"Tortured by doubt and remorse, he sat down in the glow of the charcoal sigri to wait."

The Post Master was waiting for____________________________.

(i) a letter from Miriam

(ii) a letter from his own daughter

(iii) a letter from Ali

(iv) Ali to deliver Miriam's letter to him.

Answer the following questions by ticking the correct options:

(a) Ali's walking to the Post Office daily even in biting cold weather shows his ________.

(i) courage

(ii) optimism

(iii) foolishness

(iv) strength of will

(b) The Post Office is referred to as Ali's "place of pilgrimage" as he__________.

(i) visited it daily

(ii) came there to pray for a letter from his daughter

(iii) went there with faith and hope

(iv) believed God would bless him if he went there

(c) The Post Master's rudeness to Ali reveals his ___________________.

(i) lack of empathy

(ii) preoccupation with his work

(iii) preconceived notions

(iv) sensitivity

(d) Ali did not come to the Post Office for several days as _____________________.

(i) he had given up hope

(ii) he was upset by the Post Master's rebuke

(iii) he was unwell and not able to walk to the Post Office

(iv) he was busy hunting

(e) "Tortured by doubt and remorse, he sat down in the glow of the charcoal sigri to wait."

The Post Master was waiting for____________________________.

(i) a letter from Miriam

(ii) a letter from his own daughter

(iii) a letter from Ali

(iv) Ali to deliver Miriam's letter to him.

"Tortured by doubt and remorse, he sat down in the glow of the charcoal sigri to wait." Who is tortured by doubt and remorse? Why? What is he waiting for?

Answer the following equations briefly:

1. Who was Ali? Where did he go daily?

2. “Ali displays qualities of love and patience.” Give evidence from the story to support the statement.

3. How do you know Ali was a familiar figure at the post office?

4. Why did Ali give up hunting?

5. What impression do you form of the postmaster after reading the story, ‘The Letter’?

6. The postmaster says to Ali, “What a pest you are, brother!” Do you agree with the statement? Give reasons for your answer.

7. Ali came out very slowly, turning after every few steps to gaze at the post office. His eyes were filled with tears of helplessness, for his patience was exhausted, even though he still had faith. Why were Ali’s eyes filled with tears of helplessness? What had exhausted his patience? How/why was his faith still intact?

8. Tortured by doubt and remorse, he sat down in the glow of the charcoal sigri to wait. Who is tortured by doubt and remorse? Why? What is he waiting for?

Answer the following questions briefly.

(a)Who was Ali? Where did he go daily?

(b) "Ali displays qualities of love and patience". Give evidence from the story to support the statement.

(c)How do you know Ali was a familiar figure at the post office?

(d)Why did Ali give up hunting?

(e)What impression do you form of the postmaster after reading the story 'The Letter'?

(f) The postmaster says to Ali, "What a pest you are, brother!" Do you agree with the statement? Give reasons for your answer.

(g) "Ali came out very slowly, turning after every few steps to gaze at the post office. His eyes were filled with tears of helplessness, for his patience was exhausted, even though he still had faith." Why were Ali's eyes filled with tears of helplessness? What had exhausted his patience but not his faith?

(h) "Tortured by doubt and remorse, he sat down in the glow of the charcoal sigri to wait." Who is tortured by doubt and remorse? Why? What is he waiting for?

Tortured by doubt and remorse, the postmaster sits in the glow of a charcoal sigri that night, waiting for new of his daughter. As he sits, he writes his dairy. As the postmaster, write a diary entry in about 150 words outlining your feelings about the day’s events.