Bonku Babu's Friend – Contextual Q&A
Question 1
"Usually, Bonku Babu kept his mouth shut. That day, for some unknown reason, he opened it and declared that he was not afraid of the ghost that was all! But it was enough to offer a golden opportunity to others. On his way back home later, that night Bonku Babu was attacked by a spook."
(i) What does "golden opportunity" refer to? (3)
(ii) Why does Bonku Babu usually keep his mouth shut at these meetings? (3)
(iii) What consequences does Bonku Babu face for making his declaration? (3)
(iv) How does this incident characterize Bonku Babu's personality? (3)
(v) What does this passage reveal about the group's attitude toward Bonku Babu and their sense of humor? (4)
Answer:
(i) The "golden opportunity" refers to the perfect chance for the group to play a prank on Bonku Babu. His declaration that he is not afraid of ghosts provides them with an opportunity to scare him by dressing up as a ghost ("spook") and attacking him, thereby teaching him a lesson for his unusual boldness.
(ii) Bonku Babu usually keeps his mouth shut because he is meek and mild by nature. He is afraid of causing offense or attracting negative attention. Moreover, he attends these meetings out of social obligation to Sripati Babu and doesn't want to risk his relationship with this important man by speaking up or expressing opinions.
(iii) Bonku Babu's declaration results in immediate consequences: that very night, he is attacked by someone dressed as a spook (ghost) under a tamarind tree. The attack is violent enough to injure his neck (which aches for a long time), tear his new kurta, and stain it with black ink. These consequences are meant to punish him for his rare moment of boldness.
(iv) This passage reveals that Bonku Babu is generally submissive, silent and fearful. His normal behavior is to avoid drawing attention or making statements. The fact that his single declaration is so unusual and shocking to the group shows how thoroughly passive and compliant he normally is. Yet underneath this passivity is a person capable of voicing an opinion, suggesting hidden potential.
(v) The passage reveals that the group finds humor in Bonku Babu's suffering and vulnerability. They actively scheme to frighten and harm him as a "joke." Their sense of humor is cruel, based on bullying and humiliation. They take pleasure in punishing his rare attempt at boldness. This reflects a social dynamic where the weak are targeted for entertainment by the stronger or more assertive members of the group.
Question 2
"Puzzled, Bonku Babu walked another twenty yards, and then he suddenly saw the light. At first, he thought that a fire had broken out. Bang in the middle of Poncha Ghosh's bamboo grove, in the clearing near a small pond, quite a large area was glowing pink. A dull light shone on every branch and every leaf. Down below, the ground behind the pond was lit by a much stronger pink light."
(i) Why was Bonku Babu puzzled? (3)
(ii) How does the description of the light create atmosphere in the passage? (3)
(iii) What does Bonku Babu's initial interpretation of the light reveal? (3)
(iv) How is the location described and what is significant about it? (3)
(v) How does this passage serve as a turning point in the story? (4)
Answer:
(i) Bonku Babu was puzzled because he noticed an unusual silence in the bamboo grove—there were no cricket sounds, which was abnormal. As he walked through the grove after leaving Sripati Babu's meeting, he expected normal forest sounds but found only eerie silence. This puzzlement causes him to investigate further, which leads to his discovery of the strange light.
(ii) The description of the light creates an atmospheric effect through vivid, otherworldly imagery. The "dull pink light" that shines "on every branch and every leaf" creates a surreal, magical quality. The contrast between the "dull light" on the upper branches and the "much stronger pink light" below creates a sense of mystery and increasing intensity. This gradual revelation builds tension and establishes the strange, non-natural quality of the phenomenon.
(iii) Bonku Babu's initial interpretation that a fire had broken out reveals his practical, ordinary mind. Faced with something extraordinary, he first tries to explain it through conventional, everyday experience. His rational mind seeks to categorize the unknown into familiar categories. This shows him as a grounded, practical person not given to imagination or superstition, despite living in a village where superstition is common.
(iv) The location is precisely described: Poncha Ghosh's bamboo grove, in a clearing near a small pond. This specific location is significant because it is isolated from the village—a place of mystery and boundary. The bamboo grove represents a transitional space between civilization and nature, between the known and unknown. The pond at its center suggests a meeting place of water and land, adding to the symbolic liminality of the location.
(v) This passage serves as a turning point because it introduces the extraordinary element that will transform Bonku Babu's life. The discovery of the mysterious light and the subsequent encounter with Ang will become the catalyst for Bonku Babu's spiritual and psychological transformation. The strange light promises something beyond the ordinary village existence Bonku Babu has known.
Question 3
"Suddenly, his ears began ringing. He felt as if someone was humming loudly — a long, steady noise and it was not stopping. Bonku Babu was scared, but curiosity drove him further forward. As he went past a cluster of bamboo stems, he saw an object. It was like a giant glass bowl turned upside-down, covering the pond wholly. A gentle pink light was shining out from its strong, translucent shade."
(i) What does the humming sound represent or suggest? (3)
(ii) What conflict does Bonku Babu experience at this moment? (3)
(iii) How is the spacecraft described through the metaphor of a "glass bowl"? (3)
(iv) What does Bonku Babu's decision to move forward despite fear reveal about his character? (3)
(v) How does the physical environment heighten the sense of wonder and strangeness in this passage? (4)
Answer:
Question 4
"You see, Bonku, you are quite a good fellow. Very good-natured. But you have a major fault. You are much too meek and mild. That is why you have made so little progress in life. You must always speak up against injustice, and protest if anyone hurts or insults you without any provocation. To take things quietly is wrong, not just for man, but for any creature anywhere."
(i) Who is speaking these words and to whom? (3)
(ii) What does Ang identify as Bonku Babu's main character flaw? (3)
(iii) What is the relationship between Bonku Babu's passivity and his lack of progress in life? (3)
(iv) What universal principle does Ang suggest about standing up for oneself? (3)
(v) How does Ang's assessment function as the turning point of the story? (4)
Answer:
(i) Ang, the alien from planet Craneus, is speaking to Bonku Babu. This dialogue occurs during their encounter in the bamboo grove. Ang, despite being from another planet and belonging to a technologically superior civilization, takes the time to assess Bonku Babu's character and offer genuine criticism and advice.
(ii) Ang identifies Bonku Babu's excessive meekness and mildness as his main character flaw. Despite acknowledging that Bonku Babu is "quite a good fellow" and "very good-natured," Ang recognizes that these positive qualities are undermined by his inability to stand up for himself. His passivity prevents him from living fully or achieving his potential.
(iii) Ang draws a direct causal connection between Bonku Babu's passivity and his lack of progress: he has "made so little progress in life" precisely because he is "much too meek and mild." Ang suggests that in order to advance and succeed, one must be willing to assert oneself, speak up and take action. Passivity leads to stagnation, and acceptance of mistreatment leads to continued mistreatment.
(iv) Ang suggests a universal principle: "To take things quietly is wrong, not just for man, but for any creature anywhere." This principle transcends species and planets—it applies to human beings and to aliens, to creatures on Earth and on Craneus. The principle is that every conscious being, regardless of form or origin, has the right and responsibility to protest injustice and defend their dignity.
(v) Ang's assessment serves as the story's turning point because it gives Bonku Babu a framework for understanding himself. For the first time, someone recognizes his passivity not as virtue or inevitability but as a flaw that can be changed. The alien's external perspective provides objectivity that Bonku Babu could not achieve alone. His judgment is non-judgmental yet honest—not cruel, but truthful. This assessment plants the seed of self-awareness that will lead to Bonku Babu's transformation.
Question 5
"That very evening, the usual crowd had gathered in Sripati Babu's room. Bonku Babu entered the room, and without any hesitation, looking directly into the eyes of each member, spoke out boldly. He first addressed Nidhu Babu and told him how he had falsely claimed credit for the discovery of the light. Then he turned to Chandi Babu and reminded him of the insults he had hurled. Finally, he spoke to Sripati Babu with utmost boldness and said something that was unexpected. With a spring in every step, he was actually dancing."
(i) What has changed in Bonku Babu's behavior and demeanor? (3)
(ii) What specifically does Bonku Babu tell Nidhu Babu? (3)
(iii) How does Bonku Babu's physical behavior reflect his internal transformation? (3)
(iv) Why is the phrase "looking directly into the eyes of each member" significant? (3)
(v) How does this scene demonstrate the complete transformation of Bonku Babu? (4)