Theme. A theme is a central idea in a literary work. A father’s love for his child is one of the themes central to the story. What underlying theme is highlighted by the change in Mini, as seen by the Cabuliwallah, at the end of the story?
Characterization. Characterization is the use of literary techniques to create a character. Writers use three major techniques to create characters: direct description, portrayal of characters’ behavior, and representations of characters’ internal states. To learn how to recognize each of these techniques, read more about characterization in the Handbook of Literary Terms. As you read, determine which techniques Tagore employs to characterize the Cabuliwallah.
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“The Cabuliwallah” is a short story about the friendship between a young girl and an itinerant peddler, told by the young girl’s father. The story comes from Tagore’s collection Galpaguccha (“A Bunch of Stories”), in which the author writes about “humble lives and their small miseries.”
Geography Connection. Cabuliwallahs are peddlers or fruit sellers from Kabul, Afghanistan. Kabul became the capital city of Afghanistan in 1773. Since then, has been destroyed many time by civil wars and rebuilt again. Because of Kabul’s location, fighting for the control of the Khyber Pass (a passage way through the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan) among the British, Persians, and Russians has also led to the cycle of destroying and rebuilding this city. Kabul continues to be the center of much turmoil and fighting centered around religious, political, and military ideals.
Make a chart listing facts you learn about the Cabuliwallah and the technique of characterization that they demonstrate. One example has been done for you.
Describe a friendship you have had with an adult. What topics did you talk about?
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