Themes in 'My Brother, My Brother'

Introduction:

'My Brother, My Brother' is a story by Norah Burke. It is centred around the journey of Sher
Singh through jungle to save the life of his brother, Kunwar. The themes in the story can be
understood as below.

Themes in ‘My Brother, My Brother’

1) Family Bonds: The main event in the story is Sher Singh's struggle to save the life of his
brother from the deadly illness. Sher Singh passes through the jungle, through the rivers alone to
do it. This shows his love for his brother and his responsibility as a brother. He takes care of him
throughout the journey which can be seen in his act of giving water to his brother from the river.

He shares good bond with his mother. This can be understood from his understating of what his
mother wants to say without her speaking about it. He could understand that his mother will not
be able to join them to the hospital without her saying it. He could understand that his brother is
dying when the mother said that Kunwar needs to be taken to the hospital.

2) Nature VS Humans:

It is one of the central themes in the story. In the beginning readers are told about the hunting
practice that is going on in the forest. Readers are told that Sher Singh's father had gone to the
photographic expedition and in the forest there were sometimes expedition for hunting as well.

Later on readers are also told that in the forest deer are decimated and so the animals of the prey
now kill domestic animals as well and they also attack human beings.

This shows human intervention in nature and its results which have created problems in nature
and for human beings as well.

Sher Singh's journey from the rivers is difficult. Nature does not support him on the journey but
it is against him. Sher Singh is in conflict with nature in the story. Nature harms him and tests
him on the journey. This can be seen as nature's response to human acts.

So, struggle between human beings and nature is one of the major themes in the story.

3) Struggle for life:

Sher Singh struggles to save the life of his brother and he succeeds in this. When the narrator
mentions that Sher Singh needs to go alone in the jungle, readers are informed that he is not
alone in this. Readers are told that in the nature, struggle for the survival has been going on since
the beginning of the world. They are also later on told about acts of human beings that kill
animals and animals' own hunting practices that kill other small creatures. This shows their
struggle for the survival and later on Sher Singh struggles against nature to save his brother's life.

Thus, the theme of struggle for the survival shows the universality of this in the story.

Conclusion:

Hence, it can be said that, the family relations, affection and understanding in the family,
struggle between human and nature and struggle for the survival are the themes conveyed in the
story.
Plot construction in 'My Brother, My Brother'

Introduction:

Any story develops in five stages which are, 1) Initial Action 2) Rising action 3) Climax 4)
Falling Action 5) Denouement. This is also followed by the story 'My Brother, My Brother' by
Norah Burke. It can be analyzed as follow.

1) Initial Action:

In initial action, readers are introduced to the central characters of the story and the setting of it.

In this story, readers are told about two characters in detail in the initial action. They are told
about Sher Singh and his father, Sher Singh, the Bahadur in the beginning of the story. Sher
Singh is said to be a small, cheerful and child of jungle while Sher Singh, bahadur is told to be a
famous Shikari who works on land and grazes animals. He is told Bahadur due to his brave acts.

Readers are also introduced to two minor characters who are Sher Singh's mother and his
brother. They are told that Kunwar, Sher Singh's brother is several years younger than he and he
has pain his stomach. Sher Singh's mother is introduced as a pessimistic character who has gone
through painful situations in life.

The setting of the story is hut at beginning and later on readers are told that the setting of
Laldwani village. From here, Sher Singh begins his journey towards the jungle.

2) Rising Action:

In the rising action, readers are introduced to the conflict of the story.

In this story, the rising action begins when Sher Singh starts his journey to the jungle. He comes
across many animals as he passes through it. He sees the foot prints of a beer and he is afraid of
it. Then he comes across the herd of elephants which makes him pray harder but he is saved from
them as the elephants run back and disappears. Then he comes to the first river which is colder
and deeper than usual but he passes through it. Then Sher Singh sees the foot prints of a tiger.
Thus he comes across many difficulties in the jungle and finally he reaches the second river
where the climax of the story beings.

3) Climax:

Climax in the story is when the conflict is at the height.

In 'My Brother, My Brother' it happens when Sher Singh reaches the second river and sees that
there is flood in it. As he could see the bridge that is under water now, a tree falls and breaks the
bridge. Sher Singh does not know then, how to cross the bridge. So he makes a rope out of grass
and holds his brother and himself with it. He passes through the flooding river which hurts him
and injures him. This scene creates climax of the story.

4) Falling Action:

In the falling action of the story, conflicts start resolving and the protagonist starts getting help
from the other characters.

In this story, Sher Singh reaches out of jungle in the falling action and gets lift in bullock cart
and truck and he manages to reach the hospital which can be considered as a falling action.

5) Denouement:

In the story, it is the conclusion or the end of the story.

In 'My Brother, My Brother', at the end, Sher Singh is called to be "Sher Singh Bahadur" by the
doctor and he is assured that his brother will live. It is significant because it shows the parallel in
Sher Singh and his father.

Conclusion:

Thus, 'My Brother, My Brother' shows the de velopment in the plot while saying the story in
linear way. The conflict here is with the nature and Sher Singh succeeds in his mission that is
about saving the life of his brother.
5 elements of short story in 'My Brother, My Brother'

1) Setting:

Setting of the story is about the place and time at which the events of the story takes place.

The place at which this story takes place is Laldwani village. It also covers the places like forest
and Kalaghat.

The time at which the story takes place is evening and night. The writer portrays the Laldwani
village at the evening and several times mentions about the twinkling stars at night, its impact on
the forest land and the sky at night.

2) Characters:

Characters are the figures that take part in the events of the story.

In this story, the central character is Sher Singh, who is a major character while his brother,
mother, father and the doctor remain the minor characters.

While Sher Singh is the protagonist in the story, nature seems to be the antagonist who creates
problem for Sher Singh and tests him at every step.

3)Theme:

Theme is the ideas conveyed in the story.

In this story, family relations, struggle for the survival and struggle between human and nature
are the major themes of the story.

Besides this, maturity and age, how a person becomes mature with the experiences and not with
the age is also a theme that can be seen in it.

4) Plot:

Plot of the story is a storyline or the events of the story. ( refer plot contraction for the answer)

5) Conflict:

Conflict in the story is about the problems that are faced by the protagonist.

In this story, Sher Singh's struggle is mainly against the nature. So it is an external conflict with
nature in the story. (for further details see: themes, Nature vs Human )
Explain the title, 'My Brother, My Brother'

Introduction:

'My Brother, My Brother' is a title of the story by Norah Burke which refers to the two brothers
in the story. The title can be justified as below.

Justifying the title:

The story 'My Brother, My Brother' is mainly about two brothers' journey through the forest.
They are the characters introduced in the very beginning of the story. The writer beings the story
as, "Sher Singh's little brother lay in the hut with pain in his stomach that was getting worse".
The way writer introduces them is interesting because it is in the relation to Sher Singh that his
brother is introduced. Both the characters are introduced in the first line itself. Besides, it is to
save the life of Kunwar that Sher Singh goes to the hospital at Kalaghat by passing through the
forest and rivers at night. In this journey, both the brothers are together and Sher Singh does all
he could to save his brother's life. He takes care of him throughout the journey. He puts him
aside before he takes rest, he gives him water when he comes across the flooding river and he
holds him tight and makes sure that his head is above water when he passes from it. It is when
Sher Singh gives his brother water from the second river that his brother says, 'My Brother'
which makes the title of the story. It is because the story is about their journey, their bond and
their affection that the title of the story can be justified.

Conclusion:

Thus, the title, 'My Brother, My Brother' is justifiable due to its significance which is related to
the two brothers in the story about whose journey the whole story is.
Character Sketch of Sher Singh:

Introduction:

Sher Singh is the protagonist of the story 'My Brother, My Brother' by Norah Burke. Norah
Burke is a British writer who had lived in India for twelve years of her childhood. Indian forest
and its people are central to her stories located in the Indian region. In this story also, Sher Singh
passes through the forest. This journey shows him as a brave character. His character can be
analysed in detail as below.

1) Small, cheerful and child of jungle:

The writer calls Sher Singh as a small in his physique. This can be inferred from the story as well
because his mother tells him that his brother is too big for him and it can also be understood
because Sher Singh is only twelve years old.

Though the writer says Sher Singh to be a cheerful person, readers don't find him cheerful. Sher
Singh is portrayed as a mature and a serious person as the events of the story demands it.

As the writer as said, Sher Singh can be seen as a "child of jungle" which can be seen in his
knowledge about jungle. He could recognise the foot prints of animals and could understand that
river is colder and deeper than usual which shows his knowledge of the jungle.

2) Brave person:

Sher Singh can be seen as a brave person in the story because he passes through the jungle at
night alone and crosses the flooding river alone. He is called as 'Bahadur' by the doctor as well.

3) Intelligent person:

Sher Singh is an intelligent character in the story. He could identify foot prints of the animals. He
also uses his intelligence when the bridge is broken. He makes the rope out of grass and holds his
brother with it. This shows his intelligence and presence of mind.

4) Innocent character:

Though Sher Singh is an intelligent character, he is shown as an innocent character as well. He

says immediately that he will run for his father when he comes to know that his brother is in
danger which shows his innocence as a child who thinks if mother can't solve the problem, father
will. Besides this, when the doctor calls him as 'Bahadur', he does not realise that it is because of
his bravery that doctor is calling him so and doctor can't call his father because he may not know
him at all.

5) Mature person:
Sher Singh is seen as a mature person in the story. He understands without being told. He could
understand that his brother is in danger when the mother says that he needs to be taken to the
hospital and he also understands that his mother cannot join them to the hospital because she
needs to be there to take care of land and cattles without being told.

6) Responsible person:

Sher Singh is a responsible person in the story. He takes the responsibility to save the life of his
brother when the father is not there. He takes care of his brother on the journey as well.

Conclusion:

Thus, Sher Singh can be seen as mature, small child in the story who knows the jungle very well
and knows his responsibility. He is a brave, innocence and intelligent character.