Answer :
Binya is a little girl who is the protagonist of the story 'The Blue Umbrella'. She lives in a small village in Himachal Pradesh and like every normal child, she too admires things around her. She is smitten by a blue umbrella which was owned by a rich girl. She manages to get the umbrella in exchange of an old tiger claw necklace she owns. Once she gets the umbrella, she is very happy. Ram Bharosa is a shopkeeper who is tempted by the umbrella and asks his servant to steal it for him. Fortunately, Binya's brother catches him red handed and Rambharosa is boycotted by all the villagers. Binya feels bad for him and reflects that she shouldn't have flaunted the umbrella and it was her mistake. Once she goes to buy something at his shop and purposely leaves her umbrella there. She had decided to give it to Rambharoa earlier, but he comes running to return it to her. She finally gives the umbrella to him refusing to take it back. Then on, people came a used the umbrella whenever they needed and Rambharosa turns into an empathetic person like Binya.
(What do you know about her background?)
Binya, whose full name is Binyadevi, is introduced to the readers as a young girl of around maybe nine, ten or even eleven years of age, living a happy life in the hills of Garhwal. She has lost her father, but that does not stop the family from living a normal life. She along with her older brother Bijju helps out their mother in her daily chores, including tending to the cows.
(Physical appearance)
Binya is described as being a fair and stout girl, with ‘pink cheeks’ and ‘dark eyes’. She wears her hair in a pigtail. She also has some typical accessories like glass bangles and a necklace with a leopard’s claw hanging from it.
(Now look for traits that you discover as you read the story.)
1. Simple village girl- Binya is a simple village girl, which is evident from the manner in which she looks at the people who had come from the city. She is awestruck by their clothing, their accent and even the food spread. Like any normal child, she was completely taken in by the beauty of the blue umbrella.
2. Independent girl- Binya is an independent girl, for she often takes the cows out to graze, without getting scared of wandering too far. She is a nature loving person, because she is most confortable in the hills and feels ‘lost’ amidst the people in the bazaar. She is also adept at climbing trees, as in case of the cherry tree.
3. Fair- Binya is very clear headed. She does what she decides to do. When she decided to give the pedant to the lady in exchange for the umbrella, she stuck to her decision and did not agree to any monetary transactions. To her, it was a simple case of barter system.
4. Cheerful- The young girl is a cheerful person who is ‘always ready with her smile’. She does not get cranky even when Ram Bharosa points out that she did not have much use for the umbrella, because it was meant for rich ladies. She smiles even at an unplesant comment like that.
5. Determined- Just as she is determined to get the umbrella, the same determination helps her chase the umbrella when the wind blows it away. She runs after it, and even climbs down the treacherous cliff and onto the cherry tree just to get her umbrella.
6. Quick thinking- Binya has a very sharp mind, which is able to respond to situations quickly, For instance, when she looks down from the cherry tree and feels a little scared, she is quick to focus on the umbrella and not on the problem down below. She also has the sense to let the umbrella lower itself into the ravine rather than trying to carry it back with her. Similarly, when she comes face to face with a snake, she has the presence of mind to hit it with the umbrella and save herself from a snake bite.
7. Considerate and kind hearted- Binya is a considerate child and graciously acknowledges even the small gestures. This is evident from the fact that when Bijju shares some berries with her, she shares her special umbrella with him. Also, the village children know her to be a kind person who would actually lend it to them for a short while.
The biggest example of Binya’s kind- heartedness is the fact that she holds herself responsible for the condition that Ram Bharosa found himself in, after having tried to steal the umbrella. Despite being a young child, she has a big heart and she even gives him her prized umbrella.
8. A positive influence- Binya has influenced the villagers and Ram Bharosa positively. By the end of the story, it is because of her gesture that the villagers forgive Ram Bharosa and his life returns to normalcy. Also, the act of giving away the umbrella to the shopkeeper helps him become a better person. He too, learns the joy of sharing and giving.
(The easiest way to attempt a character sketch is by picking up a trait and then looking for supportive evidence. How do you know she is independent? How do you know she is kind? All the information is in the text. You only need to find it.)