Keyur PatelENG3U1-06Mrs. Vila3st October, 2014Greed results in end of relationshipsThe short story "A Handful of Dates" by Tayeb Salih explores several significant themes. In the story, the grandfather always has greed towards Masood's land which eventually results in losing his grandson's trust. The grandfather seems to be a role model for the grandson but as the story progresses, his hate towards his grandfather increases as he starts realizing his grandfather's inner character. Throughout the story, greed can be seen within the grandfather's character and how it haunts towards the end of the story.In the story, ...view middle of the document...
Moreover, the grandfather's greed doesn't end though Masood is living a very poor life. It is portrayed in the quote "'You're still fifty pounds in debt to me' said my grandfather to Masood. 'We'll talk about it later" (Salih 128). Thus, the quote explains the grandfather's greed towards Masood's land even though he didn't legally own it in the first place.In the beginning of the story, the grandson loves his grandfather intimately. But his feelings change throughout the course of the story. The grandson's love and affection towards his grandfather can be seen when he says, "I loved him and would imagine myself, when I grew to be a man, tall and slender like him, walking along with great strides" (Salih 125). This quote shows grandson's love towards his grandfather. However, later in the story, the grandson hates his grandfather due to his greed towards Masood's land, "Hearing my grandfather call after me, I hesitated a little, then continued on my may. I felt at that moment that I hated him" (Salih 128). This quote on the other hand, portrays the grandson's hate towards his grandfather's greed.In the story, "A Handful of Dates" one of the most important themes portrayed in the story is greed. The grandson always views his grandfather as his role model, but after realizing his grandfather's greed towards Masood's land, his hate towards his grandfather increases. Thus, the grandfather's greed results in his separation with his grandson.
