Farewell to a Ghost – Literary Analysis

Setting

The setting for Farewell to a Ghost is a small village beside a river in Orissa (modern day Odisha) State in Eastern India. Although we aren’t given the name or precise location of the village, we are told that it is not far (a one day row-boat trip) from the headquarters of the three murdered indigo growers. One would expect this headquarters to be located in the then state capital of Cuttack.

There are several time periods covered in the story but no definitive time markers. The narrator does mention having to walk five miles from a bus stop to reach the village. The first bus routes in India did not operate until 1926 and, as there is no mention of a war or continued Feringhee (British) rule, it is likely that the “present day” period in which the story is told is some time after India’s independence in 1947.

The British began large scale indigo cultivation in Eastern India in 1788, so the historical events leading up to and following the girl’s death could have commenced any time between this and the indigo riots of 1859. However, it is worth noting that the narrator refers to these accounts of the girl’s life and death as a “legend”. This means that the girl, like the famous King Arthur, may never have existed. Does this affect the story? Not at all!

The initial night-time setting with the boys looking up at the decrepit villa from the river bank is highly effective in setting the tone for the whole story. At first we see elements of a horror plot where the pale, desolate and eerie house looked like a phantom castle floating on an unreal sea. Then the narrator makes light of this description by saying that it was as fascinating as a fairy-tale world. The boys are not afraid of the ghost at all, but rather regard her existence as an enchanting curiosity of village life.

Point of View and Tone

Like many Manoj Das short stories, this one is told from a first person limited point of view. Another common Das technique is to feature children (or grown-up children remembering their childhood) as the narrator.

For the most part the tone in this story is both objective and playful. The objectivity comes from the boy narrator who is reporting the situations and events as he recalls them through the eyes of a child. The playfulness comes from the grown-up narrator who can now see through the superstitious beliefs of the villagers. A prime example of this playfulness is his description of the antics of the renowned priest, well-versed in necromancy who, not accustomed to going unheeded (by ghosts), rushes upstairs, grabs the invisible spirit by ear, drags her downstairs for an offering of food, and ultimately leads her through the crowd to her new tree prison.

An important exception to the objective and playful tone is the narrator’s feelings towards the ghost. Here the tone expresses a mixture of sympathy: I felt embarrassed. She was so innocent and so good. and deep affection: One day, feeling bold and a little proud, I admitted to myself that this was almost falling in love and I blushed.

Themes

The role of superstition in rural communities. It is often argued that superstitions in traditional cultures help strengthen ties between members and reduce anxiety by giving them a sense of control over the uncertainties of life. We see several examples of this in the story, including offerings being made to the ghost in exchange for protection: Unhappy girl, here is your share of the feast which has been held by the benevolent so-and-so on such-and-such occasion. Be satisfied with this. And, we ask you to guard the village from evil to the extent of your capacity.
Coming of age. The narrator is caught in the middle of the traditional and modern worlds. His coming of age event occurred as he walked home from the bus stop for the Puja vacation: …while crossing the meadow, my eyes fell on the palm tree and for a moment I felt numbed. The tree was dead, struck by lightning. Its charred branches were crumbling. With a heavy heart I resumed walking. The priest had promised that the tree would be the ghost’s permanent dwelling, and that she would never leave it. At this moment the boy would have realized that, with the destruction of the tree, many of his other childhood beliefs must also be called into question. He would have been ripe for this, as he had just completed his first experience living and going to school in a town.
The impact of modern ideas in changing traditional values and beliefs. The title of the story could be considered to have a double meaning. In saying farewell to its ghost, the village is beginning the process of saying farewell to many other aspects of its traditional life. The narrator does not necessarily see this as a good thing, as reflected in the final sentences: And the new generation of village boys was so different, so ignorant. They were just afraid of ghosts.

Characters and Conflict

The Protagonist: As with most stories told in the first person, the protagonist is the narrator. In sharing various aspects of his life and beliefs from boyhood through to the entrance age for high-school (around 14), we see that he was part of a close-knit village community that appeared very content with its traditional ways.
The Antagonist: Change, the force which ultimately causes the boy to question various aspects of his culture.
Minor characters: 1) The girl/ghost, who is the glue that holds the story together and becomes the catalyst for the climax. 2) The villagers, apparently happy with their life and a collective symbol for the old ways. 3) The priest, symbolic of the superstitious aspect of the old ways but in hindsight portrayed by the narrator as a charlatan.
Internal Conflict: The boy’s struggle in dealing with the realization that some of his villagers’ traditional beliefs may not be true.

Dramatic Structure and Mood

Exposition: Description of the girl’s life and death and the villagers’ relationship with her ghost. Mood – expectant.
Rising Action: On learning that the villa is to be demolished the villagers arrange for a priest to conduct a ceremony to remove the ghost and re-house her in a tree. Mood – relieved.
Climax: The boy returns home from school for the Puja vacation and sees that the tree has been destroyed. Mood – disappointed.
Falling Action: After a quiet holiday the boy returns to school and his visits to the village become rarer. Mood – sad.
Denouement: The narrator comes to realize that the new generation of village boys thinks very differently to his generation. Mood – wistful.

Examples of Literary Techniques

Imagery: The best example of imagery in the story comes in the very first paragraph: When the fitful breeze made waves of the tall yellow grass around it, the house looked like a phantom castle floating on an unreal sea.
Simile: 1) as fascinating as a fairy-tale world; 2) tears which fell like drops of gold