The Last Stone Mason

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The Old Man is an old stone mason and sculptor who carves statues of gods. His work means worship to him, not just earning money. He believes his craft is a service to God and continues it with deep d…

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Gopal leaves because he wants to earn more money. He feels traditional stone carving does not pay enough, so he chooses mass-produced items that can be made quickly for tourists.

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It shows that the old man values devotion, tradition, and faith above profit. He treats carving as sacred work and believes real art has a higher purpose than money.

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He learnt carving from his father, who learnt it from his father. This shows a tradition carried on for hundreds of years. He expected Gopal to continue the family craft and preserve the tradition.

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Salim is an orphaned servant boy who works for the old man. He is important because he secretly practises carving for almost two years, discovers his natural talent, and finally helps complete the scu…

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He means true artistic talent is natural and comes from within a person. It cannot be fully taught; a person must have that inner gift and urge to create.

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Gopal has difficulty carving the face and hands properly. He lacks the artistic instinct needed for fine sculpture, so the old man says there was something missing in his fingers that could not be tau…

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He worked continuously for days without rest and became extremely exhausted. After long hours of carving, he finally fainted from weakness and strain.