The Captive
I. Answer these questions in one or two words.
1. Where is the place which is described at the beginning of the story?
Ans: Highlands.
2. Who took a dip in the water?
Ans: The youth.
3. What were they travelling by?
Ans: Bicycle.
4. In whose house was the captive kept?
Ans: The village headman’s house.
5. Which bird does the captive think of?
Ans: Kingfisher.
II. Answer these questions in a few words.
1. What is referred to as the ‘object’ by the captive?
Ans: A loaded gun is referred to as the “object” by the captive.
2. What is the food offered to the captive in the headman’s house?
Ans: The captive was offered parboiled rice and chicken curry in the headman’s house.
3. How did Captain Batra offer his respects to the boy?
Ans: Captain Batra paid his respects by standing beside the boy’s dead body and touching his cap as a mark of respect.
4. What did the boy say he would do if the circumstances changed?
Ans: The boy said that if circumstances changed, he might be forced to kill the captive as part of his duty to the organisation.
5. How did the captive know that the boy was highly educated?
Ans: The captive realised that the boy was highly educated because he spoke good English, Assamese, and tribal languages, and had wide knowledge about literature, nature, agriculture, and rural life.
III. Answer these questions briefly.
1. What is the nature of the relationship between the captive and the young man?
Ans: Although the young man was the captor and the narrator was the captive, a sense of companionship gradually developed between them. They spent a long time together discussing literature, nature, farming, and rural life. Over time, a relationship similar to that of a teacher and student developed between them. Despite the presence of the gun, which constantly reminded the captive of his situation, mutual trust and understanding slowly grew between the two.
2. How does the captive come to understand the meaning of ‘Freedom Fighters’?
Ans: The captive begins to understand the meaning of “freedom fighters” when he observes the courage and dedication of the militants who fight against government forces. They believe that they are struggling for the freedom of their people from what they consider to be an oppressive and imperialist state.
3. How did the captive record his movement in captivity?
Ans: The captive recorded his experiences in a diary during his captivity. He was held for seven months, but he managed to write about the last three months in detail after a young man brought him the diary on his request.
4. How did his abductors treat the captive?
Ans: At first, the abductors treated the captive harshly. However, after the young man became responsible for him, their attitude gradually changed. They began to treat him more kindly and respectfully, and a certain level of understanding developed between them.
5. Why does the captive feel that his abductor is also not free?
Ans: The captive realizes that although the young man appears to be free, he is actually bound by the rules and responsibilities of his militant organisation. He must obey orders and live a dangerous life. In this sense, he is also not truly free.
IV. Answer these questions in detail.
1. Comment on the significance of the title of the story. Does it refer only to the abductee?
Ans: The title “The Captive” is significant because it refers not only to the kidnapped narrator but also symbolically to the young militant who guards him. While the narrator is physically captive, the young man is mentally and emotionally captive to the ideology and commands of his organisation.
The story explores different meanings of freedom. The narrator once believed that he was completely free in his independent country. However, during his captivity he realizes that freedom can have different meanings for different people. For the militants, freedom means independence from what they consider oppression by the state.
Thus, both the captive and the captor are trapped in different ways. The narrator is imprisoned physically, while the young militant is trapped by circumstances and ideology. The tragic death of the young man at the end leaves a deep emotional impact on the narrator and highlights the complex nature of freedom and captivity.
2. Write about the journey undertaken by the captive and the young man.
Ans: The story narrates the journey of the captive and the young militant during the period of his captivity. In the beginning, they are seen travelling together on a bicycle through the highlands. Soon the narrator realizes that he has been kidnapped by members of a militant organisation.
During the following months, they move from one place to another to avoid the security forces. Their journey takes them through forests, villages, and remote areas. They often stay in temporary shelters and live under constant danger.
Eventually, they reach a village where the captive is kept in the house of the village headman. During this long journey, the narrator and the young man spend a great deal of time together. They discuss many topics such as literature, nature, farming, and rural life. Gradually, a sense of understanding develops between them.
However, the journey ends tragically when the young militant is killed during an encounter with security forces, leaving a lasting impression on the narrator.