The telegram on the table

-          Parashu Pradhan, Nepal (1943- )

Translated by Michael Hutt

I. Literal Comprehension      

Context: This story is written by a contemporary Nepali writer Parashu Pradhan (1943- ). He has depicted a young male character living alone in the city, away from his family, for ten years with a dream to go abroad.

Krishna, the protagonist and single character of the story, has been living in a city, perhaps in Kathmandu, for many years. He is originally from a village in the distant hill where he hasn’t gone back since he left the place. Krishna came to the city in search of a promising future, but is suffering from various crises and problems. Still he doesn’t like to go home because he is hopeful to get a chance to go abroad. He dreams high despite the constraints he is fighting against. For him, the main constraint in achieving his ambition is his wife whom he has left at home in his village perhaps because he was forcefully married to her in his childhood. Now he tries to avoid her as far as possible. Meanwhile, one day he suddenly gets a message about her death. He becomes very happy to hear it. But despite his hard effort, he can’t keep his happiness for long. At last, he realizes his mistake, tears the telegram with the message of his wife’s death into shreds, and weeps for long.

II. Interpretation

            This story might be trying to tell us that the city life makes one very selfish and ego-centric. Krishna, a young man with a dream of going to America, has never returned to his village for the last ten years. He has taken even his wife as a burden and barrier in the way to his dream. Even after he got the message of her death, he has not been sorry or remorseful. Rather he has been happy and satisfied. This story might also be trying to tell us that man is also not a stronger sex. A man also cries if the pain is too unbearable, no matter however a man pretends to be hard and undaunted. Krishna in the story is a typical masculine character. His happiness knows no bound when he gets the information about his wife’s death. He doesn’t become sorry to hear that. We shouldn’t be surprised when he doesn’t cry even after hearing about his wife’s death because traditional gender roles dictate that men are supposed to be strong (physically powerful and emotionally stoic). They are not supposed to cry because crying is considered a sign of weakness, a sign that one has been overpowered by one’s emotions. Perhaps this is the cause behind his undue happiness. Instead of being sorry for his wife’s death, he smiles. In fact, he is to be hurt and weep. But he is not affected even a bit. He also doesn’t want to give his wife a respectable position. He doesn’t accept his wife’s separate existence. He doesn’t recognize her by her own name. Instead, he recognizes her only as an object. The telegram which his family members send reminds him of his wife, but he doesn’t regard her much. He doesn’t feel the need to pay much attention to her. That’s why, he doesn’t feel regret and doesn’t fast after his wife’s death. As he remembers his wife, he remembers her as “that woman”, not by her identity or name. His wife, for him, is the woman he does not want to define. He does not want to accept her separate existence or identify her. But his pretension does not last long. At last, he outbursts with anger and cries a lot.

III. Critical Thinking

            The writer has presented Krishna as a cruel and selfish husband. He has not returned to his village since he left it ten years ago. However, the writer does not give any information why he hates his wife so much. The readers wonder while reading the story whether it is marital discord or the result of forced marriage by his parents that deters him so much. But their inquisitiveness remains unanswered throughout the story. Similarly, Krishna, the indifferent husband who remains apathetic towards his wife’s death and simply ignores the telegram with the message of his wife’s death, suddenly cries at the end of the story when he has read the message and ponders on his sorrows and pitiful life in the city. The readers are left confused why he cries, due to his wife’s death or due to his unfulfilled dream of going to America.

IV. Assimilation

            After reading the story I have understood why people in the city are often selfish and indifferent to others. Actually, they are ego-centric and money-minded. They are ambitious and keep on following high dreams which are often unfulfilled. As a result, they are often unhappy and dissatisfied. 
 Also read Defeat of Masculinity in The Telegram on the Table