The Homecoming

Short Analysis of the story or Comment on the title of the Story (essay)
The title "The Homecoming" is appropriate because Phatik has several different crossroads in the
story that involve coming home—both symbolically and literally.

The first homecoming Phatik experiences is at the beginning of the story. His younger, favoured
brother was injured in a scuffle and ran home to tattle to their mother. Phatik delays returning home
because he knows that he'll face an unjust punishment.

When he finally goes home, however, he has the opportunity to go to another home. His uncle
Bhishamber offers to take him to Calcutta, where he'll be educated and live with his cousins. Phatik
is very excited to go—and even makes peace with his brother Makhan for the first time when he
gives him his treasured goods. That homecoming was another disappointment. Though Phatik was
excited to go to Calcutta, he quickly learns that his aunt resents him and he's out of place there.
Despite his attempts to please her, he's never able to. He also dislikes the city of Calcutta itself and
misses his life in the country. When he asks whether he can go home, his uncle says, "Wait till the
holidays come."

When two police officers return him to his uncle's home after he runs away, it's his third
homecoming. This one is even worse, as he's ill from his escape. It's implied that Phatik is dying.

The final potential homecoming is Phatik's impending death. He waits for his mother, looking
disappointed when she isn't there (despite his negative hallucinations about her beating him). She
finally comes, but the doctor says his condition is critical. Tagore writes, "Phatik very slowly turned
his head and, without seeing anybody, said: "Mother, the holidays have come." It's the first time his
mother has shown him affection in a long time, calling him her darling and throwing herself onto his
bed.

Character sketch of Phatik

In Rabindranath Tagore’s heart-rending story ‘Home Coming’, Phatik is the main character. Through
him Tagore has portrayed the nature of adolescents. Phatik is extremely mischievous. He is the gang
leader in his village, very adventurous and troublemaking. His wild nature however undergoes a sea
change when he shifts to Kolkata with his uncle. In Kolkata we witness a different Phatik. He
becomes timid, scared and shy. Like a caged bird he feels totally trapped in the city life. Being a
young teenager, he understands how odd his looks are and how unwanted he is. The proud and
confident Phatik of the village changes into a depressed soul craving for the love of his relatives. He
misses his mother badly in spite of the fact that he always disagreed with her in the village.
Ultimately, he tries to cowardly run away only to be caught and brought back by the police. His
shame and fatigue result in his pathetic death.

Questions

1.What did Phatik and his friends decide to do?

Phatik Chakravati was a typical naughty village boy about fourteen years old. He was the ring leader
of his gang. He never went to school but spent the whole day flying kites, swimming in the river and
playing mischief. He was inventive and full of ideas. One day a new mischief got into his head. There
was a heavy log lying on the mud flat of the river waiting to be shaped into to mast for a boat. Phatik
and his friends decided that they should shift the log by force from its place and roll it away. The
owner of the log would be angry and surprised and they would enjoy all the fun. Thus Phatik and his
friends decided to perform a new mischief.

2. Why did Phatik go to Calcutta?

Phatik Chakravati was a typical naughty village boy about fourteen years old. He never went to
school but spent the whole day flying kites and making mischief. He was a perpetual nuisance and
his widow mother did not know how to manage him. He was lazy, disobedient and wild, so not
studying properly. Once his uncle, Bishambar visited his sister after a long. He volunteered to take
Phatik to Calcutta where he would be educated. Phatik’s mother readily agreed and Phatik also was
excited to go. So he readily went to Calcutta expecting a new exiting life there.

3. Why was Phatik unhappy in Calcutta?

Phatik was sent to Calcutta by his mother. She hoped that the boy would get good education and be
happy there. Phatik too expected to have an exciting life but his aunt did not show him any love. She
was rude with and found fault with him. He was despised and insulted every now and then his
cousins also made fun of him. He was the most backward boy in the whole school. He was beaten
unmercifully by the teacher day after day. He could not make any friends. He longed for his village
where he was a ring leader and where he had enjoyed life. The house became a prison for him. He
wanted to run away to his village. The whole his life was miserable and unhappy in Calcutta.

The Dear Departed

Q1. How does Mrs. Slater plan to outshine the Jordans? What does it reveal about her character?

Mrs. Slater plans to get new mourning dresses for herself and the family. She plans that as the
Jordans would not be dressed in new mourning dresses, this way she will outshine them. This shows
that she is jealous and competitive.

Q2. Why does Mrs. Slater decide to shift the bureau from grandfather's room before the arrival of
the Jordans? How does Henry react to the suggestion?

Mrs. Slater wants to shift the bureau before the arrival of the Jordans as she wants to keep it with
her. She does not want to tell her sister that the bureau belonged to their father because she fears
that her sister will fight for it. Henry is shocked initially but as he is dominated by his wife, he helps
her in shifting the bureau.

Q3. What is the reason for the Jordans taking a long time to get to the house of the Slaters? What
does it show about the two sisters' attitude towards each other?

The Jordans took a long time to reach as they were waiting for their new mourning dresses to get
ready. This shows that both the sisters were desperate to outshine each other.

Q4. What does Mrs. Jordan describe as 'a fatal mistake'? What is the irony in the comment she
makes on Mrs. Slater's defense?
Mrs. Jordan says that the Slaters did not call a doctor to check upon their father. This was a fatal
mistake that they had committed. The irony in her comment is that she was not actually concerned
about her father and wished that he was dead. She was imitating to be concerned about him.

Q5. What change does grandfather make in his new will? What effect does it have on his
daughters?

Grandfather amends his will that his belongings will pass on to the person with whom he will have
been living at the time of his death. His daughters start requesting him to live with them as they
want his belongings.

Q6. What are the three things that grandfather plans to do on Monday next?

On Monday, the three things that grandfather planned to do were -

He would go to a lawyer and change his will.

He would go to the insurance office and pay the insurance premium.

He would go to St. Philip’s church and get married.

Q7. Bring out the irony in the title of the play.

The title of the play 'Dear Departed' is ironical. In the beginning of the play, we come to know that
grandfather Mr. Abel has departed from this world. He is not dear to his own daughters. They are
eager to divide his belongings between them. Even Mrs. Slater with whom he has been living fetches
his clock and bureau from his room where he is lying 'dead'.They cannot wait for the last rites. Even
their husbands Ben and Henry do not love him. So, no one is grieved at his departure. In this way, we
can say that the title of this play 'Dear Departed' is an ironical statement of dying love and absence
of filial obligations.

Q8. How does the spat between his daughters lead to grandfather discovering the truth?

Abel Merryweather discovers the truth that his daughters and their families have gathered to
mourn his death. This secret is uncovered when Elizabeth starts accusing Amelia for stealing their
father’s bureau and clock. She is disturbed as her sister tries to grab their father’s belongings. She
does not want to forego her share and so, gets furious. In an outburst, she discloses the truth to Abel
that the Slaters had called them over to mourn his death.

Q9. Character sketch of Mrs. Slater (Amelia Slater).

Amelia Slater is an energetic and sharp woman. She is married to Henry Slater and has a ten-year-old
daughter, Victoria. She is a very dominating person by nature and makes sure that all things happen
according to her own will. She makes her husband do all she wants. She can talk her way through
any argument. She is a cunning and sharp person and cares only for the material world. She is a tart
and biting person when it comes to her own gain. She is never contended or sated with what she
already has. There is always a need for more in her. She wants a major part of her father’s
inheritance and tries to get so by unfair means. She is a pretentious person who worries about what
people will think about her mourning and therefore she sheds fake tears. She feels no true sorrow
for her dead father. In the end when it comes to winning Abel Merryweather’s favour, she alters
completely just to get hold of her money. Thus, Mrs. Slater is a pivotal character of the story who is a
materialistic and dominating woman.