The Eyes Have It By Bond Summary & Analysis

The Eyes Have It By Bond | Summary & Analysis —

Fig: The Eyes Have It By Bond Summary & Analysis

About the story in brief: The Eyes Have It by Bond Summary & Analysis

Here in the story "The Eyes Have It" by Ruskin Bond we find a number of theme such as kindness, desire, perception, recollection, confidence etc. The story is narrated in the first person narrative technique by a young anonymous blind man. After reading the story the reader makes a realization that the writer Ruskin Bond may be trying to explore the theme of kindness. Throughout the story the narrator shows kindness to the young woman present in the compartment.

Summary of the Story: The Eyes Have It by Bond Summary & Analysis

The story traces an ironic encounter between two people who are blind but are unaware of each other's blindness. The narrator had been travelling alone in an empty train compartment up to Rohana. At Rohana a girl got into the compartment. A couple, probably her parents, gave detailed instructions while seeing her off. As the narrator was blind he could not see her, he could only guess about her appearance of the girl. From the sound of her sleepers against her heels, he understood that she wore sleepers. Hearing the girl's voice he started to like the sound of her voice.

Conversation Between The Narrator & The Girl:

The narrator started a conversation with the girl by asking her destination. The girl felt surprised as she had not noticed anyone's presence in the compartment. When the girl said so, the narrator thought the people with good eyesight were often careless about what was in front of them. However the narrator replied that he also had not seen her, only heard the sound when she entered. The narrator tried to conceal his blindness form the girl. The girl told that she would get off at Saharanpur and her aunt would come there to receive her. When the girl asked about the narrator's destination, he informed that he was going to Dehra and then Mussoorie.

At this the girl expressed her deep fascination about Mussoorie, especially in October. The narrator called up his memory and said that in October the hills are covered with wild dahlias and also said about the delicious sun, drinking brandy by logfire at night. But the narrator feels a little embarrassed as he thought that this extravagance of his may show his romantic stupidity. He wanted to change the subject and wanted to know about the landscape outside. The girl wanted him to look outside the window himself.

Outside Landscape Description:

This time he pretended to see the outside landscape. He began to describe the scene outside, relying on his memory and imagination. He was quite confident in his description. After remaining silent for a while, the narrator dared to compliment the girl's 'interesting' face and tried to attract her. The girl heartily accepted the complement with a clear ringing laugh. The girl praised the narrator's bravery. The narrator failed to laugh for her.

The train neared the girl's destination. The narrator began to guess about the girl's hairstyle. She began to think whether to braid her hair or to cut it long or short. But in the midst of all this, the girl's short journey ended and she said goodbye to the narrator.The fragrance of the girl's hair tempted the narrator so much that the narrator tried to touch the girl's hair but could not.

From Saharanpur to Dehradun:

After her departure a male passenger came in. He pinched the narrator and remarked that he was not as attractive a companion as the girl. The narrator admit that the girl's face was interesting. Then the narrator asked about the girl's hair. The man said that he had not noticed it; but what he noticed was her eyes. The man said that she had beautiful eyes but they were of no use, she was completely blind.

Critical Analysis of the Story: The Eyes Have It by Bond Summary & Analysis

Ruskin Bond's short story,"The Eyes Have It", illustrates Bond's art of story telling. It tells simple tale in a very lucid style with a deep insight into the psychology of men. Like Maupassant, Ruskin Bond also uses common people to create an interesting situation. The story contains all the features of Bond's art - a known setting, a search for beauty, human frailty, humor and irony explored in a very simple language.

As an ideal short story it is short in length. It can be read at one go. Within a short range of contexts it reveals a well-chosen fragment of life. The number of characters is limited to three only - the blind narrator, the girl and the new companion. There is no scope of narration, no events separate from the main story. Everything is presented through the eyes of that blind narrator. This short story presents the poetry of life in a short range.

The narrator was a blind man. His eyes were sensitive only to light and darkness. He was going to Dehradun by train. In the train he met a girl and had conversation with her. After the girl's departure another passenger entered the compartment. The narrator discovered through the eyes of this new companion that the girl was also blind. The first person narrative technique reveals the limitations and sufferings of the blind.

Setting of the Story:

The of the story is very simple but interesting. Everything happens in the train compartment where the blind narrator encounters a blind girl. The time is October when Mussoorie looks beautiful. Right from the beginning the story is full of ironical turns and twists. Bond illuminates the experience of the blind through pure humor. Upto Rohana, the narrator was alone in the compartment. The couple who bade her goodbye were probably her parents.

The real fun of the story lies in keeping the narrator's blindness a secret. The narrator met a blind girl. But the narrator does not realize at first that the girl is blind. That is why he is hiding his blindness from the girl. Consciously trying to keep blindness a secret in every moment has created humor. He pretends to be what he is not. In spite of his blindness he appreciates the beauty of the girl. He also gives an account of the natural beauty outside the compartment. But the humor turned into a joke when he discovers that the girl is also blind.

Bond's attitude towards the blind:

The story shows Bond's sympathy foe the blind. The story also says something about the plight of the blind. They live in the world of four senses. Their life is devoid of colours. Bond says "...... people who cannot see (or see very little) have to take in only the essentials, whatever registers most tellingly on their remaining senses." They depend much on other senses, specially ears. In the story the sound of the engine's whistle and carriage wheels prompts the girl to get up and collect the belongings. As the narrator was blind he has no other alternative but to guess about her looks. He loves her voice but can not see her face. Yet the narrator praises her face.

Although blind, he pretends to see how trees outside are moving. The story shows agony and loneliness of the blind. Even the thought of laughter makes the narrator feel troubled and lonely. At the end of the story, the narrator discovers the blindness of the girl from the new co-passenger. The interplay of metaphors of vision and blindness is a popular theme in literature. "The Eyes Have It" deals with the theme of vision and blindness in a very unique way. In the story Ruskin Bond explores the experience of the blind with subtle touches of sympathy.