Question

bond of friendship in the story the kabuliwala

Answer 1

One of the most powerful ways in which Tagore describes the bonding of a friendship is through a shared vocabulary that few others understand. When Mina and the Kabuliwallah would exchange their traditional greeting of "O Kabuliwallah,Kabuliwallah, what have you got in your bag?" and "Well, little one, and when are you going to the father-in-law's house," a pure form of communication is established. It is innocent, full of an old man's joy and the little girl's peals of laughter. No one else understands it, but they do. This communication underscores the story. When the old man is arrested, Mina asks him the same question andhe responds in the same way. This comes full circle at the end of the short story. On the girl's wedding day,after a prolonged absence due to the old man's imprisonment, he appears and asks her the same question. It has gained greater significant because of the time that has passed. From a child laughing with innocence, the girl has become a young woman, ready to embark on the next stage of her life. The bonding of friendship over shared communication has givenway to a heartbreak. It has become clear that the girl understands what"father in law" now means to her. While the communication has remained constant, spanning time, it means different elements. When the narrator sees this communication, he understands how time has passed and how there used to be a bond that has given way to time. This creates a sense of poignancy in the moment.