A CUP OF TEA SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS: KATHERINE MANSFIELD

(STORY :ONE)

A Cup of Tea Introduction:

This 1922 story “a cup of tea” is written by Katherine Mansfield which holds class
consciousness and materialism as its pivot point. Stunningly well characterized and
magnificently portrayed against its plain title, this story, remarkably presents a crystal clear
image of class distinction and ones mad fondness towards materialism. It’s just the same as “the
doll’s house” and “the garden party” as a matter of fact that these stories also reflect upon the
same issue of class distinction. Mansfield also tried to reflect upon the noble act of philanthropy
and how people fancy this act to be the cause of ascension for their moral values among their
social circle.
Background:
This story was written on 11th of January back in the early 1922, which was first published in
the famous “Story-Teller” magazine and later appeared in Mansfield’s short story collection
“The Dove’s Nest”. The story associates with the deplorable conditions of New Zealand at the
time when it used to be a British Colony. The trends of class distinction were at its peak, a
noticeable issue which needed to be brought forward influenced Mansfield to pen it down.

A Cup of Tea – Summary

‘A Cup of Tea’ by Katherine Mansfield deals with an upper-class woman. The female
protagonist Rosemary Fell, is a bundle of social snobberies. But Mansfield shows that whatever
the status, a woman of Rosemary’s type is a woman after all, frail, and jealous, in spite of her
desire to appear otherwise.
The story begins with a depiction of the chief characteristics of the female protagonist-
Rosemary Fell. She was pretty, young, brilliant, extremely modern, extra ordinarily well dressed,
amazingly well read. She was very rich and organized parties; and her parties were the most
delicious mixture of the really important people. Her shopping used to be very expensive and
choosy.
One winter afternoon Rosemary went inside a little antique shop in Curzon Street. This was the
usual shop where the shopkeeper was ridiculously fond of serving her. The man on the counter
showed her “an exquisite little enamel box” with a very fine glaze as if baked in cream. The
shopman was much interested to sell this creamy box to her as he would gain a big margin. As
the box was too expensive, priced twenty eight guineas, Rosemary asked the shopkeeper to keep
it for her.
The weather, too, on that winter afternoon was not fine. It was rainy and dark. Rosemary also felt
a cold bitter taste in the air and thought of having an extra special tea at home. At that very
instant a young thin, dark, shadowy, a little battle poor creature – a beggar girl – later named
Miss Smith asked for the price of a cup of tea, in a very sobbing.
Rosemary thought of extra ordinary more than extra ordinary adventure. She brought that
shivering thin beggar girl to her big cosy house though the poor girl was very apprehensive.
Rosemary wanted to prove to that girl that wonderful things happen in life, that fairy god
mothers (like her) were real, that rich people (like her) had hearts that “woman were sisters”.
The poor beggar girl felt much uncomfortable in her new surroundings amidst warmth, softness,
high a sweet scent, beautiful big bedroom, curtains, wonder furniture, gold cushions and comfy
chair of Rosemary’s house. After much difficulty Rosemary could handle that poor girl and

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make her take a slight meal of sandwich, bread and butter, and tea. The slight meal had a big
effect upon the poor beggar girl.
At this juncture Philip, Rosemary’s husband entered their room and wanted to know all about
this real pick up. He tried hard to make Rosemary understand the difficulties in her plans to be
nice to this pick up girl, and he explained that Rosemary’s plans were just not feasible. But
Philip had to adopt some other method to get rid of this poor beggar girl. He aroused feelings of
jealously in Rosemary’s mind by praising beggar girl’s beauty. He called her ‘pretty’ ‘absolutely
lovely’. Now Rosemary considered the beggar girl her rival in beauty and love. Rosemary did
not want to lose her husband. She paid the poor little girl a present of money and sent her out.
Rosemary dressed up herself – by doing her hair, darkening her eyes and putting on her pearls –
in order to look attractive. As she talked to her husband her tone became husky and troubled.
Now she could see the danger in her fascinating plan.

After the girl leaves the house Rosemary joins Philips back in the library and asks him if she can
buy the velvet box which isn’t what she wishes to ask. After a pause, she whispers, “Am I
pretty?”

A CUP OF TEA THEMES:

1- Class consciousness is a term used in social sciences and political theory,
particularly Marxism, to refer to the beliefs that a person holds regarding their social
class or economic rank in society, the structure of their class, and their class interests
2- Feminism is a collection of movements and ideologies that share a common goal: to
define, establish, and achieve equal political, economic, cultural, personal, and
social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women
in education and employment. A feminist advocates or supports the rights and equality of
women
3- Class Distinction & Materialism: is a form of philosophical monism which holds
that matter is the fundamental substance in nature, and that all phenomena,
including mental phenomena and consciousness, are the result of material
interactions.The main theme of the story is class distinction and materialism. This story
pictures the differential behavior of the upper class towards the lower class through the
character of Rosemary. Her attitude and behavior gives quite a clear image of the
mentality possessed by discriminating elites. Materialism is rigidly followed by the upper
class. The more they have, the more they want and they don’t want anything ordinary,
they want the best of all, the extraordinary, unaffordable by the commons. Their want for
more never dies. The velvet box in the story symbolizes materialism while
the cup of tea symbolizes the equal needs and requirements of the rich and the poor.

A Cup of Tea Characters:

This story is comprised of these few prominent characters.

ROSEMARY FELL:
A socially poised, rich married woman with a devoted and loving husband, who has a great
lifestyle. She is well-dressed and well off with all the luxuries she desires for. Her interest is
mainly of reading books, always indulged and above all greatly inspired by the characters and
their adventurous lives which she comes across in the stories. Her inspirational interest can be

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judged from the decision she takes when she interacts with a poor soul called Miss Smith by
taking her home with a mere thought of it being an adventure for her recalling the stories of
Dostoevsky. Apart from this possession and insecurity can be sensed in her character.
PHILIPS FELL:
Husband of Rosemary, is in fact one of the richest persons of his society. He loves his wife
devotedly and cares for her a lot. He calls Miss Smith pretty much to his wife’s chagrin, just to
make her send Miss Smith away as she refuses to do so when he asks her in the first place even
though making his wife feel insecure about herself and her beauty.

MISS SMITH:
She is a lean and thin poor girl of just the age of Rosemary. She can’t even afford a single cup of
tea and comes to ask Rosemary to pay her the price of a cup of tea. She is an odd person,
frightened and confused. She is shocked when Rosemary asks her to have a cup of tea with her at
her home. In Mr. Philips’ point of view Miss Smith is very attractive and pretty.

THE SHOPKEEPER:
The owner of a very beautiful antique ornaments shop which in fact was one of Rosemary’s
favorite shops. He would always be looking forward to have Rosemary at his shop and always
saving a lovely piece of art for her only just like he had been saving the eye catching blue velvet
box.

A Cup of Tea Analysis:

TITTLE OF THE STORY:
The plain and ordinary title of the story has the tendency to gravitate readers towards it, as one
can wonder what a title so simple can hold inside it. The charm of the story exceeds the
imagination of the reader as one comes across the contents of the story, finely sketched against
the plain title of the story.
The title of the story is relatable to the story at the point when a poor girl from the story asks a
rich woman to pay her the price of a cup of tea.

SETTING OF THE STORY:

The story setting takes place in the early 1900’s back in Britain. The story begins with the
shopping scenario of Rosemary stopping at florist’s shop and afterwards visiting the antique
ornament shop till darkness strikes. It’s where she meets poor Miss Smith outside the shop.

LITERARY SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STORY:

The story is mainly written in the modernist mode without a set structure. Many shifts and
changes in the narratives can be observed.

NARRATIVE VOICE:
The literary quality drives in from the skillful manner in which the authoress has created a fluid
narrative voice which combines finely by engaging with her subject.

NARRATIVE MODE:
The story takes a start in the third person narrative with many observable shifts afterwards,
establishing a conversational style.

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MCQS
1. The story begins in this year.
(a) 1914.
(b) 1921.
(c) 1917.
(d) 1928.
2. The story takes place in this city.
(a) Chicago.
(b) Philadelphia.
(c) New York.
(d) San Francisco.
3. Where was the young woman standing when approached by the strange man?
(a) Clothing store.
(b) Restaurant.
(c) Bar.
(d) Street.
4. What item of clothing does the woman don to protect her from the rain?
(a) Sweater.
(b) Hat.
(c) Jacket.
(d) Rain coat.
5. What type of store is mentioned in the beginning of chapter 2?
(a) Antique.
(b) General.
(c) Hat.
(d) Clothing.
6. Who visits the store?
(a) Eva.
(b) Dora.
(c) Elizabeth.
(d) Rosemary.
7. What is the woman's last name?
(a) Flannagan.
(b) Fell.
(c) Flaherty.
(d) Frederick.
8. What is the name of the store owner?
(a) Reynolds.
(b) Renfrew.
(c) Renwick.
(d) Rhenquist.
9. What color is the square of velvet?
(a) Red.

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(b) Black.
(c) White.
(d) Blue.
10. What does the man offer to sell to the store?
(a) Figurine.
(b) Enamel box.
(c) Brooch.
(d) Ring.
11. What picture appears on the item?
(a) Hat.
(b) Tree.
(c) Star.
(d) Dog.
12. What second item catches the woman's eye?
(a) Hat.
(b) Letter opener.
(c) Earrings.
(d) Pipe.

THREE QUESTIONS – LEO TOLSTOY (STORY :TWO)

Three Questions is a value based intellectual story written by the renowned Russian writer – Leo
Tolstoy. The story is divided into two parts, both are inter-related and of practical importance.
Summary
I
A king once thought that he would never fail if he knew three things. One, what the right time
was to begin something. Two, which people he should take advice from. Three, how to decide
what the most important thing to do was.
He sent messengers throughout his kingdom. He promised to give a reward of a large sum to the
person who answered his three questions.
Many wise men tried their luck. They gave a number of answers. One said that the king should
go by a timetable. Another said that the king should do whatever seemed him necessary at the
moment. The third suggested that the king should consult wise men or magicians.
Answering the second question, they gave top importance to his councillors, or to priests or to
doctors or to soldiers.
In reply to the third question, the wise men gave importance to science or fighting or religious
worship.
The king was not satisfied. He went to a hermit in the jungle alone. There he saw the old and
weak hermit digging the ground. The king asked his questions but got no answer. Then he took
the spade from the hermit and began to work in his place. Several hours passed. It was evening,
so the king stopped digging the beds. The king was ready to take leave from the hermit. Just then
the hermit told that someone was running towards them.
II

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The king saw a bearded man running towards them. His hands were pressed against his stomach
from which blood was oozing. As he reached the king, he fainted and fell to the ground. He had a
large wound in his stomach.
The king washed the wound and compressed it with his handkerchief. At last the bleeding
stopped. The man felt better and asked for water to drink. The king gave him fresh water.
The sun had set by then. The king and the hermit carried the wounded man into the hut and laid
him on the bed. The tired king also fell asleep. When he awoke, the bearded man asked to
forgive him.
The man was, in fact, the king’s enemy. He had followed the king to take revenge on him. He
had vowed to kill him. The king had once put his brother to death. The man hid himself in a bush
on the way to the jungle. He came out of his hiding place when the king did not return for long.
He got wounded by king’s bodyguards. He would have died if the king had not dressed his
wound. He felt grateful to the king who had saved his life. He promised to serve the king as a
faithful servant.
The king was happy that he had made peace with his enemy. He forgave the man and promised
to give back his property.
The king then went up to the hermit. He again asked for answers to his three questions. The
hermit explained that by digging the beds for him, the king had escaped attack. So the most
important time was when he was digging the beds. The hermit himself was the most important
person. So to do him good was the king’s most important business.
The hermit further told the king that the most important person for him was the person with him
at a particular moment. The most important business was to help that person. And the most
important time was ‘now’ that is, the present moment.
ANALYSIS OF LEO TOLSTOY’S “THREE QUESTIONS”
 What is the right time to begin something?
 Which people should he listen to?
 What is the most important thing for him to do?

As at the core of the Buddha’s enlightenment there was the realization of the Four Noble Truths,
Tolstoy’s story of Three Questions puts forth fundamental reality of life.
While working on the later parts of his life, Tolstoy began experiencing bouts of depression,
which at times were so severe that he considered suicide. He was tormented by the need to find a
meaning for his life that would not be annihilated by death. His Ispoved’ (1882; A
Confession, 1885) describes this spiritual struggle and the solution he found: to practice what he
saw as the essence of Christianity—that is, universal love and passive resistance to evil. A series
of religious writings amplified this new faith. In these, he urged people to live according to the
dictates of conscience, which meant practicing universal love and living as far as possible by
their own labor. He also declared all forms of violence equally wrong, including war and the
compulsion that the state uses against its citizens.

His Three Questions wrote about of moral philosophy. He wrote Three Questions based on fairy
tales or religious legends. Written in a simple but expressive style, it is intended to convey his
idea of ethical Christianity and expanded Buddhism. Tolstoy himself tried to abide by his new
beliefs, simplifying his life, living on his own labor, and giving up material possessions.

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As the story of Three Questions goes, a certain King yearns to know the answer for his three
questions namely, the right time to begin everything, the right people to listen to and the most
important thing to do. The king wants to be successful in all his endeavors and so he takes
immense interest in gathering the right resources in terms of right time, right person whom he
could consult and the right order of priority to carry out the work.

The King out of his curiosity to know answers for his three questions visits the hermit living in a
forest. The King helped the hermit by digging the ground because the hermit being an old man
got tired of digging. Every time he stuck the earth with his spade, he scooped little earth and
breathed heavily due to exhaustion. The situation warrants that the king has to extend his stay
with the hermit. As the sun sets, a bearded man came out of the bushes with a severe wound in
his stomach. The King cleaned and bandaged the wound. The bearded man had come to kill the
king and got wounded by the king’s bodyguards. Had not the king bandaged the wound he would
have bled to death. Though the king saved the man’s life without knowledge about his intentions
the bearded man as a token of gratitude decides to forgo the enmity and be a faithful slave to the
king. The king was very glad for having made peace with his enemy. He forgave him and
promised to restore his property and also arranged for his own servants and physicians to attend
on him.

The hermit interprets these two events. Had not the King taken pity on the old hermit and helped
him dig he would got killed on the way home. Then the king would have regretted for not
staying back. Therefore, the most important time was the time the king was digging, and the
most important person was the hermit who was with the king and the most important pursuit was
to help the hermit. Later, when the wounded man was tended to, the most important time was the
time spent in dressing his wounds and for if the king had not cared for him he would have died
and the king would have lost the chance to make peace with him. Likewise the most important
pursuit was taking care of the wound. The hermit invites the emperor to reflect on his recent
experience and see how it is a perfect backdrop to form answers to his questions.

According to the Hermit, the most important thing one should do is to do good to people whom
we are with at that moment. The King did well to both the Hermit and the wounded man. The
most important time is the present moment, as the present is the only time over which we have
power. The most important person is whoever one is with. The most important thing is to do well
to the person one is with. The most important pursuit is making that person happy and that
should be the pursuit of one’s life. As Buddha applied the experimental approach to questions of
ultimate truth, the hermit answered the king likewise.

MCQS
The bearded man came...

a- to get the reward from the King for answering his questions.
b- to ask the hermit questions.
c- to find the King to warn him of danger.
d- to kill the King.

This story was designed to...

a- teach a lesson

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 b- spread awareness about a topic
c- tell a story
d- entertain
What is the most important occupation according to the hermit?
a- Warfare
b- Science
c- Priests
d- Doing good to others
The author of this story is from...
a- the US
b- Russia
c- The Ukraine
d- Germany
"BINGO" A SHORT STORY BY TARIQ RAHMAN (STORY:THREE)

Background to Bingo
A challenge to Pakistan’s unity emerged in East Pakistan when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
(“Mujib”), leader of the Awami League, insisted on a federation under which East Pakistan
would be virtually independent. He envisaged a federal government that would deal with defense
and foreign affairs only; even the currencies would be different, although freely convertible.
Mujib’s program had great appeal for many East Pakistanis, and in the December 1970 election
called by Yahya, he won by a landslide in East Pakistan, capturing 160 seats in the National
Assembly. Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) emerged as the largest party in West Pakistan,
capturing 81 seats (predominantly in Punjab and Sindh). This gave the Awami League an
absolute majority in the National Assembly, a turn of events that was considered unacceptable by
political interests in West Pakistan because of the divided political climate of the country. The
Awami League adopted an uncompromising stance, however, and negotiations between the
various sides became deadlocked.
Suspecting Mujib of secessionist politics, Yahya in March 1971 postponed indefinitely the
convening of the National Assembly. Mujib in return accused Yahya of collusion with Bhutto
and established a virtually independent government in East Pakistan. Yahya opened negotiations
with Mujib in Dhaka in mid-March, but the effort soon failed. Meanwhile Pakistan’s army went
into action against Mujib’s civilian followers, who demanded that East Pakistan become
independent as the nation of Bangladesh.
There were many casualties during the ensuing military operations in East Pakistan, as the
Pakistani army attacked the poorly armed population. India claimed that nearly 10
million Bengali refugees crossed its borders, and stories of West Pakistani atrocities abounded.
The Awami League leaders took refuge in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and established a government
in exile. India finally intervened on December 3, 1971, and the Pakistani army surrendered 13
days later. East Pakistan declared its independence as Bangladesh.
Yahya resigned, and on December 20 Bhutto was inaugurated as president and chief martial law
administrator of a truncated Pakistan. Mujib became the first prime minister of Bangladesh in

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January 1972. When the Commonwealth of Nations admitted Bangladesh later that year,
Pakistan withdrew its membership, not to return until 1989. However, the Bhutto government
gave diplomatic recognition to Bangladesh in 1974.
INTRODUCTION TO THE STORY
Bingo is a game in which numbered balls are drawn at random and players cover the
corresponding numbers on their cards; but here refers to a character Tajassur. He belonged to the
East Pakistan; now called Bangladesh. People coming from Bangladesh are Bengalis and so the
character Tajassur is nicknamed Bingo.
Bingo is an early short story written was Tariq Rahman in mid-1970’s. It was the first work of
fiction in Pakistani English Literature, which focused on the 1971 war.

The tale revolves around the relationship between the West Pakistani narrator, Safeer, and his
friend Tajassur, from East Pakistan. Both are in the military academy together and are posted as
junior officers to Dhaka on the eve of the civil war, with tragic consequences.
The story shows friendship or enmity of the two parts of a country symbolically represented by
two characters Tajassur and Safeer. The story also makes a telling comment on how a blinkered
reading of colonial history has shaped the perceptions and institutions of Pakistan’s ruling elite.
DETAILED SUMMARY
It was very painful experience during the first term because they made us stand in our half pants
in the cold weather at night. The Battalion sergeant was a sadist and enjoyed inflicting juniors.
When I became SGC, I made my cadets stand up early, as it was idiotic to be late. I made them
double round and why should they be sleeping while the seniors are all up.
Tajassur was one such idiot whom the seniors were trying hard to make a better soldier. He let
the cadets get up late and had his back kicked but did not care. He chatted around, walked
carelessly and was not particular of the military discipline and it was really hard to bear that
while I was in my pants up and kicking; he was always sleep like top. Yet Tajassur looked more
girlish in his looks and the seniors called him sissy and commented that he was fit to be a
heroine. They joked about him and even bothered us much as he was popular and this drew
attention of every one to both of us; although I was good at drill and Tajassur was a real louse at
that. Most of us did his job for him; but what he was particularly interested in were jokes. These
things made him popular but his performance and training sessions were always marked down.
After during each military duty we ended up in a dance or some trivial activity and were always
late for the academy doors. This could have been dangerous if any body had noticed that we
shirked our cadet responsibilities.
He got the twentieth position and it was all due to his oral expression in English and discursive
abilities. However, before we passed out, things were against him as he was a Bingo and the East
Pakistan was in conflict with the West Pakistan striving to separate. We called him a traitor and
Sheik Mujeebur Rahman’s ally. He did not say anything as he was a kid and kids do not mind
politics.
The day came when we passed out and Safeer thought that Tajassur would bring shame to army
due to his indiscipline. Tajassur said that he did what he liked to do and it had nothing to do with

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Bingo. Later, they had to report to the stations for duty. They boarded a plane and found
themselves lucky as they were among the soldiers.
When they reached the station, they found hurry and tension. There was captain Maqsood who
ordered them to look sharp in their army uniform, which meant ready for battle. Captain
Maqsood rebuked Tajassur as he got there late as was his wont and was much advised by him.
Captain Maqsood, the Adjutant, seemed to be a real officer. Then the commanding officer (CO)
came in. He had a little introduction with the Safeer and Tajassur and Tajassur was again much
advised by the C.O. Some military and personal information and ideas were shared.

They were talking about the bravery of various soldiers and military officers while Tajassur was
silent. He suddenly spoke that people had to fight when they were oppressed and exploited. This
startled every body. Tajassur’s view was that bravery was only good if is used for a just cause
and if it is used to exploit people, it is evil. The C.O. became furious thought he didn’t express
his anger and left. The adjutant spoke angrily to Tajassur, ‘How dare you speak so insolently
before the C.O.?’ Tajassur replied, ‘I merely expressed my opinion.’ Safeer had always advised
him not to speak so casually before the elders because a respect for the senior is necessary in the
army. When he went to the room, Tajassur was asleep and had fallen into every body’s bad
books.
Then the C.O. called a conference and briefed about the border conditions while Tajassur
remained psychologically aloof. Then they started discussing what would happen and that they
would have to kill the Bingo friends (the people of Bangladesh) and they felt sorry for that.
Safeer said, ‘my conscience says that kill the enemies of Pakistan’ and Tajassur spoke, ‘that is
propaganda’. Before independence, we were beaten by the British and now by our own
government. He detailed the exploitation and devastation of the Bingo people and he frantically
kept on it and behaved like a mad man. Days passed and the condition of the Bingos went worse.
Safeer began to think that it was a race of slaves. They started killing the Bingos where they
found and where they heard the news that some military guys were killed.
When Tajassur came of age, he also got his first girl friend. He was intoxicated with whisky and
when he went into her room, she started crying out and Safeer gave her a slap and she lay quietly
like a log and he felt disgusted and later he learnt the rules of the game and found brown bodies
enjoying and better to play with.
One day, they were given the orders to clear the village the Muktees. Safeer was in charge. They
attacked the village and spread havoc and they were counterattacked and had to retreat. Safeer
was given a blow and fell into unconsciousness and found himself to be prisoner with the
Bingos. They started a heated conversation about the two different nations, their governments
and the next day Safeer was to be killed. He recalled Tajassur and the happy moments he had
spent with the girl and his friends.
When the day for execution approached, there was a tap at the door and a familiar voice. It was
Tajassur who had come to rescue Safeer. Safeer was most delighted to have him back at that
critical moment and glad at his help. The Civil War beginning to end. The Pakistani soldiers had
surrendered and the East Pakistan had come up as Bangladesh. Safeer had to stay with Tajassur

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and his family for some days to reach back to Pakistan. Tajassur had a sister and a mother who
most politely welcomed him and treated him well and when Safeer’s was about to leave for
Pakistan, Tajassur’s mother and sister gave him some gifts. But just before he was leaving, a
band of soldiers entered the house and shot down Tajassur and his family. There was no mother
and no sister any more. Safeer shouted to stop them, but to no avail.
Tajassur’s sister Amina was naked, raped and dead. Her mother tore her hair at this sight and
Safeer could not look into the mother’s eye and shot her down as well. Nothing mattered now.
Tajassur, his sister and mother were death. Pakistan had surrender and Bangladesh was free at
the expense of so many innocent lives.
BINGO – CRITICAL APPRECIATION
Introduction and Title
Bingo is a story about the two countries represented by the two characters; Safeer and Tajassur.
The tale revolves around the relationship between the West Pakistani narrator, Safeer, and his
friend Tajassur, from East Pakistan. Both are in the military academy together and are posted as
junior officers to Dhaka on the eve of the civil war, with tragic consequences. The title of the
story is significant because it is surprising for some people as Bingo denotes a game; but Bingo
here refers to a person belonging to Bangladesh and the title is just belongs the story revolves
around and in Bangladesh and about a Bangladeshi; Tajassur.
Main theme
The story describes the condition of East and West Pakistan in which both the people of the
country shared equal status; but the East Pakistan under the leadership of Mujeebur Rahman
announced autonomy and independence. The writer contends that price of meaningless
independence is at the cost of one’s valuable innocent lives. Pakistan as composite of East and
West could have been even stronger and more productive but for the unnecessary slogan for
freedom from the Bingo leadership.
Symbolic elements in the story
The story Bingo is highly symbolic of the two forces struggling to set each one of them free and
ironically destroying themselves. Tajassur symbolically represents Bangladesh and Safeer
symbolizes Pakistan.
Ironical Patterns
Both the friends undergo the military training and aspire to contribute to the protection of the
state; but ironically, they are put under the trial of their consciousness whether the war they are
fighting is just or wrong. Both Safeer and Tajassur think that they are right and Safeer towards
the end of the story is changed into a type of beast who, though unwillingly, but still kills the
family of his friend. He kills Tajassur’s sister and mother who praised for his protection. There is
another ironical pattern in the story. Both the countries are Muslim states; both of them got
independence under one banner; but the Bingo state (The East Pakistan separated) and what can
be more ironical than the fact the two Muslim states are fighting for the same cause which each
of them thinks right for himself and wrong for the other.
Characterization

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Tariq Rahman has employed very few characters in the story. Tajassur and Safeer tower above
other characters and significantly provide a contrast to the military-trained officers who know no
humanity. Tariq Rahman’s depiction of characters is real and authentic and his characters are felt
by heart as we feel humans in our real life. Tariq’s main achievement in Work and Other Short
Stories is the portrayal of Tajassur and Safeer in Bingo. Nowhere does he command our full
attention as in Bingo which the crown of this selection in terms of characterization.

Style and Technique

Tariq Rahman’s style in Bingo has a different change in it. He did not write Bingo as he wrote
other stories. He seems to have conceived the idea properly and applies his style well to the
structure of the story. He has used conversation language at some places to amuse as well as to
philosophize his issue. His conversational style also adds variety to this story.
Conclusion
In short, Bingo is a well-conceived and well-structured story. Plot moves from a certain cause
and effect pattern. The idea of 1971 war is really thrashing and very few Pakistani writers have
chosen it to present in their literature. Tariq Rahman has not only used the topic but also given it
a new orientation.
Main Characters – Tajassur and Safeer
Introduction
Bingo does not have any one central character to be superimposed on the others. It has a
parallelism of Tajassur and Safeer; both of whom are to be military officers. Tajassur belongs
to Bangladesh and is nicknamed Bingo while Safeer belongs to Pakistan. Before the civil war,
both the countries were one and the east wing was called East Pakistan which became
Bangladesh and the west wing was called Western Pakistan; now Pakistan only. These two
characters represent these two countries respectively.
Tajassur
Tajassur belongs to Bangladesh. He is a young man having some boyish and shy look. He is very
casual. He does not attend his meetings well in time and he doesn’t even get better marks in the
pass-out. Tajassur has a sister, Amina and a mother in his east wing. However, he is very
outspoken and sometimes bitter, but is very kind and generous. Safeer does not seem to regard
the Bingos; but we see that at the end of the story, he not only gets his released, but also helps
him get out safely from Bangladesh while the Pakistani troops were surrendering. Largely,
Tajassur is a good and loyal character who is enveloped into bad political conditions.
Safeer
Safeer is the narrator of the story. We come to know his name later in the story while Tajassur is
the first to be mentioned in the narrative. Safeer is Tajassur’s friend and belongs to West
Pakistan. He is also an aspirant military man like Tajassur; but is serious and a lot more
responsible than the same. He passes out with a good position and is intellectually superior. He
supports Western Pakistan and doesn’t have good regards for the Bingos. Hence the term
‘Bingo’ rather than ‘Bangladesh or East Pakistani’. Safeer is a complex character. Towards the
end of the story, when he is caught by the Bangladeshi soldiers, he is released by Tajassur who

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supports him and looks forward to sending him back safely. Safeer is well treated by Tajassur’s
family. While he is in Tajassur’s house, Pakistani soldiers enter the house and kill Tajassur and
rape and kill his sister too. His mother is left badly off whom Safeer himself kills because he is
unable to look into her eyes that treated him so well.

Conclusion
Tajassur and Safeer are the central characters of the story. They are so tightly connected that one
cannot discuss one without mentioning or discussing the other. They were as linked as the East
and West Pakistan were and were such like separated. The death of Tajassur causes a number of
questions and the shooting of Safeer at the end of the story produces questions whose answers lie
in the unnecessary freedom of a nation at the expense of thousands of innocent lives.

THE STORY OF AN HOUR BY KATE CHOPIN (STORY :FOUR)

Plot Overview
Summary Plot Overv
Louise Mallard has heart trouble, so she must be informed carefully about her husband’s death.
Her sister, Josephine, tells her the news. Louise’s husband’s friend, Richards, learned about a
railroad disaster when he was in the newspaper office and saw Louise’s husband, Brently, on the
list of those killed. Louise begins sobbing when Josephine tells her of Brently’s death and goes
upstairs to be alone in her room.
Louise sits down and looks out an open window. She sees trees, smells approaching rain, and
hears a peddler yelling out what he’s selling. She hears someone singing as well as the sounds of
sparrows, and there are fluffy white clouds in the sky. She is young, with lines around her eyes.
Still crying, she gazes into the distance. She feels apprehensive and tries to suppress the building
emotions within her, but can’t. She begins repeating the word Free! to herself over and over
again. Her heart beats quickly, and she feels very warm.
Louise knows she’ll cry again when she sees Brently’s corpse. His hands were tender, and he
always looked at her lovingly. But then she imagines the years ahead, which belong only to her
now, and spreads her arms out joyfully with anticipation. She will be free, on her own without
anyone to oppress her. She thinks that all women and men oppress one another even if they do it
out of kindness. Louise knows that she often felt love for Brently but tells herself that none of
that matters anymore. She feels ecstatic with her newfound sense of independence.
Josephine comes to her door, begging Louise to come out, warning her that she’ll get sick if she
doesn’t. Louise tells her to go away. She fantasizes about all the days and years ahead and hopes
that she lives a long life. Then she opens the door, and she and Josephine start walking down the
stairs, where Richards is waiting.
The front door unexpectedly opens, and Brently comes in. He hadn’t been in the train accident or
even aware that one had happened. Josephine screams, and Richards tries unsuccessfully to
block Louise from seeing him. Doctors arrive and pronounce that Louise died of a heart attack
brought on by happiness.

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 Character List
Characters Character List
 Louise Mallard
A woman whose husband is reportedly killed in a train accident. When Louise hears the news,
she is secretly happy because she is now free. She is filled with a new lust for life, and although
she usually loved her husband, she cherishes her newfound independence even more. She has a
heart attack when her husband, alive after all, comes home.
 Brently Mallard
Louise’s husband, supposedly killed in a train accident. Although Louise remembers Brently as a
kind and loving man, merely being married to him also made him an oppressive factor in her life.
Brently arrives home unaware that there had been a train accident.
 Josephine
Louise’s sister. Josephine informs Louise about Brently’s death.
 Richards
Brently’s friend. Richards learns about the train accident and Brently’s death at the newspaper
office, and he is there when Josephine tells the news to Louise.
THEMES
The Forbidden Joy of Independence
In “The Story of an Hour,” independence is a forbidden pleasure that can be imagined only
privately. When Louise hears from Josephine and Richards of Brently’s death, she reacts with
obvious grief, and although her reaction is perhaps more violent than other women’s, it is an
appropriate one. Alone, however, Louise begins to realize that she is now an independent
woman, a realization that enlivens and excites her. Even though these are her private thoughts,
she at first tries to squelch the joy she feels, to “beat it back with her will.” Such resistance
reveals how forbidden this pleasure really is. When she finally does acknowledge the joy, she
feels possessed by it and must abandon herself to it as the word free escapes her lips. Louise’s
life offers no refuge for this kind of joy, and the rest of society will never accept it or understand
it. Extreme circumstances have given Louise a taste of this forbidden fruit, and her thoughts are,
in turn, extreme. She sees her life as being absolutely hers and her new independence as the core
of her being. Overwhelmed, Louise even turns to prayer, hoping for a long life in which to enjoy
this feeling. When Brently returns, he unwittingly yanks Louise’s independence away from her,
putting it once again out of her reach. The forbidden joy disappears as quickly as it came, but the
taste of it is enough to kill her.
The Inherent Oppressiveness of Marriage
Chopin suggests that all marriages, even the kindest ones, are inherently oppressive. Louise, who
readily admits that her husband was kind and loving, nonetheless feels joy when she believes that
he has died. Her reaction doesn’t suggest any malice, and Louise knows that she’ll cry at
Brently’s funeral. However, despite the love between husband and wife, Louise views Brently’s
death as a release from oppression. She never names a specific way in which Brently oppressed
her, hinting instead that marriage in general stifles both women and men. She even seems to
suggest that she oppressed Brently just as much as he oppressed her. Louise’s epiphany in which
these thoughts parade through her mind reveals the inherent oppressiveness of all marriages,
which by their nature rob people of their independence.
SYMBOLS
Heart Trouble

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 The heart trouble that afflicts Louise is both a physical and symbolic malady that represents her
ambivalence toward her marriage and unhappiness with her lack of freedom. The fact that Louise
has heart trouble is the first thing we learn about her, and this heart trouble is what seems to
make the announcement of Brently’s death so threatening. A person with a weak heart, after all,
would not deal well with such news. When Louise reflects on her new independence, her heart
races, pumping blood through her veins. When she dies at the end of the story, the diagnosis of
“heart disease” seems appropriate because the shock of seeing Brently was surely enough to kill
her. But the doctors’ conclusion that she’d died of overwhelming joy is ironic because it had
been the loss of joy that had actually killed her. Indeed, Louise seems to have died of a broken
heart, caused by the sudden loss of her much-loved independence.
The Open Window
The open window from which Louise gazes for much of the story represents the freedom and
opportunities that await her after her husband has died. From the window, Louise sees blue sky,
fluffy clouds, and treetops. She hears people and birds singing and smells a coming rainstorm.
Everything that she experiences through her senses suggests joy and spring—new life. And when
she ponders the sky, she feels the first hints of elation. Once she fully indulges in this excitement,
she feels that the open window is providing her with life itself. The open window provides a
clear, bright view into the distance and Louise’s own bright future, which is now unobstructed by
the demands of another person. It’s therefore no coincidence that when Louise turns from the
window and the view, she quickly loses her freedom as well.
MCQS
What did Louise Mallard usually feel toward her husband during their life together?
 Indifference
 Resentment
 Affection
 Love
How is Brently Mallard supposed to have died?
 A train accident
 A boat accident
 A heart attack
 A deadly infection
What is Josephine's relation to Louise?
 Sister
 Step-sister
 Daughter
 Friend
What is Richards's relation to Brently?
 Brother
 Step-brother

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 Friend
 Son
Where did Richards learn about Brently's death?
 The town square
 The train station
 The union office
 The newspaper office

Which of the following traits is not characteristic of Louise Mallard?

 Intelligence
 Cruelty
 Independence
 Emotionality
What is Louise's immediate outward reaction to the news that her husband is dead?
 She screams
 She stares numbly
 She cries
 She laughs
What does Louise understand about the thoughts and feelings she is having about Brently's
death?
 They are natural
 They are improper
 They make her evil
 She must express them publicly
What ailment afflicts Louise both physically and emotionally?
 "Sleeping trouble"
 "Breathing trouble"
 "Heart trouble"
 "Head trouble"
What is the true cause of the heart attack that kills Louise?
 Shock
 Disappointment
 Happiness
 Answers A. and B.

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 Bottom of Form

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