It is absolutely true that only the wearer knows where theshoe pinches. It is very easy to make fun of people in trouble; but when thesame trouble afflicts us our attitude to life and miseries of others undergoesa drastic change.

In the chapter, The Letter, we see this transformation intwo persons; first Ali, the second was the postmaster. Ali gave up huntinginnocent animals after Miriam suddenly left him. The pain of separation madehim sensitive to the pain of the animals.

The postmaster was also transformed after a painful experience. The arrogant postmaster, who earlier had behaved so callously and rudely with Ali for inquiring about whether there was any letter for him from Miriam, was completely transformed after he himself underwent the pain of not hearing any news about his own sick daughter who lived in a distant town. Now he empathized with Ali. He wondered he could not bear the suspense concerning his daughter's health only for one night, and how Ali must have gone through the painful suspense concerning his daughter, Miriam, for five years! He felt remorseful for his misbehavior. Coincidentally, when he saw Miriam's letter addressed to Ali, he picked it up excitedly thinking he would hand over the letter himself. He realized the truth. He no longer thought of letters in terms of envelopes and postcards. Now he saw the essential human worth of a letter. He watched them as eagerly as though each contained a warm, beating heart.