Q5 of 22 Page 22

Answer the following questions briefly.

"Ali came out very slowly, turning after every few steps to gaze at the post office.


His eyes were filled with tears of helplessness, for his patience was exhausted, even though he still had faith." Why were Ali's eyes filled with tears of helplessness? What had exhausted his patience but not his faith?

Ali realized that he was nearing his death. He was exhausted and his patience was running out. His body was weak and incapable of travelling on foot to the post office daily. He had waited patiently for his daughter's letter but now his final day had come. He still had faith, however, that his daughter would send him the letter after he died, so he travelled to the post office, one last time, to beg the postmaster to note down his daughter's name in the register, but he was turned away by the postmaster who was indifferent to his plight, so his eyes were full of tears of helplessness.


More from this chapter

All 22 →
5

Answer the following questions briefly.

What impression do you form of the postmaster after reading the story 'The Letter'?

 5

Answer the following questions briefly.

The postmaster says to Ali, "What a pest you are, brother!" Do you agree with the statement? Give reasons for your answer.

 5

Answer the following questions briefly.

"Tortured by doubt and remorse, he sat down in the glow of the charcoal sigri to wait." Who is tortured by doubt and remorse? Why? What is he waiting for?

 6

The writer carefully builds up an atmosphere of loneliness and grief in the story. Working in groups, pick out words/ phrases from the story that builds up the atmosphere. Copy the following table in your notebook and complete it.