Games at Twilight

Short Story | Anita Desai
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Compare And Contrast the Two Characters Ravi and Raghu in the Story "Games at Twilight." 

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Compare and contrast the two characters, Ravi and Raghu, in the story "Games at Twilight." 

Ravi and Raghu are two very different characters in Anita Desai’s (1937-present) short story “Games at Twilight” (1978). Their personalities and roles in the story highlight the social hierarchy among the children.

Ravi: Ravi is one of the younger and smaller children in the group. He is described as nervous and timid. He picks his nose when the game of hide and seek starts. He feels insecure about his “short legs” and thinks he cannot outrun Raghu.

Ravi wants to prove himself among the children by winning the hide-and-seek game. He hides in the dark shed in fear, among insects and spiders. Ravi dreams of beating the “older, bigger, luckier children” and gaining glory. But Ravi is emotional and sensitive. When the other children forget about him, he feels crushed and overwhelmed by his sense of ins

ignificance.

Raghu: Raghu, on the other hand, is the eldest and strongest child. He is described as having “long, hefty, hairy footballer legs,” which show his physical dominance. Raghu is confident and aggressive. He is the seeker in the game. He quickly catches the younger children like Manu during the game.

Raghu whistles and bangs his stick to scare the others, especially Ravi. It shows his intimidating nature. Raghu also represents authority and control in the group. In the end, when Ravi cries about winning, Raghu dismisses him saying:

Don’t be a fool.

He also pushes Ravi aside. It shows Raghu’s lack of empathy.

In conclusion, while Ravi wants to rise in status, Raghu is already at the top. Their differences highlight the rigid social hierarchy among the children.

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Anita Desai
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from Games at Twilight