Question

You have recently read a book. Write a ‘Review’ on the same with the help of the following points:

• Title of the book
• Subject/Story/information
• Language/Style/Presentation
• Benefits/Message

Answer 1

1. Title of the book: The Room on the Roof by Ruskin Bond.
2. Subject/Story/Information: The story in this book is about an orphaned boy named Rusty. He is a sad and lonely boy, living with his guardian, Mr. Harrison. Rusty, in his search for an identity, dares to venture out of the house and ends up making new friends. He is finally left homeless by Harrison and this is when he realises what it means to be an orphan in the truest sense. Rusty’s friend comes to his rescue when he lands Rusty a job to teach English. Things are fine for a while, after which a strange sequence of events occur and Rusty ends up homeless again. This time he is on the verge of leaving for England, when his student, Kishen, stops him and together they decide to begin life afresh on a new note.
   The story about the AngloIndian teenager, Rusty, bears a striking resemblance to its writer, Ruskin Bond’s life. Despite Ruskin’s pain at his parents’ separation and a lonely childhood, he developed an optimistic outlook on life much like Rusty does in the story. It is this search for freedom, identity and friends by a teenager, that creates the context and the plot for the story.
3. Language/style/Presentation: Ruskin Bond has a certain poetic style of writing. His choice of words and placement of imagery provide for an interesting, yet lucid read. Particularly fascinating is the narrative when the boy finds himself in a dilemma over living in India or England. Ruskin is very descriptive and hence uses many adjectives to support his writing which make his works delightful to read. He has also cleverly conveyed in the novel how strangers can become a part and parcel of one’s life by being kind and warm in our interactions with people. Rusty, the central character in the novel, uses this same idea to make friends for life.
4. Benefit/Message: I love this book because of its simple style and the picture it paints of a young teenage boy that I can relate to because we are of the same generation. I also like the multiple emotions depicted beautifully by the author in this piece. The book shares a beautiful message to have an open mind and embrace the uncertainties in life. These experiences will help one understand the world better.