Summary
The Price of Flowers is a story by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay. The title refers to the money Maggie gave Mr Gupta to buy flowers for her brother’s grave. Maggie is a young British girl whose brother is a soldier in India. She belongs to a poor family. Her mother is a widow who is old and sick. Maggie lives for her mother and brother. All her activities are for their happiness and comfort. She is worried about her brother’s safety in India. She takes care of her mother and makes sure that she is not worried about anything. She works hard all week and has lunch only on Saturdays to save money. Her dream is to find a better job and take up the responsibilities of her family. At the end of the story Maggie hears about the death of her brother in India. She wants Mr Gupta to lay flowers on his grave for her. She gives him the money to buy the flowers. As the entire story is about the love that Maggie has for her family it is apt that it is titled The Price of Flowers. The money that Maggie gave proves her love for her brother.
Activity – V (Write-up)
‘I want work that will make me use my head, brain work.’
How far can you relate this statement to your life? What kind of profession do you like? Why? Prepare a write-up.
Answer:
I also want work that will make me use my head. I want to do work that needs my brain, my thinking powers.
I want to be a teacher. I think teaching is the noblest profession. A teacher always makes impressions on the minds of hundreds of students. Teachers has to be intelligent and energetic to help learners. As students have different abilities the teacher uses a variety of skills to constantly invent and make the classroom an interesting place so as to encourage learning. Teachers are role models and many of them make a lasting impression on the lives of students. So I like teaching profession.
Activity – VI (Letter)
“When I go to that part of the country, I shall visit your brother’s grave and write to you. ’ A few weeks after the narrator’s departure, Maggie receives a letter from him. What might be the content of the letter? Draft the letter, assuming that you are the narrator?
Fort Monroe
Dera-Ghazi-Khan
Noth-west Frontier
India, PIN 600-002
2 January 1946
Dear Maggie,
I am very happy to inform you that I could reach here very safely. I hope you and your mother are fine. I am okay here. I am trying to cope with my new responsibilities.
I went to Fort Monroe last week near Dera-Ghazi-Khan to visit your brother’s grave. As desired by you, I placed some beautiful rose flowers on his grave. When I was standing there I thought of you and your mother and prayed for Frank. I met two soldiers from the Regiment to which Frank belonged and they told me what a fine lad Frank was. They also told me that he often talked to them about you and your mother. In fact he had bought some Indian clothes to give both of you when he returned home.
I feel extremely sorry that you lost such a fine brother and your mother such a marvelous son. I pray for his soul. May his soul rest in peace!
Please greet your mother on my behalf. The cake she gave me was delicious. I keep remembering you and I speak about you to my friends. When I visit England next time, I will definitely come and see you people. With lots of love,
Yours lovingly,
Gupta Narain
Activity vii(Role Play)
Maggie reads the letter. She cannot sleep for many days. Imagine that one day Mr. Gupta receives a call from her. What would she say? Discuss with your friend, and prepare a likely conversation between them. Enact the scene by taking up different roles.
Answer:
Maggie : Hello! Is that Mr. Gupta there? This is Maggie from England.
Mr. Gupta : Hello Maggie! How nice to hear from you!
Maggie : I got your letter Mr. Gupta. Thank you very much for taking the trouble of placing flowers on my brother’s grave. My mother also wants to thank you. She said it was so good of you to do such a thing. ,
Mr. Gupta : It was nothing. I realized how much you loved Frank. Sorry, Maggie that you lost such a fine brother.
Maggie : What can we do? Fate has been very cruel to us. My father dies and now my brother, leaving my poor mother and me to fend for ourselves.
Mr. Gupta : Maggie, don’t grieve. Life is like that. Remember, there are more miserable people than you in this world.
Maggie : I understand that. That is how I console myself. Mother has become better and I am now regularly going to work.
Mr. Gupta : Good to hear that. Be cheerful and optimistic. By the way, do you play the violin often?
Maggie : Yes, I do. I am practicing a new number. When you come next time, I will play it for you.
Mr. Gupta : Very happy to hear that. Say Hi to your mother. And take care!
Maggie : You too Mr. Gupta. Bye for now!
Activity VIII (Review)
Attempt a critical review of the story ‘The Price of Flowers’
The Price of Flowers’ is an excellent story by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay. The main theme of the story is the love of a girl for her dead brother. There are also other themes like the hardships of the poor people, the dangers of war, unfulfilled desires and dreams of ordinary people and superstitions.
The style of narration has been very simple. The story is moved forward through the dialogues among the three main characters of the story – Maggie, her mother and Mr. Gupta. The language used is lucid and easy to understand. The words and expressions used make a fine impact on our minds. The story takes place in London but in the end we see the narrator placing some flowers at the grave of Frank, the brother of Maggie, at Fort Monroe. Characterization has been superb.
The character of Maggie is drawn in an exemplary manner. The poor girl of 13 or 14 with her large, sad eyes, her hair streaming down her neck, wearing shabby clothes, living in an uncomfortable house with her old mother and working in a shop for small wages is portrayed exquisitely. She is so poor that she eats her lunch only on Saturday, the payday.
Her inquisitive nature, her ideas about India, her superstition, her love for her brother and mother, etc. are powerfully pictured. The dialogues are short and sweet. There are no lengthy and boring dialogues. The story is moved forward through apt dialogues. There is fine imagery in the story. No person with a compassionate heart can end reading the story without shedding a tear. Mukhopadhyay through his ‘Price of Flowers’ has proved that he is a fine story teller.
