English LiteratureICSE Class 9 · Home-coming – Rabindranath Tagore

Home-coming (Rabindranath Tagore): Phatik's Loneliness and the Ironic Ending

Updated 18 October 2026 · Fact-checked

In Tagore's Home-coming, Phatik, a mischievous fourteen-year-old village boy, is taken by his uncle Bishamber to Calcutta. Unwanted by his aunt and failing at school, he longs for home and his mother, runs away in the rain, falls gravely ill with fever, and in delirium tells his mother that the holidays have come.

Notice the contrast between open village freedom and crowded city loneliness, and how Phatik's home-coming is ironic because it points to death.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand Phatik's Loneliness in Calcutta and the Ironic Home-coming

Source. The story was first written in Bengali as Chhuti and appeared in English in The Hungry Stones and Other Stories (1916). It is one of the Treasure Chest stories for Class IX.

Village life. Phatik is the ringleader of the village boys. He plans to roll away a heavy log on the river mud-flat, but his younger brother Makhan sits on it and refuses to move. Phatik has the boys roll the log with Makhan on it. Makhan tumbles off, attacks him and runs home crying. His mother accuses him, Makhan lies, and Phatik beats Makhan in anger at the injustice.

Departure. Uncle Bishamber arrives and offers to take Phatik to Calcutta and educate him with his own children. His mother agrees with relief, and Phatik is wild with joy.

Calcutta. His aunt is displeased with this extra boy. Tagore's narrator reflects that there is no worse nuisance than a boy of fourteen, though that is the age when he most craves love and recognition. Slighted at every turn, Phatik cannot breathe in the cramped city, dreams of the meadow and his mother, and becomes the most backward boy in school. He is told to wait for the holidays in November.

Ending. He runs away, falls ill with fever, and in delirium tells his mother the holidays have come. The title is ironic: his home-coming suggests death.

Themes. Loneliness of adolescence; longing for home and mother; village freedom versus city confinement; misunderstanding by adults.

Devices. Irony of the title, simile, contrast of village and city, and the narrator's reflection.

Phatik's Loneliness in Calcutta and the Ironic Home-coming: key facts

Arc: Village leader
Departure
Calcutta neglect
Escape
Illness
Delirium; Use for a sequence.
Contrast: Village meadow and river | Calcutta walls; Setting contrast.
Themes: Adolescent loneliness
Longing for home
Freedom versus confinement
Neglect by adults; Choose by the question.
Title irony: Home-coming
Return in illness
Suggests death; Three-step answer.

How to answer Phatik's Loneliness in Calcutta and the Ironic Home-coming questions

Use this for a character or title question.

1Name the character or the title feature.
2Give two events as evidence.
3Explain the contrast or irony.
4Link to the theme of longing or neglect.
5Finish with the effect on the reader.

Phatik's Loneliness in Calcutta and the Ironic Home-coming in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

A new hostel

Suppose a fourteen-year-old moves to a hostel in a big city, is scolded often by the warden and misses the open fields and family of his village.

Which theme of Home-coming does this match?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The boy is unwanted at the new place.
He longs for his mother and village.
The setting is cramped and unfriendly.

Answer: It matches the loneliness of adolescence and the longing for home, as in Phatik's experience in Calcutta.

Memory hook: Missing home.

Tricks to remember Phatik's Loneliness in Calcutta and the Ironic Home-coming

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Log, Calcutta, Fever
The three main stages of the story.
Use it when: Plot.
Fourteen
The age that wants love but is treated as a nuisance.
Use it when: Theme.
Holidays have come
Phatik's delirious words.
Use it when: Ending.

Phatik's Loneliness in Calcutta and the Ironic Home-coming: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Phatik's age · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

How old is Phatik?
(a) ten (b) twelve (c) fourteen (d) sixteen

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Phatik is fourteen, as the story states (1).

Answer: (c) fourteen.

Example 2: The log incident (3 marks) · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

What does Phatik plan to do with the log, and what happens with Makhan?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Roll the log (1)
Makhan sits (1)
Rolled with Makhan on it (1).

Answer: He plans to roll away the heavy log, but Makhan sits on it and refuses to move. Phatik has the boys roll it with Makhan on it, and Makhan falls off, attacks him and runs home crying.

Example 3: Aunt and Calcutta (4 marks) · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

How is Phatik treated in Calcutta and how does he feel?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Aunt displeased (1)
Slighted (1)
Cramped (1)
Longing (1).

Answer: His aunt is displeased with the extra boy and slights him at every turn. He feels he cannot breathe in the cramped city, dreams of the meadow and his mother and falls behind in school.

Example 4: Irony of the title (4 marks) · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Explain the irony of the title Home-coming.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Longs for home (1)
Returns ill (1)
Suggests death (1)
Effect (1).

Answer: Phatik longs to go home, but he returns only when gravely ill, and his delirious words suggest a final release. The title seems happy but the home-coming is tragic, which makes the ending deeply moving.

Example 5: Narrator's comment (4 marks) · 4 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

"There is no worse nuisance than a boy at the age of fourteen." How does the story illustrate this?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Statement (1)
Aunt's view (1)
Phatik's need (1)
Result (1).

Answer: The aunt treats Phatik as a nuisance, scolding and slighting him, but at fourteen he needs love and recognition most. Being unwanted breaks his spirit, leading to his escape and illness.

Where students lose marks in Phatik's Loneliness in Calcutta and the Ironic Home-coming

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Retelling instead of explaining irony
No explanation.
Wrong working
He came home ill.
Right working
He wanted to go home, but he came home only when ill, which suggests death.
Do this: Explain the contrast.
Usually costs: 1 to 2 marks
Mistake: Mixing the brothers
Roles confused.
Wrong working
Makhan is the leader.
Right working
Phatik is the leader.
Do this: Learn characters.
Usually costs: 1 mark
Mistake: Calling the aunt cruel without evidence
Add evidence.
Wrong working
She is cruel.
Right working
She is displeased and slights him.
Do this: Use text.
Usually costs: 1 mark

Exam tips

Explain the irony of the title in three steps.
Use short phrases only.
Contrast village and city.
Link the narrator's comment to Phatik.
Give two reasons in opinion answers.

Practice questions on Phatik's Loneliness in Calcutta and the Ironic Home-coming

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
Who is Bishamber?
(a) Phatik's father (b) his mother's brother (c) his teacher (d) Makhan's friend
Hint
Bishamber is the uncle who comes from Calcutta; think of which side of the family he belongs to.
Answer
(b) his mother's brother.
Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
Why is Phatik wild with joy when his uncle offers to take him to Calcutta? (3 marks)
Hint
Think of his home life.
Answer
He is scolded and misjudged at home, so a new city and new life seem a happy escape, and he gives Makhan his fishing-rod, kite and marbles.
Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
How does Phatik fall behind at school? (3 marks)
Hint
Think of how Phatik feels in the cramped city and how that affects his lessons.
Answer
He becomes the most backward boy in school and is caned by the teacher.
Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
What does Phatik ask his uncle and what is he told? (3 marks)
Hint
Holidays.
Answer
He asks when he can go home and is told to wait for the holidays in November.
Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Contrast the village and Calcutta as shown in the story. (3 marks)
Hint
Open and cramped.
Answer
The village has meadows, river-banks and a brook where Phatik is free; Calcutta is cramped and walled, and he feels he cannot breathe.
Q6 · 4 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Is Phatik more a victim of circumstance or of neglect? Give two reasons. (4 marks)
Hint
Think of the aunt and the mother.
Answer
Mostly of neglect. His mother favours Makhan and his aunt slights him, so no one gives him love or recognition. Circumstance matters, but the lack of care drives him to run away.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.Who wrote it?Show answer
Rabindranath Tagore.
2.Original title?Show answer
Chhuti, meaning holiday.
3.Who is Phatik's brother?Show answer
Makhan.
4.Who takes Phatik to Calcutta?Show answer
Bishamber.
5.What does he say in delirium?Show answer
That the holidays have come.
6.Which collection?Show answer
The Hungry Stones and Other Stories (1916).

Phatik's Loneliness in Calcutta and the Ironic Home-coming: frequently asked questions

Which Class?

ICSE Class IX.

Is the title ironic?

Yes.

Is the full text quoted?

No; only short phrases from the story are quoted.