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Bholi

Here is a character sketch of Bholi: Bholi, whose real name is Sulekha, was born into a poor family in a village. From a very young age, she faced rejection and humiliation due to her speech impediment and pockmarks. Her family and the villagers would mock and laugh at her, calling her "dumb". This lack of acceptance and constant ridicule destroyed her self-confidence. As a child, Bholi was neglected by her family. She was never given the love, care or attention that other children received. Her mother in particular was very harsh towards her. When the opportunity for an education came up, Bholi was excited because for the first time she felt

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132 views2 pages

Bholi

Here is a character sketch of Bholi: Bholi, whose real name is Sulekha, was born into a poor family in a village. From a very young age, she faced rejection and humiliation due to her speech impediment and pockmarks. Her family and the villagers would mock and laugh at her, calling her "dumb". This lack of acceptance and constant ridicule destroyed her self-confidence. As a child, Bholi was neglected by her family. She was never given the love, care or attention that other children received. Her mother in particular was very harsh towards her. When the opportunity for an education came up, Bholi was excited because for the first time she felt

Uploaded by

manviprivateacc
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET

BHOLI

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS


Q1- Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. What made her feel that she
was going to a better place than her home?
In the beginning, Bholi was scared of the idea of going to school. She was reminded of their
cow Lakshmi who had been turned out of the house and sold off. It was when for the first
time in her life that she was bathed, her hair washed and oiled and was dressed in clean
clothes, that she felt that she was going to some better place than her home. She had never
received such attention and care before.
Q2. How did Bholi’s teacher play an important role in changing the course of her life?
Bholi was always laughed at by everyone. People used to call her dumb and laughed at her
when she would fumble while speaking. This made her sad and a low confident child who
would remain quiet and sit with her head bent down into her knees. It was on the first day of
her school that her teacher discovered her problem of being low confident due to her inability
to speak clearly. She encouraged Bholi and treated her in a polite manner. Bholi was never
treated like this by anyone. Her teacher told her that with practice she could become a
learned person who could speak properly without stammering. This filled her with hope and
led to a change in the course of her life.
Q3- Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the
marriage? What does this tell us about her?
Bholi agreed to marry an unequal match because she had heard her parents discussing the
marriage proposal. They said that she was lucky to get a bridegroom who was rich and was
ready to marry her without taking dowry. He was unaware of Bholi’s pockmarks and
dumbness. She had heard her mother say that if they did not accept the proposal, Bholi might
remain unmarried all her life. Later, Bholi refused from the marriage because the bridegroom
demanded five thousand rupees as dowry from her father. Moreover, it was unbearable for
her to see her father pleading in front of him for the sake of his daughter and family’s honour.
Her self-respect made her refuse the marriage.
Q4- Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning. But only in the
last but one paragraph of the story is Bholi called Sulekha again. Why do you think she
is called Sulekha at that point in the story?
The word “Bholi” means simpleton. Throughout her life, the protagonist has been called
Bholi because that is not only her nickname but also her personality. The protagonist has
succumbed to the wishes and commands of others throughout her life. Even when her parents
are taking a decision as big as her marriage, they do not seek her approval and promise her
off to an elderly man who has kids from his previous wife. Towards the end of the story,
when the protagonist stands up for herself and disapproves of her marriage because of the
way the groom treats her father, she has for the first time raise her voice against wrong and
has thus earned her true identity.
LONG ANSWER QUESTION

Q1. Although Bholi never got the deserved love, care and acceptance from her family,
she is ready to reciprocate like all daughters in Indian society. In the light of the above
statement, draft a character sketch of Bholi.

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