Title: Pigeons at Daybreak Reference to pigeons, a symbol of freedom Reference to the daybreak at the end of the story, bringing

ing a sense of comfort and relief Evokes a sense of serenity and tranquility, which is starkly contrasted by the irascibility of Basu at the beginning of the story

Themes imprisonment vs freedom perception vs reality sense of protection vs that of vulnerability

Point of view: The narration is mostly in the 3rd person omniscient, has a largely neutral tone and focuses mostly on the husband, Basu a lot of lexical real estate is given towards detailing his thoughts and feelings.

Main characters: Mr. Basu Basu is the protagonist and is portrayed as an irritable and paranoid person at the beginning of the story, constantly complaining about his wife, house and asthma. As the plot progresses, Basu is the central element which is developed, he is the author's vehicle for bringing out the themes mentioned above. Otima Otima is the longsuffering, loyal and hardworking wife of Basu. She is also portrayed as a stereotypical housewife, being interested in the trivial and sensational news. She plays the role of the Basu's caretaker. She is the main supporting character. Bulu Bulu is one of the Basus' next door neighbor and is described as "burly", "good-natured", uneducated and "half-witted". He is Mr. Basu's diametric opposite and used in the story as a contrast against Mr. Basu.

Setting:

The story is set during the height of the oppressive summer and in Darya Ganj (in Delhi), near the Jumna River; more specifically, it centers around the Basus' house and terrace.

Symbols: Birds Birds are a symbol for the state of Mr. Basu. The two types of birds used by the author are the caged parrot and the pigeons. The caged parrot represents the state of Basu when he is in his living room, drawing attention to his ungrateful attitude towards what he has, just as the parrot refused Mr Basu's offered chilies. It is significant in that the Basu offered the chilies, showing that Basu had the actual ability to enjoy them, but didn't do so he was in effect refusing himself his own fortunes. It is also significant that the parrot is caged, giving a visual metaphor for his captivity. The pigeons represent Basu's desire for happiness and freedom. Whenever pigeons are mentioned the tone is always that of tranquility; furthermore, pigeons are linked to Basu's cherished memories such as taking his daughter's son, Nikhil to see the pigeons. They are linked, in essence, to Basu's self.