The Story of My Experiments with Truth · Chapter
On the Way to Pretoria explained
Gandhi prepares to travel to Pretoria for a legal case, studying bookkeeping to understand the case.
What happens
Gandhi prepares to travel to Pretoria for a legal case, studying bookkeeping to understand the case. He declines a bedding ticket to save money, and on the train to Maritzburg, he is forcibly removed from a first-class compartment due to racial prejudice. He spends a cold night in the waiting room, resolves to fight the injustice, and continues his journey after being assisted by Abdulla Sheth and local Indian merchants.
Themes in this chapter
Social Justice and Anti-Colonialism
Gandhi's decision to fight the racial injustice of being ejected from the train rather than retreating to India reflects his early commitment to social justice and resistance against colonial prejudice.
Self-Discipline and Simplicity
Gandhi's refusal to book a bedding ticket to save five shillings, despite Abdulla Sheth's insistence, demonstrates his adherence to frugality and self-discipline.
Characters to notice
- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Prepares for the Pretoria case, studies bookkeeping, and experiences racial discrimination on the train at Maritzburg.
- Abdulla Sheth
Assigns Gandhi to the Pretoria case, advises him on lodgings, and later assists him after the train incident.
- Parsi Rustomji
Mentioned as an acquaintance Gandhi made in Durban.
- Adamji Miyakhan
Mentioned as an acquaintance Gandhi made in Durban.
- Tyeb Haji Khan Muhammad
Relative of Abdulla Sheth and the opposing party in the legal case.
Key passages
“I revealed my ignorance to the clerk, and learned from him that a P. Note meant a promissory note. I purchased a book on bookkeeping and studied it. That gave me some confidence.”
Gandhi admitted he didn't know what a promissory note was, so he bought a bookkeeping guide and studied it, which boosted his confidence.
Gandhi's proactive self-education to understand the legal case.
“The hardship to which I was subjected was superficial—only a symptom of the deep disease of colour prejudice. I should try, if possible, to root out the disease and suffer hardships in the process.”
Gandhi saw his personal insult as a surface sign of the deeper problem of racism, and resolved to endure difficulties to help eliminate that prejudice.
Gandhi's philosophical shift from personal grievance to broader social reform.