As mentioned earlier, the narrator in this story is a romantic and wishes to fool

his new train companion into making her think that he could see. There are
several instances where we, as astute readers, realize that she, like him, was also
blind by accurately reading the clues in the short story titled ‘The Eyes Have It’:
• When the narrator called out to her the first time, the girl was startled because
she was unaware that anyone was in the compartment. It was not because she
did not notice him but because she was blind. She was unable to realize that
someone was there with her.
• She was given a list of instructions by her parents about not talking to
strangers, not putting her head out of the train, and where to place her luggage
because she was blind and not because they were overprotective.
• The young girl mentions that she could not tolerate long train journeys. This
was because she was blind and could not entertain herself adequately by looking
at the scenery of the hills unfolding out the window.
• When the narrator asks the girl about the view from out the window, instead of
looking out herself, she suggests that he should look out instead of asking her.
• She would be picked up by her aunt at Saharanpur for her safety, even though
it was a short train journey.
These are the various clues one will come across to make us realize that the girl
was indeed visually impaired like the narrator. Concerning the characters of the
narrator and the girl, they both were friendly. The girl was a good looker, as her
admirers used to tell her, because, as we see from the text, her friends often said
to her that she had a pretty face. However, since she was blind, she could not
see her beautiful face, which made these compliments seem futile. The young
girl was as daring as the narrator, if not more, but could keep her composure in
any situation. On his part, the narrator was daring and a risk-taker. We notice
this because he bravely compliments the girl on her ‘ interesting face’. He is
also a joker of sorts and jokes with the girl about the formidability of her aunt,
little knowing that the aunt was coming to pick up the girl because her ward’s
sight was impaired. The narrator and the young girl loved the hills, just like
Ruskin Bond himself loved the mountains. They had fond memories of their
time in Mussoorie and loved to contemplate those times. The narrator was
haunted a bit by the fact that he could not see, and that is why he does not laugh
at the girl when she asks him why he was so earnest in his manner with her. He
loves beauty and was romantic enough to fall in love with the girl’s voice which
he describes as a mountain stream, indicating vitality, youth, and freshness.
THEME OF THE STORY:
The theme of this story is that we only notice those aspects about a stranger
which speak immediately to our passive senses, not going deep into the matter
and deductively realizing what a person really and truly is. We must not judge a
book by its cover and be too overconfident about our analysis of people. This
story is also a beautiful and humble tribute to the visually impaired and how
they experience the world through their senses and cognition patterns. The story
ends with the girl walking out of the train when her destination arrives. She was
aware that she had to get down because of the change in the train’s rhythm. She
had trouble getting out of the train because she banged into the incoming male
passenger, who was the one who realized that she had beautiful but useless eyes.
He conveys this to the narrator as a potent climax to the reality of the girl, and
the most important thing about her personage, her eyes.
There are multiple themes explored in this wonderful short story by Ruskin
Bond,
the first Being that of kindness. Throughout the story the narrator shows
kindness to the young woman in the Compartment. He compliments her when
he can which is somewhat ironic considering that he cannot see her. The fact
that he considers that the woman has an interesting face may also be important
as it suggests that the Narrator is attempting to appeal to the woman’s intellect
rather than to her vanity as most men would do.
The second theme that the story explores is the theme of determination and
independence. This is clearly seen in The narrator’s engagement with the young
woman. He may be blind but the narrator does not consider this to be An
obstacle. While others might admit defeat and rely on others, the narrator
doesn’t. He maintains his Independence and is not shy to interact with the girl
and answer her questions confidently. It is also interesting to Note that that the
same level of confidence is seen in the young woman. When the narrator asks
her to describe The landscape to him, rather than admitting she is blind she tells
the narrator to look for himself. The Determination that the narrator shows in
the story is mirrored by the young woman.
Another theme that comes through after reading the story is that of self-
consciousness. It becomes clear very Early on in the story that the narrator is
somewhat conscious of himself when he is in the compartment. He does Not
wish to let the young woman know that he is blind possibly out of the fear that
she may judge him negatively If she comes to know that he cannot see. It is also
possible that the narrator is working from memory when he Talks to the young
woman about the landscape as he is looking out the compartment window. If
this is the case Then it would further emphasise the fact that the narrator wishes
to hide the fact that he is blind. In reality, the Narrator is aware of how those
who are blind are treated by others.
Yet another theme is the theme of perception. Bond uses the narrator’s other
senses in the story, particularly That of sound and smell. The first favourable
impression the narrator forms of the girl is the sound associated With her. He
likes the way her slippers slap against her heels. He also has a strong desire to
touch the young Woman’s hair. He would like to know whether she kept her hair
long or short and whether it was loose or tied up In a bun. Such is the
favourable perception he has of the young woman that he attempts to paint a
picture of the Young woman for himself based on what she says to him and
what he can smell and hear of her. This is very important as the narrator
appears to be compensating for his inability to see and seems to be doing so
Successfully.
Despite all themes the biggest theme of the story is irony of fates, both blind but
this never come out.
It is better to be a real person then fake yourself. Are I show us what is
happening in the world. Through our eyes we can perceive the world, lack of
eyes does not mean that one can't see inner beauty of other person. Throughout
the story the narrator has achieved to show general human behaviour about
meeting initial assumptions on the way we perceive the world and other people.
Use of Irony –
Ruskin Bond’s short story is ironical right from the beginning. In fact, the very
title of the story is Ironical since whatever happens in the story is described
though the eyes of the narrator who is blind. When the Girl gets on to the train,
her parents advised her not to talk to strangers yet ironically, the rest of the story
is a Conversation between the narrator and the girl who have each other for
company. Another instance of irony in The story is when the blind narrator
gives a detailed description of the hills in October. It is indeed ironical for it
Comes from a blind man! The end of the story is also interesting as Bond
appears to be introducing further irony Into the story. It is only after the young
woman has left that the narrator discovers that she too was blind. Every Effort
that the narrator made to hide his own blindness from her has been in vain. We
realise that the young woman would have never known he was blind regardless
of the narrator’s actions. Again, the narrator makes a Safe comment when he
remarks that the girl has an interesting face. It is only at the end we come to
know the Truth of this remark when the other male passenger confirms this fact.
She did indeed possess beautiful eyes but Ironically they were of no use to her
as she was blind. And how ironical it is for the narrator to be absolutely Correct
in his assessment of the girl despite the fact that he was unable to see the young
woman’s face!
Significance of the Title
The title “The Eyes Have It” is quite striking. In some editions, we even find an
Alternative title “The Eyes Are Not Here”. The title highlights the fact that eyes,
or in its absence, the mind’s eye, Have a prominent role to play in this
story. Both the protagonists of the story, the narrator and his female co-
Passenger, are blind. In fact, the narrator very early on in the story says that
being blind, his eyes are sensitive Only to light and darkness. He even says that
people who cannot see or see very little have to take in only the Essentials,
whatever registers most tellingly on their remaining senses. This sentence is
significant because it tells Us that in the absence of sight, the other sensory
organs of sound, smell and touch are heightened. This explains Why the very
first quality about the girl that attracts the narrator’s attention is the sound of her
slippers slapping Against her heels. Later, he admits liking the sound of her
voice that reminds him of a sparkling mountain stream. Further, it is her sweet-
scented hair that he wishes to touch. It is by relying on such sensory perceptions
that the Narrator is able to draw up a picture of the girl in his mind’s eye. As for
the girl, the sound of the engine’s whistle And carriage wheels are her cue that
she has reached her destination. This brings us to the next point that the Eyes in
the title of this story don’t just literally refer to our organ of sight – the eyes.
Bond is here playing on the Word ‘eyes’. What he actually wants to refer to is
the importance of the inner eye or what we call imagination or Intuition. As we
read on, the eyes in the title assume a deeper significance. It does not merely
indicate the organs Of sight but the sense of perception activated by the mind. In
fact, most of the conversation that takes place Between the two strangers on the
train is based on the inner eye of the narrator. So when the girl asks the Narrator
if he can see any animals outside, he tells her confidently that there are no
animals left in Dehra. He is Speaking intuitively here for he knows instinctively
that there are actually no animals left in Dehra. Again, he Brings his mind’s eye
into play when he describes the scenic beauty of the hills in October.
Furthermore, his Intuition tells him that his female co-passenger has an
interesting face. Up till this point, the narrator feels he has Got it all figured out
in his mind about the girl. It takes another male passenger to reveal to the
narrator the Shocking truth about the girl – that she too was blind like him. His
mind’s eye could capture every other detail About the girl except the fact that
she too didn’t have eyes like him to see the world.
Moral of the Story:
Through his story ‘The Eyes Have It’ the author, Ruskin Bond, wants to draw
attention to the Plight of the blind and sightless. He sympathizes with the blind
and calls on us to reconsider our treatment Towards them. The blind are very
often misunderstood and underestimated in society. But we are wrong in our
Judgement because like the two blind protagonists in the story show us, blind
people are strong and confident. They move about on their own without the help
of others. They live in a world devoid of colours and rely on their Other sensory
perceptions to understand their surroundings. The sense organs, which we take
for granted and Are a luxury for us, is for them a necessity as their survival
depends on it. What they need from us, therefore, is Not our pity but our
compassion. We need to become more sensitive to their needs. Another lesson
that we learn From this story is the importance of the journey of life. Note how
the entire story is set on a train. Well, the train Is simply a metaphor for the
journey of life, a spiritual journey from unseeing to seeing, from the world of
Darkness to the world of light, from concealment to revelation because
throughout the story what the narrator Kept doing was pretending he could see.
He kept up the lively conversation with the girl the whole time only to Conceal
his blindness from her. But at the end, the truth that she too was blind is finally
revealed to him. Thus, The story moves from deception to discovery, from lies
to truth.

“ Well, it often happens that people with good eyesight fail to see
what is right in front of them.”
Sometimes it happens that we take people at face value without trying
to understand the reality behind it. Someone maybe smiling from
outside but maybe struggling through a lot of problems in their life.
But we assume that he/ she has a very peaceful and sorted life.