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Elective English–I

Notes 12.4 Main Characters

Ruth Labadoor
She is the narrator of the novel and the eye witness of the death of her father.

Mariam Labadoor
She is a strong-from-the-heart lady and saves her family from any harm. It is her stern behaviour
that makes Javed Khan change his mind to kill the Labadoor family. She also saves her
daughter from being married to Javed Khan. She is a very good knitter and knits beautiful
clothes for the kind family members of Javed Khan. She is a very courageous girl who fought against
Javed Khan. She is smart and always cares of her daughter and has a very merciful behaviour.

Lala Ramjimal

He is the most trusted friend of the Labadoor family and he gives them shelter when Mr.
Labadoor passes away.

Javed Khan
He is a courageous Pathan. His commitment goes loose when he finds Ruth Labadoor and falls
in love with her, although despite many pleads, he is not able to please Mariam Labadoor to
marry her daughter with him.

12.5 Analysis

In any instance of violence, war, etc, there are the active participants-those that actually go out
to war, actually take part in the violence as the perpetrators or as the victims, who die in
battle. And then there are those behind the scenes, who are equal stakeholders in the fallout
of the war, those who do not actually take up arms, but are silent sufferers as a result of it.
Those who need to survive it all, with dignity, and re-build their lives. Those who have no
wish for the violence around them, and who would rather go quietly about their lives in
peace. The civilian victims, the women and the children. Often those who lose the most.
This book deals with some such survivors. It is a historical fiction, which, according to the
writer, may be based on facts on actual events that probably took place during the 1857
uprising against British rule.
A study of the 1857 uprising is usually from the point of view of the Indian participants. We
speak about Mangal Pandey, Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi, Nana Saheb, and the like. And that is
but natural when we speak of it as an uprising. But the British looked at it as the mutiny,
being the rulers at the time.
In this book, the story is told from the point of view of Ruth Labadoor, a teenage British girl,
who witnesses the massacre of British civilians in the church in the town of Shahjahanpur,
including that of her father, at the hands of Indian militants.

Ruth and her mother, Miriam, grandmother, aunt and cousins are given refuge in Lala Ramjimal’s
house. They are tracked down there by Javed Khan, who has been enamoured of Ruth, since
before her father’s assassination. He forces the women to come to stay in his household, much
to the chagrin of his wife, who is aware of his intentions. Which according to what he tells
Ruth’s mother, are honourable. He intends to marry Ruth, but he is willing to wait till Miriam
gives her permission.

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