Mom
sleeps on
the mat
and Appa
sleeps on
the
'rattan
bed'
position of the mother is
lower which is symbolic of
her low dignity and position
in the family and community
society
expects
women to
stay below
whereas father sleeps
on the comfortable
'rattan bed'
males are more
privileged even
though poor
as if women are meant to give up their comfort for the males
"now the force of impending death had
awakened her for a final struggle for her life"
she is being 'forced' to 'death' when 'unconscious'
it is the women
who is the
victim of abuses
and violence
and death
shows how few
right they have,
no right over their
own lives
women is the
victim of men -
patriarchy
no reason given
purposefully
because she is
innocent,
emphasises the
injustice
Lack of mom's importance in the family
she is not asked when making the decision of Anil
Appa does not care about her
"Shanti, the
woman's daughter'
when it is a
daughter it was
seen as the
belonging of the
mother
next line talks
about Marimuthu
about no link made
between the father
and the daughter
whereas emphasised
several time that Anil is
the 'only son' of
Raghunathan
maybe he has a sister
but not of importance
and not mentioned
Anil is of greater
importance as seen
as the men who
can earn to the
family
never referred to as the mother's son
Marimuthu's wife and Amma
lack of name means no personal identity
recognised only
for her duties as
the amma of the
family
recognised by the husband's name as if she is
possessed and all because of him
"now the force of
impending death had
awakened her for a final
struggle for her life"
use of word 'final'
make sit seem as if this is something common in their life
and this is her 'final struggle' of all as she will be free when die
highlights the belief that
women are meant to have
'struggle' and pain
story explores all the possible struggles
"bruise on her shoulder
"abused by his family."
"he body of the
woman lay limp,
swaying from
side to side and
twirling
sadistically to
face east and
then west and
then east again."
'limp' means not stable and firm
as if she is
pleading people
around for help
whereas tree represents headman who
is stable and has dark underpinnings of
human psyche
he cants be uprroted
shows women's powerlessness and how they have no control or stability
poverty
poor condition of family
no description of rooms or things in hut shows
lack of possessions or assets.
they live in
a hut that's
small
thatched roof
that rarely
provides protect
it is said to be
dusty implying
to unhygeinic
No description of rooms or things in hut shows lack of possessions or assets.
mom has only
'four faded
sari' they can't
afford normal
belongings
‘’Mosquitoes
were in their
reign of
terrorism’’.
Creates image of backward slum kind of area.
mosquitoes
breed in an
area that is
dirty and
unhygienic
Signs of
unmaintained
and poor
livelihood.
Gives an
idea about
how
poorly
developed
their
society is.
"Dreaming their
dreams that rarely
amounted to
anything."
They are dreaming
everyday life and
profitable
occupation.
shows how much
consumed they are
with their jobs
Perhaps
struggling
very much to
live living.
Portrays how poor they
are that basics of well
set life is like a dream.
"And Ragunathan, the
illiterate, uneducated
father, the person with little
dreams, the mouse of a
man who was ever ready
to serve his employer,
nodded agreeably. "
Writer focuses
specially on fact
that he is
‘illiterate’.
He prove point that still headman employs
him and is grateful to him.
Reason to why Anil’s father is forced to
nodded agreeably.
He depends so heavily on headman for income.
How poverty has forced them to live life of
misery and influence all decisions.
‘’The street were
dark with no
lighting.’’
Lack of
facilities
on the
streets.
Living in extremely remote and
deprived area and poverty.
Loss Of Innocence
"there were
no more stars
in the morning.’’
Stars symbolise
aspiration & dreams
boy has at start.
Childhood fantasy and
imagination of grabbing
‘fascinating’ stars.
Believes that it is
very easy to achieve
such dreams.
Because believes in ‘magical
wonders of life’ and that the world is
much better. shows his positivity
But then night brings an end
to childhood & innocent
belief understand.
He discovers that the
world is full of evil &
deceive & violence.
Feels how
he is trapped
in darknes.
This makes him realise his
dream hard to achieve & fulfil in
this world of power and rule.
Hence "there were no
more stars in
the morning.’’
‘’Battle with his fearing of
venturing out in the dark.’’
At the beginning Anil is afraid of darkness.
He is innocent & find
myths about ‘ghosty tree’
and ‘ghost’ more scary.
‘’Shadow of a smile on his lips.”
But towards the end of discovers that the
real darkness is not nature revealed.
Threat is possessed by the dark
underpinnings of human psychology.
The smile has evil constipation of corruption.
So it has dark ‘shadow’ sign
that something unfair is going.
This is the darknes one should be actually afraid about.
When written talks
about ‘shadow’ of the
evil that is not seen but
leaves dark effect.
‘’He could see
only the dark.’’
‘’His eyes became
accustomed to the
darkness.
At start of story Anil is innocent child and unaware of dark.
He could only see dark
but not see through it.
Meaning he can’t realize
that the darkness is more
than dark nights.
He couldn’t see
the people
behind this
darkness.
whereas once he starts
seeing this incident, he
becomes exposed to the dark.
He is getting ‘accustomed’
to dead's of deception.
He becomes ‘used to’
this cruel world like how
most adults have.
‘’Are you sending me away
because I saw him do it?’’
Shows his
understanding about
how the cruel world
works.
He knows that
headman was the
part of this & he is
misusing his power.
But now afraid to
discover as he fears
pain it will bring.
Unlike the second day where he perhaps did not know headman was the part of murder.
He was not afraid to tell the truth.
"I will never
Roget the sin this
villages buries
today,"
Shows his
understanding about
how this incident has
comp changed his life.
And how he is grown
up and start to keep
these memories.
He is no longer a child
who forgets some bad
experience in a few days.
He is starting to understand secrets that are buried &its sin.
‘’Are you sending me away because I saw him do it?’’
Darkness and Fear
Adults afraid of truth
"‘’His eyes darting from one face to another.’’"
So they then support him to hide truth.
Scared of its consequence.
Their goodwill depend on headman.
He has economic power over them.
Can harm them only way.
Anil's fear about ghosts
"They.
Peyi,
Pesase.
Ghosts."
oen word
sentence
shows his
unbearable
fear
does not
even know
how to
describe it
childhood
innocence
as being
afraid of
ghosts
does not
know that
the real
thing to
be afraid
of are
human
psyche
Real Darkness
"It was a tree
that ate
children."
Image of
‘ghosty’ tree
with myths.
Something children think they might afraid about.
But real darkness lies in its simple meaning.
Represent the dark underpinning of headman psycology.
That is something which possess real threat
Not afraid
to see the
crime
"He turned
back to the
window."
yet he is very
curios to know
what is going on
tempted to look
there and can't
look behind
he is scared so he turns to his parents
knows
something
wrong is
happening
Marimuthu's fear and guilt
"Marimuthu turned sharply to face his accuser,
his eyes momentarily exposing his naked guilt.
But then he saw the little boy and pretended to
be wrapped in sorrow once again."
he is afraid and 'guilty' of
what he has done
so he turns instantly to see who spoke out
but relieved to 'see little biy'
he is aware that he can use the 'dark' side of his brother to get him out of the way
underestimates the power of villagers and misuse corruption