THE EYES ARE NOT HERE - Short story –by RUSKIN BOND - Notes - SUMMARY

THE EYES ARE NOT HERE – RUSKIN BOND

          “The Eyes are Not Here” is a beautiful and delightful short story written by Ruskin Bond.   The writer narrated the story in first person.  

         The narrator was a blind young man.  He was travelling to Dehra.  A young girl boarded the train alone. The writer carefully observed the precautions being given to her by her parents.  The narrator slowly acquainted with the girl and asked where she was going.  She told him that she would get down at Shahrampur which was hardly 2 hours journey.  The writer took all his precautions and hid the fact that he was blind.  He complimented the girl saying that she had an interesting face. She felt delighted for such a remark as all others said that she had a pretty face. The writer was attracted towards her sweet voice and the scented smell of her hair.

          When the girl was about to get down, he felt like touching her hair.  But his modesty prevented him from doing so. After she got down, another passenger entered the compartment.  The narrator asked the new person whether the girl’s hair was long or short. The new passenger answered that he noticed only her eyes and not her hair. He further said that she had beautifully eyes- but they were of no use. This meant that the girl was also blind. With this deeply touching twist, the story ended.

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NOOJILLA SRINIVAS

Lecturer in English

Govt. Degree College

Alamuru

Ph: 7981862200

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Some Comprehension Questions:

The Eyes are Not Here

QUESTIONS

1.       Who boarded the train at Rohana?

Ans:  A girl boarded the train at Rohana.

2.       “It would take me some time to discover something about her looks, and perhaps I never would.” Why did the young man say so?

Ans: Because the young man is blind. Hence, he cannot see the girl.

3.       Where was the girl going?

Ans: The girl was going to Saharanpur.

4.       Where was the young man going?

Ans: The young man was going to Dehra, and then to Mussorie.

5.       How did the young man describe the pleasant weather of Mussorie in October?

Ans: The young man described the pleasant weather of Mussorie in October saying that it was the best time. He said that the hills are covered with wild dahlias, the sun is delicious, and log-fires are there at night, the tourists are less, and the roads are quiet and it is the best time.

6.       What was the young man’s remark about the girl’s face?

Ans: The young man remarked that the girl has an interesting face.

7.       What was the young man thinking about the girl’s hair?

Ans:  The young man was thinking whether the girl wore her hair in a bun, or if it was braided, or if it hung loose over her shoulders, or if it was cut very short.

8.       “But her next question removed my doubts.” What were the doubts in the young man’s mind?

Ans: The young man was doubtful whether the girl noticed that he was blind.

9.       Which fact came as a surprise to the young man from the new fellow traveler?

Ans:  The new fellow traveler revealed the surprising fact that the girl was blind. Her eyes were beautiful, but they were of no use. This fact was a surprise to the young man.