Considering Shaman's role in the education system of India gives me a whole new perspective on fatalism. Here we have an example of a person who sees the flaws of the system in which she is acting, while at the same time recognizing that her actions can accomplish little to nothing. This puts the role of the individual in stark contrast with the powers of society or the forces of the universe. Consider the inspector's visit to Shaman's school. If Shaman is incapable of changing the school, she at least has hope that a higher power - in the form of the state inspector - will fix the problem. Chughtai even draws a comparison between the Inspector and a force of nature; I believe the analogy was something along the lines of 'at least a hurricane sweeps away all the debris.' In this sense, Shaman's fatalistic attitude differs from that of Mir Nihal in the sense that she shows an active concern but can do nothing, whereas Mir Nihal becomes resigned to the idea that the world is in a younger generations hands. I can only wonder how Shaman's character would feel about the world at the end of her life.