The Home Coming: Rabindranath Tagore
The Home Coming is the story of Phatik Chakraborty, a mischievous, naughty, fun-loving Bengali village boy of 14 years old, describing the hardships he faces. He spent all his life searching for a home where he could find love and affection. His younger brother, Makhan Chakraborty, was quiet, good, and fond of reading. Phatik was making mischief every day, and because of this, his mother sent him with his uncle to Kolkata. In Kolkata, he is an unwanted guest to his aunt, is poor in school, and is no longer a leader but a miserable outsider. On a rainy day after school, feeling a fever and headache, Phatik got shelter somewhere and did not return home because he did not want to trouble his aunt any more. Police help was sought, and they found him brought to the home. He was shivering and had fallen into a delirious state. His condition was critical, and his mother in the village was sent for. When his mother came moaning and crying, Phatik was nearing his eternal home. His last words were, “Mother, the holidays have come.” Phatik missed the village, but in search of it, he got only disappointment, which led to his death at a very early age.
Comprehension:
Q1. Answer the following questions in 3-4sentences.
Q1. Do you think Phatik was a mischievous young boy? Support your answer with instances from the story.
Ans: Phatik was a naughty boy, and his mind always thought of new mischief. One day, a log was lying on the mud flat of the river. Phatik and his friends decided to roll it away; this way the owner of the log would be annoyed.
Q.2 Why was Phatik a little frightened when the boys tumbled the log along with Makhan?
Ans: Phatik was a little frightened because Makhan was sitting on the log. Makhan rose, rushed at Phatik, scratched his face, and cried home. Phatik knew that Makhan would complain about this to his mother.
Q.3 Why do you think Phatik mother readily agreed to her brother’s proposal of taking Phatik with him?
Ans: Phatik’s mother readily agreed to her brother’s proposal of taking Phatik with him because, to his mother, he was a perpetual nuisance, lazy, disobedient, and wild.
Q.4 What gifts did Phatik give Makhan before he left for Kolkata?
Ans: Phatik gave Makhan his fishing rod, big kite and marbles as gift.
Q2. Write short notes to answer the followingquestions.
Q.1 The author says that Phatik’s mother had a prejudice against the boy. Do you agree?
Ans: Yes, Phatik’s mother had a prejudice against the boy. He was a naughty boy, and his mind always thought of new mischief.
Q.2 Describe the character of Makhan.
Ans: Makhan is the younger brother of Phatik. He is good as gold, quiet as a lamb, and fond of reading.
Q.3 Why was Phatik’s aunt not happy at his arrival in the family?
Ans: Phatik’s aunt was not happy at his arrival in the family because he was an unwanted guest.
Q.4 What do you understand by the last words of the story spoken by Phatik, “Mother, the holidays have come”?
Ans: The last words of the story spoken by Phatik, “Mother, the holidays have come”, probably the last sleep of a young boy.
Q.3 Answer the following questions:
Q.1 Contrast the life of Phatik back in the village and in Kolkata.
Ans: In the village, Phatik is the leader of the boys, and to his mother, he is a problem and nuisance and used to call him wild and disobedient. In Kolkata, he is an unwanted guest to his aunt, who is poor in school and is no longer a leader but a miserable outsider.
Q.2 “In this world of human affairs, there is no worse nuisance than a boy at the age of fourteen”. Discuss.
Ans: “In this world of human affairs, there is no worse nuisance than a boy at fourteen”. He is neither ornamental nor useful. It is impossible to show affection to him as a little boy, and if he answers in a grown-up way, he is called impertinent.
Q4. Choosethe correct option to answer the following.
1.Who opposed Phatik’s idea of shifting the log lying onthe mud flat of the river to irritate the owner?
a)Phatik’s cousin from Kolkata b)Phatik’s younger brother c) Phatik’s uncle d) Phatik’s mother.
Ans: b)Phatik’s younger brother
2.After Makhan left the scene crying, who camedown from the house to take Phatik home?
a)Makhan b)Phatik’s mother c) A servant d) A boy fromthe village.
Ans: c) A servant
3.The brother of Phatik’s mother had gone away soon after she got married andhad started a business in …….
a)Bombay b) Kolkata c)Haldia d) Durgapur.
Ans: a)Bombay.
4.Who was the grey-haired strangerthat arrived at Phatik’s house?
a)His long lost friend b) His uncle c) His father d)The log owner.
Ans: b) His uncle
5.Which of these things did Phatik not give to his brother before heleft for Kolkata?
a)Fishing rod b) Big Kite c) Marbles d) Sea shells.
Ans: d)Sea shells.
6. When Phatik asked his uncle when he could gohome, what answer did he get from him?
a) That he would go hometomorrow b) That he would go home nextmonth c) That he would go home in the holidays
d) That he would never go home.
Ans: c) That he would go home inthe holidays.
7. Rabindranath Tagore won theNobel Prize for Literature in the year.
a) 1912 b) 1913 c) 1914 d)1915.
Ans: b) 1913.
8. Where was Bishamber when his sister lost her husband?
a) Bombay b) Kolkata c) Haldia d) Durgapur.
Ans: a) Bombay.
9. Who was the grey-hairedstranger?
a) Bishamber b)Phatik’s father c) Village Doctor d) Village Sarpanch.
Ans: a) Bishamber.
10. According to the author,what is the only paradise for a boy of fourteen?
a) His mother’s love b) His freedom c)His friends d) His home.
Ans: a) His home.