Author
Who is the author of Faltering Pendulum?
Bhabani Bhattacharya
What does the pendulum symbolize?
Time and destiny
Who is the protagonist of the story?
A lonely rag woman, a widowed outcast.
What does the rag woman do with the pumpkin seeds?
She plants and nurses them carefully.
In which language did Bhattacharya mainly write?
English
What does “faltering” in the title suggest?
Hesitation, imbalance, uncertainty
Why is she scorned by the villagers?
Because she is a poor, childless widow who lives by collecting rags.
What tragedy befalls her pumpkin vines?
The goat eats their tender leaves.
What themes does Bhattacharya often explore in his works?
Social change, freedom struggle, and individual vs. society
What emotional states does the pendulum swing between?
Hope and despair
What companion does she find to ease her loneliness?
A goat kid.
How does she react when the goat destroys the vines?
She strangles the goat in grief and anger.
In which year was Bhattacharya born?
1906
How does the rag woman react to this loss?
In despair and anger, she strangles the goat.
What role do the pumpkin seeds play in her life?
They symbolize her hope and purpose for the future.
What unexpected change occurs after the goat’s death?
The pumpkin vines grow stronger and start bearing fruit.
Name one other famous work by Bhabani Bhattacharya.
So Many Hungers! or He Who Rides a Tiger
What discovery renews her hope at the end of the story?
The pumpkin vines, enriched by the goat’s manure, grow back and bear fruit, symbolizing resilience and balance.
What emotions dominate her life before finding hope in the goat and seeds?
Loneliness, rejection, and despair.
What realization does the rag woman come to at the end?
That life, like the pendulum, can regain balance after setbacks.