Rahamat- Character Sketch

Rahamat is displayed with a powerful presence that

indicates something underneath the surface. On face

value, he is a fruit seller and Tagore describes him in an

almost wanderer quality. The impression of him at the first

description is that he is one that causes an immediate

sense of fear in Mini, the child who is afraid that he

captures children and places them in his large bag that he

has across his shoulder. Over time, Tagore draws out his

character as one who forges a bond with the little girl. He

is committed to seeing her every day, "bribing" her with

almonds and raisins. Tagore plays with the reader in this

description, almost trying to tease the reader into believing

something sinister in Rahamat's actions in expressing the

concerns that the wife of the narrator has in the story. The

familiar question that helps to forge the bond between both

Rahamat and the girl involves him asking her when she is

going to her father in- law's house. The fact that he returns

after he was imprisoned and asks the girl the same

question on the eve of her marriage helps to allow a fuller

understanding of the now aged fruit seller. His bond with

the girl is representative of the bond he wished to have with

his own daughter in his native Afghanistan. When he asks

the girl the same question on the eve of her wedding, it is a

moment, a reflection, of his own life and how his own girl

would be preparing for marriage. While Rahamat could not

be there for his own daughter, he is there for this girl. The

sentiment of yearning for what cannot be and seeking to

bring it into existence with what is in front of us is

heightened when Rahamat takes out a small piece of paper

with the handprint of his daughter. It is at this moment that

the speaker, and the reader, understand the pain and

yearning that exists in this man. His wandering is not as

physical as much as it is emotional, to find some

semblance of personal contentment in a world and

condition...