1. Why was Gangi unable to get
water from anywhere when the story opens?
Premechand’s story “The Thakur’s
Well’ tells us about those days when feudal customs of caste hierarchies are
observed in our villages. He writes about inhuman landlords and heartless money
lenders. Gangi and Jokhu live a village. The couple belongs to an untouchable
caste. The village has only three wells. The water of the well from which they
usually draw water is contaminated. The well is far away. They are not allowed
to draw water from the other two wells, Thakur’s well and the Sahuji’s well
because of their caste. That is why Gangi was unable to get water from anywhere
when the story opens. (104 words)
2. What did she plan to do, in
order to assuage Jokhu’s thirst?
Premechand’s story “The Thakur’s
Well’ tells us about those days when feudal customs of caste hierarchies are
observed in our villages. Gangi and Jokhu live a village. The couple belongs to
an untouchable caste. Jokhu is ill. He is thirsty and the water is
contaminated. So, he could not drink the water. She plans to bring water from
the Thakur’ well at night. She knows that it is risky as they are not allowed
to draw water from the well because of their caste. Jokhu warns her that the
villagers would punish her if they find that she is drawing water from their wells.
(104 words)
3. What were some of Gangi’s
thoughts, as she waited near the Thakur’s well in order to get some water?
Gangi plans to bring water from
the Thakur’ well at night. She knows that it is risky as they are not allowed
to draw water from the well because of their caste. She reaches the well at
about 9 o’ clock in the night. While waiting for an opportunity to draw water,
she thinks that the untouchable are not allowed to drink water from the well even
though everybody drinks from it. She is against traditional society’s
restrictions. She thinks that the high caste
people cheat, steal, gamble and adulterate. She wonders how such people can be
called as high. (100 words)
4. What were the two women who
came to the well taking about? What does this show?
Gangi plans to bring water from
the Thakur’s well at night. While waiting for an opportunity to draw water at
the well, she listens to a conversation between two women. The women talk about
the men. The men have come in to eat and they order the women to bring water.
They would not like the women to rest even for awhile. They do not have the
decency to draw water themselves. They give orders as if the women are slaves.
The conversation reflects the society of those days. Women are treated like
slaves and men exploited the women. Women
have no rights then. (104 words)
5. What happened when the
Thakur’s door opened suddenly?
Gangi plans to bring water from
the Thakur’ well at night. She knows that it is risky as they are not allowed
to draw water from the well because of their caste. In the darkness, she prays
God and lowers her pitcher into the well. She pulls up the pitcher very
quickly. But before she could catch the pitcher, the Thakur’s door opened
suddenly. Gangi is terrified and the rope slips from her hands. The pitcher
goes down into the well making a big noise. Thakur comes near the well shouting
to catch the intruder. Gangi runs away from the well. (101 words)
Answer the following questions
in about 200 words each.
1. Show how this is a tale of
social injustice and cruelty. Use examples from the story to elaborate your
points?
Premechand’s story “The Thakur’s
Well’ tells us about those days when feudal customs of caste hierarchies are
observed in our villages. He writes about inhuman landlords and heartless money
lenders. This is a tale of social
injustice and cruelty.
Gangi and Jokhu live a village. The
couple belongs to an untouchable caste. The village has only three wells. The water
of the well from which they usually draw water is contaminated. The well is far
away. They are not allowed to draw water from the other two wells, Thakur’s
well and the Sahuji’s well because of their caste. Gangi, like other lower
caste people is a victim of social injustice and cruelty.
While waiting for an opportunity
to draw water at the well, she listens to a conversation between two women. The
women talk about the men. The men have come in to eat and they order the women
to bring water. They would not like the women to rest even for awhile. They do
not have the decency to draw water themselves. They give orders as if the women
are slaves. The conversation reflects the society of those days. Women are
treated like slaves and men exploited the women. Women have no rights then. (205)
2. Why does Premchand use the
title, ‘The Thakur’s Well’ for his story, and how is this the best title he
could have employed?
Premchand is the pen-name of
Dhanpat Rai Srivastav. Premechand’s story “The Thakur’s Well’ tells us about
those days when feudal customs of caste hierarchies are observed in our
villages. He writes about inhuman landlords and heartless money lenders.
The story revolves around a well
belonging to Thakur. Thakur represents the higher castes and Gangi represents the
lower castes of the society in those days. The well is a symbol of natural
resources and communal wealth. The water of the well represents the necessities
and aspirations of oppressed classes.
Gangi and Jokhu live a village. The
couple belongs to an untouchable caste. The village has only three wells. They
are not allowed to draw water from the other two wells, Thakur’s well and the
Sahuji’s well because of their caste. Gangi, like other lower caste people is a
victim of social injustice and cruelty.
Lower caste people are not allowed to use necessary facilities
of the village because of their caste. Upper caste people enjoy all these facilities
even though they cheat, steal, gamble and adulterate. The story is about the
prevailing social conditions of those days. Thus the title is very appropriate
and Premchand could not have employed a better title to the story. (204 words)
