A Summary of 'The Silver Lining'

The Silver Lining

This piece of literary is written by an Indian English novelist Chaman Nahal (b.1927). He won a ‘Sahitya Akademi Award’ in 1977 for his work ‘Azadi’. Other novels written by him are ‘My True Faces’ (1973), ‘Into Another Dawn’ (1977), ‘The English Queens’ (1979).

‘The Silver Lining’ describes the story of a handicapped child and their parents’ unhappy moments, until a guest who is similarly handicapped brings a ray of hope into their child’s life. His views about judging a man’s outward appearance is that ‘A happy man who puts on an appearance of happiness may be crushed deeply within; while an idiot may be truly happy.’

Chaman Nahal narrates his experiences during his stay at a private guest-house in one of the hill resorts, where one of his friends had recommended. It covered all the facilities that generally lacked in advertisements; and it was a silent resort.

The hostess was Mrs. Bhandari from South, married to a North Indian, huge, dark, with bony limbs; and her complexion dark, yet pleasant looking and kind. They had a daughter, Pramodni, about eight years old with a Chinese crop, dressed in Jeans and high boots. She was the centre of attraction to the author. On arriving at the resort he was welcomed by the warm and friendly affection of Mrs. Bhandari. Pramodni remained aloof and a bit timid. Unaware of the child’s disability, Chaman beckoned the child to him, at which she shook her head and dashed out of the room. That situation brought a painful look on the faces of the Bhandaris. The daughter’s physically handicapped condition was explained to the author.

Apparently, the parents faced such awkward moments every time a guest arrived and the child totally aghast while the situation was being explained. Her only means of communication was the gestures made with her hand.

Chaman suggests the parents to inform every new guest in a typed letter sealed in an envelope. The letter was a brief note on the child’s handicapped situation and had a request that the visitor should refrain from approaching Pramodni and asking her any questions.

Chaman relates the incident, when on one day there arrived a strange visitor Mr. David. He was barely twenty-five, and had an unkempt appearance. After reading the note in the sealed envelope about Pramodini, he had rushed out into the courtyard and darted out towards her. Mr. David’s sudden impulse had shocked the parents, who thought that he was being rude. That moment of curiosity in the air was broken by the sound of a gun-exploding shrill laughter. It was a wonder and amazement for the Bhandaris. David was a youth, who too was deaf and dumb, but sent abroad to an institute where he had learnt the skill of communication and had returned to India to open a school for the handicapped children. He was eager to make Pramodni his first student and disclosing this truth to the Bhandaris, thrilled her parents. Their joy knew no bounds and they were filled with gratitude toward Mr. David.

The story ends with the description of Mrs Bhandari as the happiest woman in the world and her laugh expressed as a carefree girl.