Question

Comment on the subtlety with which the poet captures the general pattern of communication within a family.

Answer 1

Nissim in his poem For Elkana has portrayed a common scene of any Indian home. On an April evening, strolling in the porch, the wife tries to discuss certain issues that the husband is indifferent to, as he believes that any man in the neighbourhood would know the solution to them, while their son plays around. The lady of the house is keen on discussing the issues and needs no disturbance and demands her husband to pay attention. A simple style of how a conversation takes place between any husband and wife, be it on any topic under the sun. the husband finds the talk irrelevant and tries to ignore it. He believes the issues the wife is discussing to be too simple to waste his time on and humorously declares that the wife is always correct to avoid any further argument. The reader may find it interesting to note that even during the argument the poet does not forget to mention the love of the wife for the husband.