THE LETTER
WORKSHEET
Theme: The poignant story has a very touching theme. Just like everyone in this world needs to love and be loved, everyone has to bear the grief of separation from the loved ones. Some people like Ali has the patience and strength to bear it until their death, others like the post master cannot even bear it for a short span of time. No one can gauge the depth of human emotions till one identifies oneself with ones fellow beings.
Message: The author emphasizes the need of empathy, compassion, love and fellow feelings for those suffering from the grief and pain of separation. Thoughtless people like the post master who are indifferent and insensitive towards the suffering of others must remember that life can be equally unkind to them at some stage and they should beware of treating their fellow beings harshly.
Irony: Irony is a literary device where opposite to what is expected to happen. There is an instance of dramatic irony in this story. The post master humiliates coachman Ali for pestering him with inquiries about a letter from his daughter Miriam. He fails to understand the pain and grief of separation Ali undergoes. However ironically, one day he himself has to suffer worry and anxiety when he is waiting for the news of his ailing daughter’s illness and receives no letter from her. This incident, however leaves him a much wiser man, full of love, compassion and empathy.
I. Read the following passages and answer the questions given below:
1.“For several days Ali had not come to the post office. There was no one with enough sympathy or understanding to guess the reason, but all were curious to know what had stopped the old man.”
(a) Why did Ali come to the post office?
(b) Why had Ali stopped coming to the post office?
(c) What were they curious to know?
2. But when the evening of his life was drawing in, he left his old ways and suddenly took a new turn.
(a) Explain — ‘evening of life was drawing in”?
(b) What were the man’s old ways?
(c) What new turn did his life take? Why?
3. “I know! I know! But do you think we’ve got your Miriam’s house registered.”
(a) Identify the speaker.
(b) Discuss the context of the above remark.
(c) What was the result of the above remark on the listener?
II. Answer the given questions in 30-40 words:-
a) The postmaster says to Ali, “What a pest you are brother.” Do you agree? Give reason.
b) Why did Coachman Ali give up his favourite sport?
c) How did the post master’s attitude towards Ali eventually change?
d) Why did the postmaster want to deliver the letter personally to Ali?
III. Answer the given question in 100-125 words:-
a) Ali displayed qualities of love, patience, hope and faith’. Give evidence from the story to support the Statement.
Please click on below link to download CBSE Class 10 English The Letter Worksheet
