Why has Ali forgotten his sport? (The Letter)
Ali has forgotten his sport because the pain of separation from his daughter has changed him; he no longer finds joy in hunting or causing pain to others.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark for explaining that separation from his daughter Miriam changed him so that he could no longer enjoy hunting.
Hint
Think about what personal suffering taught Ali about the pain he was causing others through hunting. What made him empathise with his prey?
Quick Oral Answer
Ali forgot his sport of hunting because the pain of being separated from his daughter Miriam transformed him. He could no longer enjoy causing pain to animals once he understood what suffering felt like from personal experience.
Analysis & Explanation
This question from Dhumaketu's 'The Letter' tests the student's understanding of Ali's character transformation. Ali was once a passionate hunter who would rise before dawn to pursue game, but after his daughter Miriam married and moved away, the pain of separation fundamentally changed his nature. He forgot his sport because the experience of being separated from someone he loved deeply made him understand the suffering he had been inflicting on animals and birds all his life. When a parent bird's cry reminded him of his own longing for Miriam, he could no longer enjoy hunting. His personal grief gave him empathy for all living creatures. This transformation is central to the story's theme: suffering refines and humanises us. Ali's inability to hunt is not due to old age or physical weakness but a moral and emotional awakening triggered by his own experience of loss. For the exam, students must connect two ideas: the separation from Miriam and the resulting inability to enjoy causing pain to others. Simply saying 'he became old' or 'he lost interest' misses the deeper causal relationship that CBSE expects. The answer should show understanding of the cause (separation from Miriam) and the effect (transformed perspective on life and pain).
Common Mistakes
- 1Writing that Ali forgot his sport because he became too old or physically weak to hunt, which is incorrect. His transformation is emotional and moral, not physical.
- 2Mentioning only that he missed Miriam without explaining how the separation changed his perspective on causing pain to other living beings through hunting.
- 3Confusing 'sport' with games or recreation. In this context, 'sport' specifically means hunting (shikar), which was Ali's lifelong passion before his transformation.
Interesting Facts
The story 'The Letter' was written by Dhumaketu (Gaurishankar Govardhanram Joshi, 1892-1965), one of the pioneers of the Gujarati short story form. He was called the 'Dhumaketu' (comet) of Gujarati literature by Mahatma Gandhi himself.
Dhumaketu wrote over 500 short stories during his career, but 'The Letter' (originally 'Posta Office' in Gujarati) remains his most widely read work internationally, translated into over 20 languages and included in school curricula across India.
The psychological transformation of a hunter into a compassionate being through emotional suffering is a theme that also appears in Buddhist Jataka tales dating back to the 3rd century BCE, where hunters abandon their trade after experiencing empathy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Ali's sport before his transformation?
Ali was a skilled hunter (shikaari) who would wake up before dawn to hunt partridges, quails, and other birds. Hunting was his lifelong passion and the activity he was most known for in his village.
Who is Miriam and why did she leave?
Miriam is Ali's only daughter who got married and moved away to another town with her husband. After her departure, Ali stopped receiving any letters or news from her, which caused him immense grief and loneliness.
How does Ali's transformation connect to the title 'The Letter'?
After Miriam left, Ali desperately waited for a letter from her at the post office every day for five years. The letter he never received symbolises his unfulfilled hope and the pain of separation that transformed him from a hunter to a sensitive, compassionate man.