THE RED ROOM ---H.G.WELLS

This story is suspense thriller . By effective use of language and setting , H.G.Wells creates an eerie atmosphere . The story resolves around a man who visits a castle which has an old couple as house keepers . TAhis castle belonged to a young Duke who had died mysteriously . A particular room in the castle referred to as the 'Red Room' was supposed to be haunted . The narrator comes to the castle to investigate . The old couple is extremely unfriendly and uncooperative to him . The narrator takes the instructions to reach the red room and then proceeds to move along the corrider . The writer at this point , presents a vivid picture of the room .As one reads the story , one can recreate the scene . The room is large with a mantelpiece which has candle stands on it . There is a fireplace where the coal is glowing . The narrator prepares to light all the candles .As time passes , the candles are put out one by one and the narrator is left in total darkness . He is terrified and tries to rush out of the room .
The narrator is terrified in the darkness and begins to imagine the ghost following him . He tries in desperation to reach the landing of the staircase but hits against the bed and other objects and is badly hurt on his forehead . He become unconscious and later opens his eyes to find the old couple bending over him . They question him about the ghost as they are convinced that the injury is the ghost's doing . The narrator , however , proclaims dramatically that the house was indeed haunted.......not by a ghost but by fear . The story is thus an eye-opener for all of us who often refuse to see reason when clouded by fear . "Fear is thus greatest enemy of mankind" .

THE CHERRY TREES ---RAM KUMAR

'The cherry trees' by Ram kumar is a story that deals with different issues . At one level , it contrasts city life to being in the lap of nature . It also deals with the issue of deforestation and the necessity to preserve nature and at another symbolic level , it deals with the issue of early marriage of girls . The narrator of the story is a boy who is much excited to enter his new house that had an orchard of cherry trees . The children , along with their elder sister make merry . In fact , the elder sister is so happy initially of her stars seem to be close to her at night time . There is soon discussion of her marriage , which upsets her as she is unhappy with the decision of her parents to get her married at such a young age .
The children's idyllic haven is soon spoilt with the entry of the contractor , who wishes to pluck all the cherries . The children are upset with their freedom to pluckcherries being curbed . However , there is no way they can protest as the house does not belong to them . They are not only silent spectators to the cartons of cherries being taken away but also to the killing of a bird in the process . Their sister feels it is as much a sin a pluck fruits and flowers as it it to kill animals .
The narrator looks out of the window and finds the stars shining brightly in the sky because it was a moonless light . His sister , however , is disturbed and does not notice the stars . Her mind is preoccupied with the fact that her parents were going to get her married soon . The writer makes an interesting comparison of the marriage of young girl against her wishes to the plucking of unripe cherries . The killing of the bird is also symbolic of the freedom of the girl which is likely to be curbed after marriage . The varied moods of the girl are reflected in the sighting or not sighting of the stars .