Explain the 'terrible sense of insignificance' that Ravi felt at the end of the story 'Games at Twilight'. (80-100 words)
Answers
Explanation:
Ravi is the protagonist of “Games at Twilight.” Ravi is one of the younger members of his family, illustrated by the fact that when Desai introduces him he is nervously picking his nose in fear of being caught by the older Raghu in a game of hide and seek. Ravi also laments the fact that he isn’t very tall and knows that in comparison to Raghu’s athleticism, he doesn’t stand a chance at escaping him if he had to run from Raghu. Thus, Desai quickly establishes a distinct social hierarchy between Ravi and Raghu and illustrates Ravi’s hopes of gaining greater status. When Ravi figures out that he can hide in the locked shed, he prides himself on his quick thinking and begins to dream of the glory that will come with his beating all of the other “older, bigger, luckier children.” He is so rapt by this vision of victory that he both overcomes the fear he feels in the dark, creepy shed, and also forgets that he needs to reach the family’s veranda in order to win the game. Ravi remains in the shed for what feels like hours, until he realizes that he could have run to the den much earlier. When he does so, tears streaming down his face at having waited so long, he realizes that his victory has been rendered hollow because the other children have completely forgotten about him and had finished the game of hide and seek a long time ago. Thus, Ravi is confronted with the reality of his own insignificance. His understanding is further heightened by the fact that the children are playing a game in which they are chanting about being dead. Ravi recognizes the irony in this and gains an understanding of how insignificance is connected to death. Desai implies that Ravi could be (or could have been) dead and no one would notice—a thought that contributes to his maturation and a loss of innocence at the end of the story.