The Eyes Have It by Ruskin Bond, D.A.Q.

The Eyes Have It (D.A.Q – Marks: 05)

"The Eyes Have It" is a short story written by the renowned Indian author, Ruskin Bond. It was first published in 1964. It is a beautiful and poignant tale that explores the power of imagination, human connection, and the way in which we perceive the world around us. It is known for its gentle storytelling and touching revelation at the end, leaving readers with a lasting impression.

👉 What is the significance of the title The Eyes Have It?

Answer: The title The Eyes Have It is used ironically. The narrator tried to create an impression on the girl that he was not blind.

When the narrator asked the girl if she was going to Dehra, the girl replied that she did not know anyone else was there. He then thought people with good eyesight often fail to see what is in front of them because they have too much to take in.

He was always under the impression that the girl could see. After the girl left the train, a gentleman got in and told the narrator that the girl had beautiful eyes but they were of no use to her as she was blind. It must have surprised the narrator because all the time it was he who tried to hide his own blindness, but failed to discover that the girl too was blind.

Here lies the irony because he proceeded with the misconception that the girl could see. The narrator makes the point that not only the blind fails to see, but people with eyesight also fail to take in what is in front of them. It all depends on how the eyes react in a given situation.

👉 “Then I made a mistake.” –What was the narrator’s mistake?

How did the girl react to it?

Answer: The narrator asked the girl what it was like outside. He realized it was a mistake to ask this question because a man having eyesight could see through the window and come to know what there was outside.

The girl, however, was not unduly obsessed with her blindness and her next question removed the narrator’s doubts. The girl asked why he did not look outside. He then made a show of studying the landscape and then asked if she noticed that the trees seemed to be moving while they seemed to be still. The girl answered that it always happens. Thus his worries about the mistake were removed.

👉 “I was becoming quite daring” –In what way was the narrator becoming daring?

Answer: In course of the conversation, the narrator became quite free with the girl and was having a lively talk with her. His inhibition disappeared and he talked her questions quite daringly. He told her that she had an interesting face. He was confident that few girls can resist flattery.

The girl felt quite amused by the remark and burst out into a clear ringing laugh. Not unduly bothered by the remark, she said it was nice to be told that she had an interesting face. She further said she was tired of people praising her pretty face. The narrator remarked that an interesting face could also be pretty. Then she asked him why he was so serious.

👉 “I thought, then, I would try to laugh for her ……. lonely.”

–What does the remark reveal about the narrator’s attitude?

Answer: The narrator was highly sensitive as most blind men are. The thought of laughter was painful to him as it probably remained him of his own condition. Yet, rather than revealing to the girl his blindness, he decided to laugh for her. It would be useless to cry over something that could not be helped. It would be better if he laughed for the girl and tried to make her happy. But the thought only made her troubled because once the girl left, he would have nobody to laugh for. He would withdraw himself back into his shell and feel lonely again. The thought of loneliness troubled him very much.

👉 “Yet I was prepared to sit there for almost any length of time….”

–Why was the narrator prepared to sit there?

Answer: Blind people are very sensitive and have strong imaginative power. When the narrator told the girl that she would soon reach her station, the girl expressed relief that she could not bear to sit in a train for more than two hours. The narrator was disappointed as he would be deprived of her beautiful company. He expressed his heart’s desire to talk to her, listen to her ringing laugh and enjoy the perfume of her hair. Such opportunity rarely comes. The girl might forget the brief encounter soon, but her memory would linger with him. Therefore, the narrator was prepared to sit there for any length of time just to listen to her voice that had the sparkle of a mountain stream.

👉 “Yes, October is the best time” –What is the occasion of the remark?

Why did the narrator think so?

Answer: On hearing that the narrator was going to Mussoorie, the girl said that she too wished to visit Mussoorie and added that she loved the hills there especially in October. That was the occasion for the narrator’s remark.

Recalling his memories, the narrator said the hills of Mussoorie are covered with wild dahlias in October and the sun is delicious. At night one could sit in front of a log fire and drink brandy. Most of the tourists were gone and the roads were quite deserted. So, the narrator thought that October is the best time.

👉 Describe how the girl left the train.

What was the impact of her departure on the narrator?

Answer: As the train approached at Saharanpur, the girl began to collect her things. When the train drew into the station a female voice shouted. The girl bade good-bye and left. It was then the narrator realized how deeply he was charmed by the girl. He wondered if she wore her hair in a bun, or it was plaited. It might also be hanging loosely over her shoulders or it could be short. The narrator was lost in dream. The girl was standing close to him. The perfume from her hair was tantalizing. He wanted to raise his hands and touch her hair, but she moved away. Only the perfume lingered where she stood. The narrator stood lost in dream.

👉 “The man who had entered the compartment broke into my reverie.”

– What was the cause of the narrator’s reverie and how was it broken?

Answer: Although the narrator himself was blind and did not know that the girl too was blind, he was fascinated by her voice, her ringing laugh and the perfume of her hair. It was enough to transport him into a world of reverie. The reverie, however, was broken when an elderly gentleman boarded the compartment and told him that he (the narrator) must be disappointed with him because he (the gentle man) was not so attractive a co-traveller as the one who had just left.

*****

👉 The Eyes Have It | D.A.Q. (Part – 01)

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