Premchand (b. Dhanpat Rai) 1880-1936.
Knowledgeable in Urdu and Persian as well as Hindi. Schoolteacher
to Deputy Inspector of Schools, then resigns as a result of Gandhi’s
call for non-cooperation with the British. Kind of a heroic gesture, putting
his money where his mouth is, but results in his spending most of his time
on his writing and he becomes the prolific writer the world now knows.
“My Big Brother”
Lacks the rather subtle humor of many of Premchand’s
stories, but does include a movement into greater awareness of themselves
and life.
There is a sense of naiveté and innocence the two
brothers have at the beginning. The early description of the brother “not
wanting to move too hastily in an important matter like education” seems
spoken in earnest, as were the claims that “by nature he was very studious.”
We are brought into the joke with the nonsense lines that the younger brother
is too timid to enquire about.
Note the importance of English as an object of study. And
its relative difficulty. Then we have the newly resolved younger drwing up
an impossible schedule, only to forsake it the next opportunity.
In part 2 we learn that not only is younger brother not
a dummy, but he is very smart, and we begin to suspect that the older brother
might have an undiagnosed learning disability. But the elder’s lecture
on pride and where it gets you, then on the difficulties of English History
(“they didn’t have enough names to go along”) and on geometry
and punctuality all hit home. (OK, maybe the wit is left intact in the story,
after all.)
The ending of the story is the kicker though, as it is the
bother who retrieves the kite end and goes running off. There is something
in the story about traditional values and reverence for age and all that,
but here perhaps is also a treatment of balance in the kinds of traits that
one needs.
Quiz on Tagore and Premchand
1. In Tagore’s “The Conclusion,” what happens so that Aburba, the returning student, is first able to hear the laughter of his future wife, Mrinmayi?
2. When Apurba goes to meet a potential bride, Mrinmayi bursts in and then, when she leaves, takes something of Apurba’s. what does she take?
3. After some unhappy weeks together, Apurba and Mrinmayi take a journey together. Who do they go to visit?
4. They are soon separated again. What is the cause for this separation?
5. While separated, Mrinmayi writes a message to Apurba. Why does she get no reply from him?
6. Describe the reunion of the married pair.
7. In Premchand’s “My Big Brother,” both brothers are students. Describe the kind of student the big brother is.
8. One lesson they must learn in school has to do with British Royalty. According to Big Brother, what is the main problem with learning about British Royalty?
9. What is the little brother’s favorite way to spend his time while at the hostel connected to the school?
10. In the end, the big brother is described as engaging in a particular action (following another stern lecture to his younger sibling). What is this action?
Extra credit. One-half point each. “The boat drew up at the usual ghat” (Tagore, 950) What is a ghat?
But since his mother has taken over it’s as if Lakshmi had come into his house” (Premchand, 127). “`Darling, you must be a Lakshmi to brighten your husband’s home” (Tagore, 956). Who or what is this Lakshmi (be as specific as possible).