The Home-coming

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Phatik Chakravorti is the fourteen-year-old protagonist. He is bold, mischievous, and the ringleader of the village boys. At the same time, he is a child who deeply needs love, care, and belonging.

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The story opens with Phatik organising the village boys to roll a large log on the riverbank. This shows his leadership, confidence, and playful, restless nature.

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Makhan is Phatik’s younger brother. He sits stubbornly on the log and refuses to move, so Phatik orders it to be rolled with Makhan on it. Makhan falls, gets hurt, and runs home crying. This incident …

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Phatik’s mother blames him without hearing his side of the story. Out of anger and frustration, Phatik hits Makhan again. This shows the unfairness Phatik feels at home and helps explain why he later …

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Bishamber is Phatik and Makhan’s maternal uncle. He has just returned from Bombay after many years. He sees Phatik’s condition at home and offers to take him to Calcutta for education.

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Phatik does not go because he strongly wants education. He is happy to leave because he feels like a burden at home. Calcutta seems like an escape from the constant blame and unhappiness in the villag…

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Bishamber’s wife is the antagonist of the story. She is cold, unwelcoming, and impatient with Phatik from the moment he arrives. She sees him as clumsy and inconvenient rather than as a child needing …

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This phrase is used by Bishamber’s wife when Phatik loses his lesson-book. It is cruel and insulting. It shows how humiliated and unwanted Phatik feels in the city, where he receives no warmth or unde…