Games At Twighlight

Children love to bask in their glory, but others often misinterpret their victories. This misinterpretation usually leads to a child feeling insignificant and small. In Anita Desai's short story "Games at Twilight", Ravi learns and experiences the pain of insignificance. After hiding in the shed after a childish game of hide and seek he becomes the victor, but when he come out to claim his prize he is scolded. Ravi's victory is misinterpreted which leads to his discovery of his insignificance. Desai relays this to readers through imagery and diction.

Through imagery, Desai a master in her craft, established a tone in which readers could feel all of the emotions extending from victory to insignificance. Ravi "laid down full length on the grass crushing his face in to it" (1077) when he realized no one knew he was gone. As "the arc of thin arms trembled in the twilight and [the] head bowed so sadly" (1077) Ravi could not fathom that his family hadn't realized he was missing nor that his mother and cousins yelled at him calling him names. It made him feel foolish and low, as he tried clutching to his last ounce of dignity. Imagery blossomed the theme of insignificance and the misinterpretation that often forms it.

Desai, armored with only a pen, uses diction in her own creative way, creating a layout for the theme. Her word choice in the story describes the emotional level of Ravi's feeling. She uses description to convey the heat and sadness like, "like two white marbles rolling in the purple sockets, begging for sympathy." In the end she uses such descriptive terms which elaborate on his insignificance and the interpretation by family members. Words like "ignominy" (1077) which means it brings shameful tendencies to one who feels it. Using diction Desai reflects the emotional and substantial pain that Ravi feels and how his family misinterprets his childhood