The rising tide of progress he called ruination and hoped to save at least his own family from it by any means available to him. Therefore when one day Prema’s father came to him and broached the prospect of her marrying Keshav, old Panditji could flot control himself. Staring through eyes dim with anger he said, ‘Are you drunk? Whatever this rela tionship may be it’s flot marriage. Tt appears that you too have had your head turned by the new ideas.’ ‘I don’t like this sort of connection either,’ Prema’s father said gently. ‘My ideas about it are just the same as yours. But the thing is that, being heipless, I had to come to see you. You’re aware too of how wilful today’s youngsters have become. Tt’s getting hard for us old-timers to defend our theories. I’m afraid that if these two become desperate they may take their lives.’ Old Panditji brought his foot down with a bang and shouted, ‘What are you 41

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saying, Sir! Aren’t you ashamed? We’re Brahmans and even among Brahmans we’re of high rank. No matter how low a Brahman may fall he can never be so degraded that he can countenance a marriage with a shop-keeping Baniya’s daughter. The day noble Brahmans run out of daughters we can discuss the problem. I say you have a fantastic nerve even to bring this matter up with me.’ He was every bit as furious as Prema’s father was humbie, and the latter, unable to bear the humiliation any longer, went off cursing his luck. Just then Keshav returned from college. Panditji sent for him at once and said severely, ‘I’ve heard that you’re betrothed to some Baniya girl. How far has this actually gone?’ Pretending ignorance, Keshav said, ‘Who told you this?’ ‘Somebody. I’m asking you, is it true or not? If it’s true and you’ve decided to go against your caste, then there’s no more room for you in this house. You won’t get one pice of my money. Whatever is in this house I’ve earned, and it’s my right to give it to whoever I want. If you’re guilty of this wicked con duct, you won’t be permitted to put your foot inside my house.’ Keshav was familiar with his father’s temper. He loved Prema and he intended to marry her in secret. His father wouldn’t always be alive and he counted on his mother’s affection; sustained by that love he felt that he was ready to suffer any hardship. But Keshav was like a faint-hearted soldier who loses his courage at the sight of a gun and turns back. Like any average young fellow he would argue his theories with a passion and demonstrate his devotion with his tongue. But to suffer for them was be yond his capacity. If he persisted and his father refused to weaken he didn’t know where he would turn, his life would be ruined. In a low voice he said, ‘Whoever told you that is a complete har and no thing else.’ Staring at him, Panditji said, ‘So my information is entirely wrong?’ Yes, entirely wrong.’ ‘Then you’ll write a letter to that shopkeeper this very moment and remem ber that if there’s any more of this gossip he can regard you as his greatest enemy. Enough, go.’ Keshav could say no more. He walked away but it seemed to him that his legs were utterly numb. The next day Prema sent this letter to Keshav. Dearest Keshav, I was terribly upset when I heard about the rude and callous way your father

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treated mine. Perhaps he’s threatened you too, in which case I wait anxiously to hear what your decision is. I’m ready to undergo any kind of hardship with you. I’m aware of your father’s wealth but ahh I need is your love to conterit me. Come tonight and have dinner with us. My mother and ftfther are both eager to meet you. I’m caught up in the dream of when the two of us will be joined by that bond that cannot be broken, that remains strong no matter how great the diffi culties. Your Prema By evening there had been no rephy to this letter. Prema’s mother asked over and over again, ‘Isn’t Keshav coming?’ And her father kept his eyes glued on the door. By nine o’clock there was still no sign of Keshav nor any letter. In Prema’s mmd all sorts of fears and hopes revolved. Perhaps Keshav had had no chance to write a letter, no chance to come today so that tomorrow he would surely come. She read over again the love letters he’d written her earhi er. How steeped in love was every word, how much emotion, anxiety and acute desire! Then she remembered the words he’d said a hundred times and how often he’d wept before her. It was impossible to despair with so many proofs, but ahh the same throughout the night she was tormented by anxiety. Early in the morning Keshav’s answer came. Prema took the letter with trembling hands and read it. The letter fell from her hands. Tt seemed to her that her blood had ceased to flow. He had written: I’m in a terrible quandary about how to answer you. I’ve been desperate trying to figure out what to do and I’ve come to the conchusion that for the present it would be impossible for me to go against my father’s orders. Don’t think I’m a coward. I’m not being selfish either. But I don’t have the strength to overcome the obstacles facing me. Forget what I told you before. At that time I had no idea of how hard it was going to be. Prema drew a long, painful breath, then she tore up the letter and threw it away. Her eyes filled with tears. She had never had the shightest expectation that the Keshav she had taken into her heart of hearts as her husband could be so crueh. Tt was as though until now she’d been watching a golden ~‘ision but on opening her eyes it had vanished completehy. Ahh her hope had disappeared and she was left in darkness. ‘What did Keshav write?’ her mother asked. Prema looked at the floor and said, ‘He’s flot feehing well.’ What else was there to say? She could flot have borne the shame of reveahing Keshav’s brutal

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disioyalty. She spent the whole day working around the house, as though there was nothing wrong. She made dinner for everyone that evening and ate with them, then until quite late she played the harmonium and sang. In the morning they found her lying dead in her room at a moment when the golden rays of dawn bestowed on her face the iliusory splendour of life. Premchand

The Free Radio
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We all knew nothing good would happen to him while the thief’s widow had her ciaws dug into his flesh, but the boy was an innocent, a real goof, you can’t teach such people. That boy could have had a good life. God had biessed him with God’s own boks, and his father had gone to the grave for him, but didn’t he leave the boy a brand new first-ciass bicycie rickshaw with plastic covered seats and ali? Looks he had, his own trade he had, there would have been a good wife in time, he should just have taken out some years to save some rupees, but no, he must fall for a thief’s widow before the hairs had time to come out on his chin, before his milk-teeth had spiit, one might say. We felt bad for him, but who listens to the wisdom of the old today? I say who listens? Exactly, nobody, certainly not a stone-head like Ramani the rickshaw-wallah. But I blame the widow. I saw it happen, you know, I saw most of it until I couldn’t stand any more, I sat under this very banyan smoking this same hookah and flot much escaped my notice. And at one stage I tried to save him from his fate but it was no go.... the widow was certainly attractive, no point denying, in a sort of hard vicious way she was ali right, but it was her mentabi ty that was rotten. Ten years older than Ramani she must have been, five chil dren alive and two dead, what that thief did besides robbing and making ba bies God only knows, but he left her not one new paisa, so of course she would be interested in Ramani. I’m not saying a rickshaw-waliah makes much in this town but two mouthfuis are better to eat than wind. And not many people will look twice at the widow of a good-for-nothing. They met right here. One day he rode into this street without a passenger, but grinning as usual as if someone had given him a ten-chip tip, singing some piayback music from the radio, his hair greased like for a wedding. He was not such a fool he didn’t know the giris watched him ali the time. The thief’s wi dow had gone to the bania shop to buy some three grains of dai and I won’t say where the money came from, but people saw men at night near her rutput ty shack, even the bania himseif they were telling me but I will not comment. She had ali her five brats with her and suddenly, cool as a fan, she cailed out, 45

butt skod gram snack af mel, æg og krydderier, der spises, som vi spiser pomfritter stinging sviende rascal slyngel twist vride, ‘rykke’ queer underlig, løjerlig de’serted tom in’effable undsigelig, ubeskrivelig 34 en’chant fortrylle speck prik, plet tug at trække i, hale i con’tempt foragt cringe vride sig shin skinneben daze forvirre, fortumle tramp vagabond en’grossed hensunket i, fordybet i snap snappe, bide 35 limp slap, kraftesløs rouse vågne op stupor sløvhed hesitant nølende, tøvende, usikker timid frygtsom squeeze klemme sore Øm swallow synke

Baniya købmand fraud bedrag em’body indeholde, legemliggøre se’cluded afsides stroller spadserende unger on blive hængende, siddende, stående up’set fornærme, chokere di’stressed ulykkelig tender Øm, blid hypocrite hykler knuckle under give efter, føje rear opfostre, opdrage in’tangible uhåndgribelig re’strain oneseif lægge bånd på, holde sig tilbage embarrassment forlegenhed, forvir ring ca’Iamity ulykke, katastrofe fate skæbne 38 on the spur på stående fod di’vine guddommelig im’pel tilskynde un’challengeable ikke til at udfordre summit top gust vindstød fatal skæbnesvanger sacrifice ofre bargain aftale, godt køb af’fectionate kærlig principal rektor, inspektør velvet fløjls civil service statsadministration feign foregive as’sume antage, mene con’ceited selvoptaget, opblæst lord it over tyrannisere wretched stakkels 39 pile up samle

as’pire to stile efter ob’jection indvending spiteful hadefuld eulogy lovprisning indig’nation harme, vrede casual skødesløs recognize erkende hesitant tøvende com’munity samfund, ‘stand, kaste’ cloud over formørke agitated oprevet, ophidset suffocate kvæle con’ceive tænke sig 40 dis’grace vanære disre’gard ignorere, lade hånt om timid frygtsom ponder overveje grieve sørge frown rynke panden re’proach bebrejdelse moan jamre, begræde ob’Iiged to nødt til, tvunget til e’mergency kritisk situation op’pose modsætte sig, komme med indvendinger en’courage opmuntre bridle tøjle 41 conside’ration hensynsfuidhed stubborn stædig oc’cur falde én ind scatter sprede, ‘lamme’ wits forstand ac’cording to i overensstemmelse med en’tirely fuldstændig ef’ficient virksom, ‘gøre godt og grun digt’ miser gnier osten’tation praleri, stillen til skue tide tidevand

rui’nation ødelæggelse, forfald a’vailable tilgængelig broach bringe på bane prospect udsigt, mulighed, emne panditji lærd mand; suffixet ‘ji’ udtrykker stor respekt, cp. Gandhiji wilful egenrådig 42 countenance billige, tolerere humbie ydmyg be’troth forlove sig med pice pengestykke, ‘rød øre’. 100 pice = 1 rupee, ca. 1/4 dkr. wicked syndig conduct opførsel, adfærd af’fection kærlighed, hengivenhed su’stain støtte, holde oppe suffer udholde hardship genvordighed, prøvelse faint-hearted frygtsom, forsagt average gennemsnitlig, almindelig de’votion hengivenhed ca’pacity evne per’sist fastholde stædigt utterly fuldstændig numb lam, død rude grov callous hjerteløs, hårdhudet 43 glue on fæstne på, klistre på re’volve løbe rundt, rotere steeped in gennemtrængt, gennemsyret af a’cute voldsom tor’ment pine, plage cease ophøre quandary dilemma, forlegenhed obstacle binding re’veal afsløre

A Coward 36 Prema betyder opr. kærlighed (indisk) op’posed to modstander af ad’here to holde fast ved 37 at’tachment sympati, hengivenhed, til knytning

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44 dis’Ioyalty troløshed har’monium stueorgel be’stow on give spiendour glans, pragt

talkie pictures talefilm tick sekund, Øjeblik Lord Krishna førhistorisk guddom i menneskeskikkelse (avatar), der siges at have haft en blå hudfarve di’saster ulykke 47 whip piskeslag jerk bevæge dignity værdighed hostel hjem curse forbandelse sahib herre be in attendance gøre tjeneste rumour rygte stram belastning, byrde ether æter notion grille keen on forgabt i, interesseret i imminence truende nærhed, snarlig opdukken 48 nuptials bryllup on ali ac’counts i enhver henseende voluntary frivillig sub’ject himself underkaste sig humili’ation ydmygelse de’prive berøve con’fide betro funtoosh ‘spøg’ Ye Akashvani hai (dette er himelstem men = This is All-India Radio) 49 cup holde (med hul hånd) in’visible usynlig strained anstrengt fic’titional fingeret fatal skæbnesvanger di’vine gætte, ane re’gret fortryde

ex’tent grad ac’count forklare, gøre rede for forecast udsigt de’struction ødelæggelse, ‘fald’ starch stive clutch holde fast i 50 frog-march bære i arme og ben med hovedet nedad drinking chum svirebror smudge tvære ud wrinkle rynke dis’count ignorere incident hændelse crook slyngel humbie ydmyg groom skole, træne spiit-level plan conjure fremtrylle 51 mag’nificent storslået

The Woman 55 trembie ryste firm bestemt trot trave ac’cumulate ophobe muddy sløret curi’osity nysgerrighed sprightly livlig a’midst midt iblandt bewilderment forvirring itch længes efter babble plapre ud med biurt buse ud din larm startle forskrække grumbie brokke sig con’viction overbevisning brash fremfusende pitched voice (high) skinger stemme press one’s point gå nogen på klingen an’noyance ærgrelse tepid lunken yieid give efter grudge nag daunt skræmme mill mase 56 overhear høre tilfældigt tempt friste give vent to give frit løb for meek ydmyg scruff of the neck nakkeskind impatience utålmodighed ex’hausted udmattet grope føle sig frem accommodate gøre plads til o’bliging elskværdig thus således as’sert hævde sig ac’commodating imødekommende 189

The Free Radio 45 goof fjols, fjog rupee indisk møntfod; 100 paisa = rupee = Ca. 1/4 dkr. wallah mand banyan indisk figentræ, helligt, har magisk kraft hookah vandpibe vicious ondskabsfuld paisa 1/100 rupee (se rupee ovenfor) chip jeton tip drikkepenge greased smurt ind bania købmand gram vægtenhed; 0,0648 g dal grønsagssuppe rut’putty elendig shack skur brat uvorn unge fan vifte 46 hook krog puff puste vein åre shameless skamløs crony ‘kammesjuk, kumpan’ state of e’mergency undtagelsestil stand flatter smigre Dev Anand, Shashi Kapoor filmstjer ner leper spedalsk 188

The Eyes Have It 52 com’partment kupé Rohana, Dehra, Sa Rahanpur, Mussoorie stednavne 53 dahlia georgine berth sæde ledge kant vendor sælger 54 ban knude tantalizing forjættende reverie drømmen

first paragraphs of the story? What do you learn about the way of life of homeless and parentless children in India? How do other people treat them? Discuss the possibilities of solving the problem in India and in other parts of the world where the same problem exists.
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The Eyes Have it
Characterize the narrator the young man. How is he affected by his blindness and why does he play ‘the game’? What is, in his opinion, the difference be tween seeing and blind people? (You could compare with Kumo in ‘The Vi sion’). The story has a first person narrator. What effect does that fact have on the reader’s position and knowledge of what is going on? What is the function of the new fellow traveller? Tell the story from the girl’s point of view. How does the author manage to make the reader understand what it is like being blind physically and mental ly? Compare ‘The Eyes Have Tt’ with the other short stones in this section, parti cularly ‘The Woman’, whose main character is also on a train journey. Consi der the symbolic meaning of the title: The Eyes Have it.
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A Coward Characterize Keshav and Prema. Show the difference between them (use the two letters). Describe their respective relationship with their parents and ac count for the influence and attitudes of the parents. Why does the author call the story ‘A Coward’ and what does it show you about his attitude to caste, marriage and women’s position? Why does Prema comniit suicide? Does it give you any due to the author’s message? The text was written in 1933. Is it a fair representation of modern Indian socie ty? Discuss.

The Woman
What is the main conflict in the story? Characterize the woman and account for her development. Characterize the husband and describe his reaction. What does the woman’s handicap mean? Does it have any symbolic meaning? What does the title imply? Compare what you learn about Indian family life with your general knowledge (based on other texts you have read) of the subject.

The Free Radio
The story is told by a first person narrator. Characterize him and find out how he makes us see events and people, especially Ramani. Which of the two do you consider the principal character and why? What does the story show about changes in Indian society, norms and life style in general? What is the significance of the banyan tree and the white caravan under it? What importance can be attached to the fact that the narrator leaves his place under the banyan tree? What attitude is expressed by the riarrator in the last sentences: “I remember the expression which came into his face in the days just before he learned the truth about his radio, and the huge mad energy which he had poured into the act of conjuring reality, by an act of magnificent faith, out of the hot thin air between his cupped hand and his ear”? Consider whether the narrator, who loves to sit under the banyan tree, is a tra ditional Indian story-teller.

A Blind Man’s Contentment
Describe the relationship between Pappu Nayar and his wife. Why do they marry? What does his mother think of the marriage? Describe Pappu Nayar’s relationship to the children. How do they treat him? What is the neighbours’ attitude to what is going on in Nayar and Bhargavi’s house? What do these sentences show: “But out of sympathy no one would tallc to him directly of such things. And so the evil side of life lay hidden from behind the perpetual darkness in which he existed”. 219

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