Assignment of literature
Name :- Rizvi syeda mariyam zehra
College Name :- Maharanishree Nankuwarba mahila arts and Commerce College bhavnagar
Subject :- English
Professor Name :- Aamena maam
Date of submission :- 23/02/2026
T.Y.B.A sem :-6
Paper Name :- major 14
Class assignment
1) That long silence by shashi deshpande
Characters :-
1. Jaya
. Protagonist and narrator of the novel.
. She is an educated, middle-class woman, a writer by nature, but after marriage she suppresses her voice to fit the role of an “ideal wife.”
. Jaya represents the inner struggle of Indian women—between self- expression and social expectations.
. Her “long silence” is symbolic of how she avoids confronting pain, anger, and dissatisfaction in her marriage.
. By the end, she realizes the importance of breaking her silence and. accepting her true self.
2 . Mohan
. Jaya’s husband; a successful, practical, and traditional man.
. He believes in social status, respectability, and discipline.
. Mohan expects Jaya to be obedient and supportive, not questioning his authority.
. He is not cruel, but emotionally distant and unable to understand Jaya’s inner world.
. His insecurity and rigid mindset contribute to the emotional gap in their marriage.
3. Kamat
. A close friend of Jaya and a widower.
. He is intelligent, sensitive, and encourages Jaya’s intellectual and emotional freedom
. With Kamat, Jaya feels understood and valued as a person, not just as a wife.
. His death becomes a turning point, forcing Jaya to reflect deeply on her life and silence.
5. Jaya’s Mother
. Represents an older generation of women who believe in endurance and silence as a virtue.
. She teaches Jaya that a woman should adjust and tolerate for the sake of marriage and family.
6. Rahul
. Jaya and Mohan’s son.
. Sensitive and quiet by nature.
. His temporary disappearance creates emotional tension in the novel.
. Represents the communication gap between parents and children.
7. Rati
. Jaya and Mohan’s daughter.
. More modern and expressive compared to Rahul.
. She reflects the changing generation of young women who are less willing to remain silent.
8. Kusum
. A distant relative of Jaya.
. Mentally unstable and later commits suicide.
. Represents the extreme consequence of repression and lack of. emotional support in a patriarchal society.
2) Tobago tek Singh by saadat Hasan manto
Characters:-
1. Bishan Singh
. The main character of the story.
. A Sikh inmate in the Lahore mental asylum.
. He keeps repeating meaningless words and is obsessed with one question:
. “Where is Toba Tek Singh? In India or Pakistan?”
. He refuses to go to either country and finally dies in the no-man’s land between India and Pakistan.
. Symbolism: Bishan Singh represents the confusion, pain, and displacement caused by Partition.
2. Fazal Din
. A Muslim friend of Bishan Singh from his village.
. He visits Bishan Singh and tells him that Toba Tek Singh is now in. Pakistan.
. He shows human kindness and represents the friendship that existed before Partition.
3. The Superintendent of the Asylum
. A government officer managing the exchange of mental patients.
. Represents the cold and mechanical government system during Partition.
4. The Hindu Lawyer
. A young Hindu lawyer who becomes mad after his beloved moves to India.
. He keeps abusing Indian leaders.
. He shows how Partition caused personal heartbreak and emotional trauma.
5. The Anglo-Indian Inmates
. They worry about whether they will get proper European food after the British leave.
. Their concern highlights the uncertainty of minorities during political change.
6. Bishan Singh’s Daughter (Roop Kaur)
. She visits him every month.
. As she grows older, Bishan Singh fails to recognize her.
. She represents the innocent victims of Partition and the pain of separated families.
7. Indian and Pakistani Officials
. They arrange the exchange of mental patients.
. They treat the transfer like a routine administrative task.
. They represent the cold bureaucracy behind Partition decisions.
3) Lihaaf ( The quilt) by ismat chughtai
Characters:-
1. Begum Jan
. The central character of the story.
. Wife of Nawab Sahib, but neglected by him.
. She feels lonely, frustrated, and emotionally deprived.
. Due to her husband’s indifference, she develops a close relationship with Rabbu.
. Symbolism: She represents suppressed female desire and the suffering of women trapped in unhappy marriages.
2. Nawab Sahib
. Begum Jan’s husband.
. A wealthy, respectable man in society.
. He shows no interest in his wife and prefers the company of young boys.
. Represents the hypocrisy of upper-class society and male domination.
3. Rabbu
. Begum Jan’s maid and companion.
. She massages Begum Jan and stays very close to her.
. Their relationship hints at physical intimacy.
. She becomes emotionally and physically important in Begum Jan’s life.
4. The Child Narrator
. A young girl who stays at Begum Jan’s house.
. She narrates the story innocently.
. Through her eyes, readers observe strange movements under the “lihaaf” (quilt).
. Her innocence makes the story more powerful and subtle.
4) The night of full moon (pooranmashi) by kartar duggal.
1. Malan
. Main female character of the story.
. She is a married woman who feels emotionally neglected and lonely in her marriage.
. Malan represents the inner conflict of women—caught between social duty and personal desire.
. The night of the full moon awakens her suppressed emotions and longings.
. She is not immoral; rather, she is emotionally starved, seeking warmth and understanding.
2. Minnie
. Minnie is Malan’s friend and companion.
. She is more modern, bold, and expressive compared to Malan.
. Minnie acts as a contrast character, highlighting Malan’s emotional repression.
. Through Minnie, the story shows how some women dare to challenge social norms, while others suffer silently.
3. The Lover
. The lover is a symbolic figure rather than a fully developed character.
. He represents romance, emotional fulfillment, and freedom—things missing in Malan’s marriage.
. His presence triggers Malan’s self-realization and emotional awakening.
. He highlights the gap between emotional needs and social expectations.
4. Malan’s Husband
. A traditional, rigid, and emotionally distant man.
. He is more concerned with social image and authority than Malan’s. feelings.
. His neglect and cold behaviour push Malan toward loneliness.
. He represents patriarchal control and the lack of emotional communication in marriage.
5) The night train at deoli by Ruskin bond
1. The Narrator (Ruskin Bond himself)
. He is a young college student, sensitive and observant.
. The story is told from his first-person point of view.
. He represents youthful innocence, longing, and romantic idealism.
. His brief meeting with the girl at Deoli leaves a deep emotional impact on him, showing how small moments can shape memories for life.
2. The Girl at Deoli
. A young, poor, and shy girl who sells baskets on the railway platform.
. She is simple, quiet, and dignified.
. The girl symbolizes unfulfilled love and mystery.
. Her silence and sudden disappearance add to the emotional depth of the story.
. She represents people we meet briefly but never forget.
3. Railway Coolies
. Minor characters who create the realistic setting of the railway station.
. They highlight the contrast between the narrator’s emotional world and everyday life moving on normally.
4. Passengers
. Background characters who emphasize the temporary nature of travel and human connections.
. They remind us that while life moves on, some moments remain frozen in memory.
5. The Narrator’s Grandmother
. She lives in Dehra and the narrator travels to meet her.
. She represents family ties, stability, and routine life, which contrasts with the narrator’s emotional restlessness.
. Though she does not appear much, her presence gives purpose to the narrator’s journey.
6. Basket Buyers
. Passengers who occasionally buy baskets from the girl.
. They symbolize indifference and the busy nature of life.
. Their brief interaction contrasts with the narrator’s deep emotional attachment.
6) karma by kushwant Singh
1. Sir Mohan Lal
. Main character of the story.
. He is an Indian barrister educated in England.
. Sir Mohan Lal is proud, arrogant, and obsessed with English culture.
. He looks down upon Indians and believes the British are superior.
. His snobbery and fake manners lead to his humiliation at the end.
. He represents people who reject their own identity.
2. Lachmi
. Sir Mohan Lal’s wife.
. She is simple, traditional, and Indian in her habits.
. Lachmi enjoys betel leaves, talks freely, and travels in the zenana compartment.
. Unlike her husband, she is comfortable with her identity.
. Ironically, she ends up more respected and comfortable than Sir Mohanlal.
3. British Soldiers
. Two English soldiers who enter Sir Mohan Lal’s first-class compartment.
. They treat him with rudeness and racism, seeing him only as an Indian.
. Their behaviour exposes the false pride of Sir Mohan Lal.
. They act as instruments of karma in the story.
4. The Indian Bearer
. A minor character who helps Sir Mohan Lal with his luggage.
. He highlights Sir Mohan Lal’s superiority complex and dismissive attitude toward fellow Indians.
Home assignment
How I Taught My Grandmother to Read - Sudha Murti
Author: Sudha Murty
Basic Details
• Full Name: Sudha Murty
• Born: 19 August 1950
• Profession: Author, social worker, educationist
• Language of Writing: English & Kannada
• Known for: Simple writing style with strong moral and social messages
• She is the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation and works actively for women’s education and rural development.
Famous Works
• Wise and Otherwise
• The Mother I Never Knew
• Three Thousand Stitches
• Dollar Bahu
• Gently Falls the Bakula
• How I Taught My Grandmother to Read
Awards & Honours
• Padma Shri (2006) – Government of India
• R.K. Narayan Award for Literature
• Attimabbe Award (for contributions to Kannada literature)
• Murty Classical Library of India – Recognition for preserving Indian literature
Summary
How I Taught My Grandmother to Read is an autobiographical story by Sudha
Murty. It describes how the author’s grandmother, who had never gone to
school, loved listening to stories from a weekly magazine. She was
especially fond of the serial Kashi Yatre, which someone read aloud to her.
Once, when Sudha Murty was away, her grandmother missed an episode of
the story. This made her realize how helpless she was because she could
not read on her own. Feeling ashamed of her dependence, she decided to
learn to read and write at the age of sixty-two.
Sudha Murty became her teacher and taught her the Kannada alphabet.
Through hard work, patience, and determination, the grandmother learned to
read within a year. On the day of Dussehra, she read a passage
independently and touched Sudha Murty’s feet as a mark of respect.
The story shows that education brings self-respect and independence and
that it is never too late to learn.
Characters
1. The Grandmother
. Elderly, uneducated, but intelligent and determined
. Loves listening to stories
. Represents the desire for self-improvement
. Proves that learning has no age limit
. A young girl and student
. Patient, supportive, and responsible
. Represents the power of education and guidance
Themes
1. Importance of Education
• Education gives freedom, confidence, and independence.
2. Women Empowerment
• The story highlights how women were denied education and how learning can change their lives.
3. Age Is No Barrier to Learning
• The grandmother proves that determination matters more than age.
4. Self-Respect and Independence
• Literacy helps individuals depend on themselves rather than others.
5. Role Reversal
• A child becomes a teacher, showing that knowledge deserves respect.
Conclusion
How I Taught My Grandmother to Read is an inspiring story that teaches us
the value of education, determination, and lifelong learning. Sudha Murty
uses a simple incident to deliver a powerful social message.
Eassy
Karma by kushwant Singh.
Karma is a short story written by Khushwant Singh that highlights the themes of pride, identity, and poetic justice. Through irony and humour, the author exposes the dangers of rejecting one’s own culture and blindly admiring foreign ways of life.
The story revolves around Sir Mohan Lal, an Indian barrister who has been educated in England. He is extremely proud of his Western education and lifestyle. Sir Mohan Lal considers himself superior to other Indians and looks down upon them. He speaks English fluently, dresses like an English gentleman, and prefers British manners over Indian traditions.
In contrast to him is his wife Lachmi, who is simple, traditional, and comfortable with her Indian identity. She enjoys chewing betel leaves, talks freely, and travels in the zenana compartment. Sir Mohan Lal feels embarrassed by her and deliberately keeps a distance from her, believing that she does not match his “English” status.
During a train journey, Sir Mohan Lal travels alone in a first-class compartment, expecting respect from the British passengers. However, two British soldiers enter his compartment and treat him with disrespect. They mock him, insult him, and finally throw him out of the compartment, calling him a “nigger.” At that moment, Sir Mohan Lal realizes that despite his English education and behaviour, he is still seen as an Indian by the British.
Ironically, while Sir Mohan Lal suffers humiliation, Lachmi enjoys a comfortable journey in her compartment. This contrast highlights the theme of karma—Sir Mohan Lal’s arrogance and rejection of his roots bring about his downfall.
Through this story, Khushwant Singh conveys a powerful message: self-respect comes from accepting one’s identity, not from imitating others. Pride and false superiority lead to humiliation, while simplicity and self-acceptance bring peace.
Conclusion
Karma is a sharp critique of colonial mentality and blind imitation of Western culture. The story teaches us that arrogance invites downfall and that every action has consequences. Sir Mohan Lal’s humiliation is the result of his own pride, proving the truth of the title—Karma.
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