Page 129 - DENG104_ELECTIVE_ENGLISH_I

Elective English–I

Notes 2. Lala Ramjimal is the most trusted friend of the

(a) Labadoor family (b) Javed family
(c) both (d) none of these.
3. The novel starts with the death of the father of

(a) Ruth Labadoor (b) Javed
(c) Lala Ramjimal (d) None of these
4. Pathan named Javed Khan, one of the men of then ……. of that area,
(a) king (b) punch

(c) nawab (d) major

12.6 Summary

• The story starts with the capture of Shahjahanpur, a small town village in U. P., from
English army by Indian Freedom fighters. With that starts killing and looting of English
people settled over there with burning out their houses and capturing and imprisioning
their women, if there were any. Ruth, her mother (Mariam) and rest of her family, all
women, were one such group. First they take refugee in the house Lala Ramjimal, a
friend of her father, but soon people around find out that there is a group of English
women hiding in his house. Then a Pathan named Javed Khan, one of the men of then
Nawab of that area, takes them to his house. He puts the proposal of marrying Ruth
before her mother, though he can have her forcibly, but he wants to do so with the will
of the girl. Well, it is hard to know whether he loves her not, but surely he likes her
very much and is kaayal of her beauty. Mariam being a captive under Javed didn’t have
much options but somehow manages to save her daughter from the Pathan using one
excuse or the other. In the backdrop of this story the events of the Revolt of 1857 is
presented beautifully in bits and pieces. Finally, the story ends with English army once
again taking over the city almost after an year in 1858.
• The story is narrated by the lead character Ruth. There are two main characters leaving
Ruth—Javed Khan and Mariam, her mother. The character of Mariam is the one which
is most impactful and strong, so much so that it makes you admire her. A strong willed
woman with a great presence of mind. The way she saves her daughter from Javed is
very impressive. Then Javed Khan a strong and powerful Pathan who can possess the
girl any time he wants, but he waits for the agreement of Mariam. You like him somehow,
like Ruth, though it is a negative character. The story is a real one told to Ruskin by
his father and to him by someone.
12.7 Keywords

Segregated : Separated or isolated from others or from a main body or group.
Rebellion : An act of violent or open resistance to an established government or
ruler.

Answers: Self Assessment

1. (b) 2. (a) 3. (a) 4. (c)

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