what impression do you form of the postmaster after reading the story the letter
The postmaster in the story “The Letter” (by Dhumketu) first appears as a selfish, proud and insensitive man, but by the end he is transformed into a sympathetic, repentant and more humane person.
Overall impression
At the beginning, the postmaster seems rude and arrogant, concerned only with his own comfort and work, not with the emotions of people who come to the post office. He laughs at Coachman Ali, calls him a nuisance or “pest”, and feels irritated by his daily visits for a letter that never comes.
However, when his own daughter falls ill and he anxiously waits for a letter about her health, he experiences the same fear, longing and helplessness that Ali felt for years. This shock of shared suffering softens him, and we see a complete change in his attitude toward Ali and toward human pain in general.
Key traits you can mention in an exam answer
You can form this impression of the postmaster:
- He is initially insensitive and cruel
He makes fun of Ali’s faith, treats him as a joke, and shows no respect for his age or pain.
- He is proud and self-centered
He thinks of himself as more important than poor people like Ali and cares only about his official duty, not about human feelings.
- He is impatient and mechanical
The post office is just a routine place for him; he sees letters as pieces of work, not as carriers of people’s hopes and sorrows.
- He is capable of change and deep feeling
When he fears for his own daughter, he suddenly understands what it means to wait desperately for news of a loved one.
- He becomes sympathetic, guilty and spiritually awakened
After realizing Ali’s pain, he regrets his past behavior and wants to make amends, even going so far as to keep Ali’s letter carefully and arrange to deliver it personally.
How to frame a short exam-style answer
If you need a compact answer to “What impression do you form of the postmaster after reading the story ‘The Letter’?”, you could write something like (put in your own words):
- At first the postmaster seems rude, arrogant and indifferent to human suffering, as he mocks Coachman Ali and treats him like a nuisance.
- But when he himself waits anxiously for a letter about his sick daughter, he realizes Ali’s pain and feels deep regret.
- This experience transforms him into a more sensitive, sympathetic and humane person who understands that letters carry human emotions, not just official messages.
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