games at twilight

Question 1

themes: childhood and the loss of innocence

Answer 1

“smiles to himself almost shyly at the thought of so much victory, such laurels.”
- desires for glory -> exaggerated what the achievement means. Ravi still has innocence of believing that a simple achievement will make him admired by others.

“silenced by a terrible sense of his insignificance”
Ravi lies face down on the grass. Desai illustrates how this journey mirror loss of innocence or coming of age as Ravi’s childhood fantasies are curtailed by mature recognition of reality of a person’s insignificance in the world.

Question 2

Themes: social hierarchy

Answer 2

“he hadn’t had much faith in his short legs when matched against Raghu’s long, hefty, hairy footballer legs.”
- desai sets up a social structure that the children follow.
- desai’s description of Raghu, the oldest, presents him as a kind of Alpha male.
- desai writes that the other children are no match against Raghu, the seeker
- he intimidates and catches the other children

Question 3

theme: alienation

Answer 3

“i won, i won, i won,” he bawled
“he wanted victory and triumph-not a funeral”
Ravi insecurity and inferiority is also evident because he feels that the children are celebrating his funeral. Ravi feels forgotten and left out. Instead of being comforted, he is scolded by his mother and other children for being a baby, adding to his humiliation. He feels so passionately wrong that he makes the situation worse by alienating himself from others in protest.

Question 4

literary device: twilight as an extended metaphor

Answer 4

“lost its lividity, hung in dark bundles”

• twilight can be seen as a extended metaphor, used to represent Ravi’s state of mind. (insert quote)
• colours of twilight are seen through Ravi’s mental perception rather than just physical sight
  -things are not so clear in his mind anymore
• when he was once so sure of victory and significance, he is now left in doubt at this point in the story because he has forgotten “that final dash to victory” because he was so obsessed with just the “hiding and trying to elude.”

Question 5

Literary device: irony

Answer 5

“they had quite forgotten him”
- From mother’s unwillingness to let he children out for fear they would leave the verandah and porch, to Ravi’s brave decision to confine himself in the dark and discomfiting shed, right to the end of the story.
- It is this last instances of irony that bests shows the essence of the story.
- In his obsession for victory and significance, Ravi had forgotten the rules if the game, in return, he was forgotten.
- There is no longer the celebration of anticipated victory and fame but only a funeral of his innocence, a celebration of his defeat and ignominy.

Question 6

literary device: setting

Answer 6

“flung himself at the white pillar and bawled, Den! Den! Den!”
- the veranda, or den, represents the sense of safety and protection that familiar people, places and things foster.
- The veranda denotes safety in many ways, not only safety in the game where returning to it makes one safe from being caught by the seeker but also a safe space where their mother expects them to play in
- As the pillar is located right outside children’s home, it is a familiar structure that is near to their home and their parents, who keep them safe and protected.