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The Guide





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The Guide (Novel)
R.K. Narayan

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R.K. Narayan is a writer of ordinary humanity and ordinary emotions. He was born in 1906 in Madras. He graduated in 1930 from the Maharaja College, Mysore. He is regarded as a pure literary artist. The Guide is one of the most popular novels of him. He was awarded for The Guide in 1960. The novel become so popular that it was translated into many languages of the world and even a film was made on it. The Guide narrates the adventures of a tourist guide, popularly known as Railway Raju. Raju is the hero of the novel. Raju begins his career as a stall-keeper but soon he becomes popular as a tourist guide. So, he appoints a boy to look after the stall and becomes a full-fledged tourist guide. One day he comes into contact with Marco and Rosie, who have arrived at Malgudi as tourists. Both the husband and wife are impressed by Raju and Marco hires him as a full time guide. Raju falls in love with Rosie at the very first sight and appreciates her beauty and her dancing skill. Rosie is also attracted towards Raju, as she is always neglected by Marco. Raju and Rosie spend a lot of time together and they also satisfy the desire of each other.  While Marco is busy in the study, they meet physically.  One day Rosie confesses before her husband about her relationship with Raju and this way Marco comes to know about the illicit relationship between Raju and Rosie. He immediately dismisses Raju from his service.



Image result for the guide novel by rk narayan




Image result for the guide novel by rk narayanAfter a month, Marco leaves Malgudi telling Rosie that she is free to go anywhere and that he no longer considers her his wife. Rosie decides to go to Raju and his house. When Raju sees her, he is pleasantly surprised and offers her a shelter in his house. Though Raju’s mother does not forbid initially, but when Rosie starts practicing dance, she is annoyed. She wants Rosie to leave her house but Raju always comes to Rosie’s rescue. Since Raju in deep financial problem, he decides to utilize Rosie’s dancing skill for monetary purpose. He succeeds in arranging a show for her. Rosie’s first performance on stage is highly appreciated by everybody and soon she offers of more and more engagements. Within a short time, she becomes a popular dancer and earns enormous wealth and money. He is now the business manager of Rosie and anybody who wants to meet Rosie must take his permission. One day the post man brings a book, which is written by Marco. Raju hides the book because he is afraid that Rosie might be impressed by Marco’s genius and may decide to go back to him. In order to keep control over Rosie, and out of greed, he copies her signature. Marco has sent some documents for Rosie’s signature. After signing the document, Rosie would be able to get a jewelry box which Marco has deposited in the bank. Raju copies the signature of Rosie to get the box of jewelry.  Raju copies the document and posts it back but does not tell Rosie about the document. As a result of this copy, he is convicted and imprisoned for two years. Rosie goes to Madras and leads an independent life of her own. In the jail, Raju turns out to be an ideal prisoner and his behavior and conduct is praised by all the officials. The superintendent of the jail is particularly impressed by Raju and he remits his conviction.

On his release from the jail, Raju takes shelter in an isolated temple on the bank of the river, a few miles away from Malgudi. An ignorant villager named Velan mistakes him for a holy man and mentions his problem to him. His problem relates to his half sister who has run away from home on the day fixed for her marriage. Raju asks the man to bring his sister to him. The girl is so much impressed by Raju’s personality. Problem is solved by Raju. This establishes Raju’s fame as a holy man and begins to worship him and brings him lots of eatables as gifts. Raju does not want insult their sentiments and so acts like a Swami (in English Saint), delivers sermons and tries to solve the problems of the villagers. He is quite comfortable and tries to solve the problem of the villagers and performs the new role of a saint to perfection. However, soon there is severe famine and drought. There is failure to the crops and wells and tank dry up. Prices go up, the shopkeeper charges high prices and there are quarrels between the shopkeepers and the villagers. The news of the violence disturbs Raju as he fears the intervention of the police and the disclosure of his identity. Raju sends a message through Velan’s foolish brother that he will not take food until both of the groups compromise. Things take a dramatic turn when Velen’s first foolish brother distorts Raju’s message and informs the villagers that the Swami will not eat anything until there is rain instead of “till they stop fighting” The villagers are highly obliged to Raju for his fasting for their welfare.

The people bless their starts that their village has been blessed with such a holy man who is willing to sacrifice his own life for the welfare of the villagers. They have full faith in Raju, who is unaware of this new development, is disappointed when Velan comes to thank him for his fasting , while Raju has actually been waiting for food. Raju decides secretly to run away, but the fear of police stops him doing so.


Image result for the guide novel by rk narayan

On the 12th day of his fast, Raju is tired and falls down. Yet there are signs of rain on the distant horizon. Raju, the tourist guide turned prisoner and prisoner turned Swami, becomes a martyr for the cause of the common people. R.K. Narayan’s chief concern as a novelist has been to give an artist expression to his views of Indian life. Mangala and Malgudi are two representative of typical Indian village. The Guide is a regional novel. Narayan’s irony can be seen in the “rise and fall” of all his characters, his own trap that indicates fate of irony. Irony also exists in the contrast/scholar and Raju attains sainthood. The novel is full of ironical statements. Ironically, death brings glory to Raju, coping signature lands him in jail and lies land him sainthood. The author makes his novel tragic-comedy. There is mingling of tragic and comic elements. Raju’s rise and fall results in tragic-comic irony.       

Comments

  1. Unknown2 September 2017 at 22:25

    Good steps to educate people with literary knowledge

    ReplyDelete

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