In the story, a coward Premchand shows how cultural difference within our country creates problems among the people who live in the same society. Basically, the Hindu Caste System has created problem among the people in case of marriage. Moreover, the gap between a traditional mind & the modern mind divides the people clearly disperse into opposite poles. Most of the people stick to their conservative beliefs due to which the gap always remained unfulfilled.
In the story, Keshav, a Brahmin boy falls in love with Prema, a girl from Baniya Caste. In the beginning, Keshav seems to be very strong because he is ready to undergo any hardships that might come on his way. He convinces Prema to be bold & fight against the conservative minds. Prema, who is loyal to her parents, does not bear to go against them. However, she doesn't dream to live her life without Keshav.
As Prema goes hope, she thinks about Kehav & collects her strength to tell her relationship with Keshav to her parents. In the beginning her parents reject it strongly but they agreed when she put her life at stake. Prema's father went to talk with Keshav's father who reacted very rudely to him. However, he tolerated being the father of the girl. Then, Prema wrote a letter to Keshav informing him that she was she was ready to undergo to any sort of difficulties if he was ready to accept her as his life partner. She also wrote that her parents were eager to meet him & he is called for dinner. Prema waits for Keshav impatiently but neither he nor his letter comes. Only the next morning Prema gets the letter of Keshav in which she finds him unexpectedly coward & disloyal. Her parents asked her about his response but she tells them nothing. She hides her pain the whole & the next morning she commits suicide. In this way, the story shows the cultural problem of the same society due to the conservative feelings of the people. The lovers like Prema & Keshav are very much frequent in society due to the conservative feelings of the people. The lovers like Prema & Kehav are very much frequent in our society too & they are killing themselves due to the fear of social bars which are almost impossible for them to cross.
