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Question
In your opinion, does Boori Ma, the main protagonist of the story A Real Durwan, deserve the life that she meets at the end of the story? Give reasons for your answer.
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Solution
'A Real Durwan’ is a short story written by Jhumpa Lahiri. The story ‘A Real Durwan’ focuses on the life of Boori Ma, a frail, sixty-four-year-old woman who is the doorkeeper (durwan) to an apartment building in Calcutta, Southern India. Boori Ma is introduced as a refugee victim of the Partition, the event that led to the creation of Pakistan from India. characterisation has effectively been used by Jhumpa Lahiri to give her characters indirect and direct characteristics. The use of direct characterisation in this story tells the readers that Boori Ma does her job well as a gatekeeper in ensuring the stairwell is kept spotless and that unknown or suspicious people are kept out of the residential area. Boori Ma is indirectly characterised to be a victim of the harsh and underprivileged means of life. Boori Ma’s story reflects how life is not always fair and joyous for everyone. This was clearly shown how Boori Ma never really had the chance to live a better life after separation from her family. After getting a job as a durwan, the author made it seem that life would gradually improve for Boori Ma despite her hardships. Unfortunately, life for Boori Ma does not end well as she loses her job, home, and life savings. Boori Ma’s story is indifferently ironic. The criticism and sufferings she suffered were because of the people in her locality and its because of them she was referred to a refugee. In the end, she was accused of failing and not being real 'durwan' there were many allegations as she also denied her duty. Ideally, if we believe in humanity she did not deserve such a fate that she meets in the story and as humans make mistakes she could have given one more chance.
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