Excerpt
“Things that travelled through the air enchanted him – things that
soared, swooped or dived, things flying and fluttering in freedom.
Whether it be bird or butterfly, a paper dart or a falling leaf, he
never tired of trying to possess it. Aware of his fascination, sometimes
the children would toss a ball or twig or pebble his way, but always
slightly out of reach. Always he would gamely persevere to catch it and
fall over himself. Or the would throw a football away from him, then
stand back and watch him stumble after it. Just when he thought he was
catching up, his uncoordinated feet would kick the ball even further,
and his frustrating chase began all over again.” – Rohinton Mistry, Such
A Long Journey
/p> Interpretation
This description tore at my heart when I read it because it revealed so
much more than Tehmul’s poor athleticism. Indeed, this paragraph is a
metaphor for Tehmul’s life. The first sentence makes the reader acutely
aware of Tehmul’s physical limitations and the frustration of such a
state. The second sentence emphasizes how hard he tries to fit in and
how much he wants such freedom. The fact that everything he chases is
always out of reach, or pushed further away by his own ineptness,
demonstrates the futility of his life and the challenges he will ever be
up against. His persistence shines through here, as does his yearning
for acceptance.
(c) Kristy Kassie, 2006
When you read, it is important to pause and consider what the
words mean and what the sentence, paragraph or chapter tells you about
the characters, plot, setting and the story as a whole.