5. Take Pity by Bernard Malamud
1. CHARACTER SKETCH OF EVA OR THE THEME OF THE STORY (V.IMP)
Q. No. 1: Draw the character sketch of Eva? OR The theme of the story is undaunted struggle of a woman against the exploitation of a man. Discuss. OR What problems had Eva to face after the death of her husband? Discuss.
Answer: In this story, Bernard Malamud deals with Polish family that did not want to become a burden on anyone. The theme of the story is undaunted struggle of Eva against odds of life. She gets thousand dollar insurance from her husband after his death. Rosen who is a friend of her late husband adopts many ways to help her. He advises Eva to leave the place but Eva refuses. Eva decides to run the store but fails. One day, Rosen brings a piece of beef for her daughters. But the girls refuse to accept saying: “We can’t take, Momma says today is fast.” Eva also declares: “Charity we are not needing.” Rosen sends her money showing that it is from a friend who owed it to her husband. Similarly, Rosen offers that he would leave his belongings to her after his death but Eva rejects and pays no heed to these offers and shows a great sense of self-respect. She is truly a representative of women and also for all human beings who want to live with values. (Words: 178)
2. CHARACTER SKETCH OF ROSEN
Q. No. 2: Draw the character sketch of Rosen. OR How does Rosen try to help Eva? OR Is Rosen a hypocrite fellow?
Answer: Rosen was the friend of Eva’s husband. He was kind and sympathetic fellow. That’ why, he was much worried to see Eva and her daughters in misery. He adopted different ways but she did not accept. Rosen advised her to leave the place but she did not agree. Rosen adopted another way to help her. He sent her money showing that it was from a friend who owed it to her late husband. He also offered her to leave his belongings after his death but once again he faced failure.
But it is one side of the coin because whatever he was trying to do was not purely sympathetic. Actually he was a lonely and sick person and wanted to marry Eva. He wanted the support of Eva’s family but also wanted to infuse a new spirit in their life. Another thing that disappoints us is that he requested Eva again and again to marry him. It also humiliated her before Eva. On the whole, he was a good person with some signs of hypocrisy. (Words: 175)
Breakfast by John Steinbeck: https://englishwithnaeemullahbutt.com/2025/07/18/breakfast-by-john-steinbeck/
Notes on English Grammar: http://englishlitnotes.com