“...she thought me a romantic fool"- Who might be thought a romantic fool? When and ... why did the speaker doubt so?

August 27, 2020 January 27, 2023

“...she thought me a romantic fool"- Who might be thought a romantic fool? When and ... why did the speaker doubt so?

The narrator of the short story 'The Eyes Have It felt that he might be thought a romantic fool.

During the narrator's conversation with the girl regarding the beauty of the hills in October, the girl expressed her desire to visit the hills. The narrator became nostalgic and gave a vivid and romantic description of the spectacular beauty of the hills during the month of October. After listening to the narrator's description of the beauty of the hills, the girl became silent. This made the narrator wonder whether his words had touched her or if she thought him a romantic fool.

"Then I made a mistake"-What 'mistake' did the speaker make? Why was it a 'mistake'? What removed the speaker's doubts? What did the speaker do then?

The speaker made a mistake of asking the girl, his fellow-traveller, what it was like outside the train.

The speaker considered it to be a mistake as it was unusual of people with proper eyesight to ask such a question. The speaker was afraid that the girl might discover the truth that he was blind.

When the girl asked the speaker why he did not look out of the window himself, it was then that the speaker's doubts were removed.

To establish his lie more firmly as the truth, the speaker moved easily along the berth and felt for the window ledge. He faced the open window pretending to study the landscape like any other person with proper eyesight and tried to convince the girl that he could see.

"Why don't you look out of the window?"- Who said these words to whom? Why? Describe the action of the listener.

"Do you see any animals?" -Who asked this and to whom? What was the reply? How could the person give the answer?

"You have an interesting face"- Who said this? To whom was it spoken? When did the speaker make this remark? What was the reaction of the person spoken to?

"Few girls can resist flattery"- How did the narrator try to flatter the girl?

"I'm tired of people telling me I have a pretty face." Who said this, to whom and when? What did the person speak to reply?

"But the thought of laughter only made me feel troubled and lonely."- Why did the narrator feel so?

"The voice had the sparkle of a mountain stream"- Who thought so? Whose voice is referred to here? Why was the voice so special?

"She would forget our brief encounter;"—Who said this and about whom? What is the brief encounter referred to here? Why did the speaker think so?

"She was standing very close to me"- Whom does 'she' refer to? When and why was she standing very close to the narrator? What was the effect of her proximity to the narrator?

"The man who had entered the compartment broke into my reverie"- Whose reverie is referred to here? What was the reverie about? How was the reverie broken?

"She was an interesting girl."-Who said this to whom and when? What else did the person say? What reply did he get?

"She was completely blind. Didn't you notice?" Who said this to whom? When was this said? Explain the irony in the line.