Name: - Italiya Kinjal
Paper:-E-E-405 R.K.Narayan
Topic: - Introduction of the novel “The Guide” by R.K.Narayan – The Journey of Raju from Guide to Guru or railway to River.
Roll. No: - 09
Submitted to Dr.Dilip Barad
Dept. of English
Bhavnagar Uni.
- The Scotsman
Rasipuram Krishna swami Ayyar Narayanaswami or R. K. Narayan is one of the most celebrated Indian novelists writing in English..R.K. Narayan's Presentation of Indian Society in his Stories its show how the lives of ordinary Indian people reflect the greater concerns of national identity and historical change. He is unusual among Indian authors writing in English in that he has stayed contentedly in his home country, venturing abroad only rarely. He rarely addresses political issues or tries to explore the cutting edge of Novel. He is a traditional teller of tales, a creator of realist Novels. Which is often gentle, humorous, and warm rather than hard-hitting or profound? Almost all of his writings are set in the fictional city of Malgudi, and are narrowly focused on the lives of relatively humble individuals, neither extremely poor nor very rich.
The Guide
The Guide is one of R.K. Narayan's most interesting books which begins as a comic look at the life of a rogue, but evolves into something quite different. In a fairly compact and concise manner the book conveys the numerous aspects of the day to day lives of India people. The different culture systems, the superstitions and values of the people of a small town named Malgudi serve as a reflection on Indian society altogether. The main character of the story is Raju, who is also the narrator of the story. He starts with a description of his life as a kid, his experiences, and his education. The story intertwines a series of experiences as a kid and as an adult that eventually lead to Raju's becoming a rogue, his imprisonment and his life thereafter. One starts out with the belief of Raju as a thief and a criminal and then ends with the reader in sympathy for the Raju. The guide refers to his profession as a guide for the villagers and the foreigners when they come to this small town
The Sacred in “The Guide”
While reading The Guide question arise that Is Raju a real saint or is he a fake? This question, in one form or another, hinging as it does on the interpretation of Raju’s pilgrim’s progress, has exercised most readers of the novel ever since its publication. As Raju sinks into the muddy river bed, he is dying, whether or not, as the water rises to Raju’s knees, it rises because “it’s raining in the hills” or because Raju himself is sagging into it, so it’s sacred in it.
The Guide as Guru
From all this , we should be prepared, as we find earlier, to see THE GUIDE as a novel about the rather serious issue of what constitutes a Guru—this, at any rate, is ONE of its major themes. Furthermore, the novel not only asks if Raju is a real Guru but also if Gurus are for real. At an even more complex level, the novel engages with the whole question of Indian modernity we think it is significant that at the end of Raju’s narration, we are back in the third person narrative. We have been placed in Velan’s shoes, so to speak, having to decide for ourselves whether we still wish to regard Raju as a holy man or not, knowing so clearly that he is an imposter. As the text tell us: Raju had mentioned without a single omission every detail from his birth to his emergence from the gates of the prison. He imagined that Velan would rise with disgust and swear, ‘And we took you for such a noble soul all along! If one like you does penance, it’ll drive off even the little rain that we may hope for. Beg lone, it – before we feel tempted to throw you out’ Raju waited for these words as if for words of reprieve. He looked on Velan’s silence with anxiety and suspense, as if he waited on a judge’s verdict again, a second time. (208)This is the story of an eager, even enthusiastic guide turned into a reluctant Guru. Some are born Gurus; some acquire Guru Hood; and some, indeed, have Gurudom thrust upon them. But the question still remains if the last are genuine—are they really Gurus or are they fakes?
THEME OF THE NOVEL
The Guide is a novel about the rather serious issue of what constitutes a Guru—this, at any rate, is one of its major themes. Furthermore, the novel not only asks if Raju is a real Guru but also if Gurus are for real. At an even more complex level, the novel engages with the whole question of Indian modernity. Did modernity in India really refashion Indian society as it did in Europe? Or is it something that exists, side by side with tradition, but unable to comprehend it? Or is it a superficial facade, a veneer that hides but not erases the force of tradition?
CHARACTER OF RAJU
Raju, the central character, grows up near a railway station, and becomes a shopkeeper, and then a resourceful tourist Guide. He meets Rosie, a beautiful dancer, and her husband, whom Raju nicknames Marco, because the man dresses in a thick jacket and helmet as if undertaking an expedition, like Marco Polo.Raju, the hero of the novel, is a shopkeeper on reaching adulthood, but finally changes his profession to become a tourist Guide as he feels that being a resourceful and talkative person, he can become a successful tourist Guide.
TRANSFORMATION OF RAJU
The novel also tells two stories, that of Raju’s relationship with Rosie, and that of Raju’s relationship with the villagers as a holy man. The novel begins with Raju sitting beside the temple and meeting the villager named Velan, who mistakes him for a holy man. The novel then alternates between an account of Raju’s career as a holy man, which is told in the third-person, and Raju’s account to Velan of his previous career as a tour Guide and lover, which is told in the first-person. This dualism reflects the dualism in Raju’s character. He is transformed from a sinner to a saint, though he is never truly a sinner, and never truly a saint. Because of his capacity for empathy, Raju is a sympathetic character throughout the novel.
JUSTIFICATION OF THE TITLE
The title of the novel is very apt as it shows Raju’s career and life as a Guide for the tourists and then later on for the villagers. The novel shows his progression and transformation from a selfish tourist Guide to a selfless holy. From Guide an unruly, undisciplined, and selfish man, he turns into a thoughtful, selfless, and disciplined person. The major theme of transmigration of the human soul from the clutches of ‘Maya’ or ordinary desires to attain ‘nirvana’ or self realization is amply demonstrated by the author in the novel. Raju begins his journey of life as a selfish man who is smitten and trapped in the world of ‘Maya’ or illusion, but finally is able to achieve the path of self realization in the end when he turns into a selfless guru or spiritual Guide, doing his dharma, or moral duty assigned to him by God. He rises from the ranks of a railway Guide to a spiritual Guide and derives spiritual joy from the fast that he keeps for the villagers. From a Pseudo Saint he attains the stature of a real saint.
MESSAGE CONVEYED
The daily life of the Indians, the ethnicity of the land and indeed the superstitions and values of India gains a contour in the remarkable novel “ The Guide “.It is the story of a tourist Guide Raju, who happens to be the central character of the novel. The development of the character of Raju, as a travel Guide justifies the title. Although started in a rather loose way the story carries a deep significance of sheer realisms R.K.Narayan quite consciously in his novel "The Guide” echoes the mores and tradition of the Indian society amidst his literal symbolisms.
CONCLUSION
Narayan's greatest achievement was making India accessible to the outside world throughhisliterature`TheGuide begins as a comic look at the life of a rogue, but develops into something different in its progression. In a fairly compact and concise manner the book conveys the numerous aspects of the day-to-day lives of Indian people. The different culture systems, the superstitions and values of the people of a small town named Malgudi serve as a reflection on Indian society altogether.
Paper:-E-E-405 R.K.Narayan
Topic: - Introduction of the novel “The Guide” by R.K.Narayan – The Journey of Raju from Guide to Guru or railway to River.
Roll. No: - 09
Submitted to Dr.Dilip Barad
Dept. of English
Bhavnagar Uni.
Introduction of the novel “The Guide” by R.K.Narayan – The Journey of Raju from Guide to Guru or railway to River.
One of the most charming masters of twentieth century fiction.
- The Scotsman
Rasipuram Krishna swami Ayyar Narayanaswami or R. K. Narayan is one of the most celebrated Indian novelists writing in English..R.K. Narayan's Presentation of Indian Society in his Stories its show how the lives of ordinary Indian people reflect the greater concerns of national identity and historical change. He is unusual among Indian authors writing in English in that he has stayed contentedly in his home country, venturing abroad only rarely. He rarely addresses political issues or tries to explore the cutting edge of Novel. He is a traditional teller of tales, a creator of realist Novels. Which is often gentle, humorous, and warm rather than hard-hitting or profound? Almost all of his writings are set in the fictional city of Malgudi, and are narrowly focused on the lives of relatively humble individuals, neither extremely poor nor very rich.
The Guide
The Guide is one of R.K. Narayan's most interesting books which begins as a comic look at the life of a rogue, but evolves into something quite different. In a fairly compact and concise manner the book conveys the numerous aspects of the day to day lives of India people. The different culture systems, the superstitions and values of the people of a small town named Malgudi serve as a reflection on Indian society altogether. The main character of the story is Raju, who is also the narrator of the story. He starts with a description of his life as a kid, his experiences, and his education. The story intertwines a series of experiences as a kid and as an adult that eventually lead to Raju's becoming a rogue, his imprisonment and his life thereafter. One starts out with the belief of Raju as a thief and a criminal and then ends with the reader in sympathy for the Raju. The guide refers to his profession as a guide for the villagers and the foreigners when they come to this small town
The Sacred in “The Guide”
While reading The Guide question arise that Is Raju a real saint or is he a fake? This question, in one form or another, hinging as it does on the interpretation of Raju’s pilgrim’s progress, has exercised most readers of the novel ever since its publication. As Raju sinks into the muddy river bed, he is dying, whether or not, as the water rises to Raju’s knees, it rises because “it’s raining in the hills” or because Raju himself is sagging into it, so it’s sacred in it.
The Guide as Guru
From all this , we should be prepared, as we find earlier, to see THE GUIDE as a novel about the rather serious issue of what constitutes a Guru—this, at any rate, is ONE of its major themes. Furthermore, the novel not only asks if Raju is a real Guru but also if Gurus are for real. At an even more complex level, the novel engages with the whole question of Indian modernity we think it is significant that at the end of Raju’s narration, we are back in the third person narrative. We have been placed in Velan’s shoes, so to speak, having to decide for ourselves whether we still wish to regard Raju as a holy man or not, knowing so clearly that he is an imposter. As the text tell us: Raju had mentioned without a single omission every detail from his birth to his emergence from the gates of the prison. He imagined that Velan would rise with disgust and swear, ‘And we took you for such a noble soul all along! If one like you does penance, it’ll drive off even the little rain that we may hope for. Beg lone, it – before we feel tempted to throw you out’ Raju waited for these words as if for words of reprieve. He looked on Velan’s silence with anxiety and suspense, as if he waited on a judge’s verdict again, a second time. (208)This is the story of an eager, even enthusiastic guide turned into a reluctant Guru. Some are born Gurus; some acquire Guru Hood; and some, indeed, have Gurudom thrust upon them. But the question still remains if the last are genuine—are they really Gurus or are they fakes?
THEME OF THE NOVEL
The Guide is a novel about the rather serious issue of what constitutes a Guru—this, at any rate, is one of its major themes. Furthermore, the novel not only asks if Raju is a real Guru but also if Gurus are for real. At an even more complex level, the novel engages with the whole question of Indian modernity. Did modernity in India really refashion Indian society as it did in Europe? Or is it something that exists, side by side with tradition, but unable to comprehend it? Or is it a superficial facade, a veneer that hides but not erases the force of tradition?
CHARACTER OF RAJU
Raju, the central character, grows up near a railway station, and becomes a shopkeeper, and then a resourceful tourist Guide. He meets Rosie, a beautiful dancer, and her husband, whom Raju nicknames Marco, because the man dresses in a thick jacket and helmet as if undertaking an expedition, like Marco Polo.Raju, the hero of the novel, is a shopkeeper on reaching adulthood, but finally changes his profession to become a tourist Guide as he feels that being a resourceful and talkative person, he can become a successful tourist Guide.
TRANSFORMATION OF RAJU
The novel also tells two stories, that of Raju’s relationship with Rosie, and that of Raju’s relationship with the villagers as a holy man. The novel begins with Raju sitting beside the temple and meeting the villager named Velan, who mistakes him for a holy man. The novel then alternates between an account of Raju’s career as a holy man, which is told in the third-person, and Raju’s account to Velan of his previous career as a tour Guide and lover, which is told in the first-person. This dualism reflects the dualism in Raju’s character. He is transformed from a sinner to a saint, though he is never truly a sinner, and never truly a saint. Because of his capacity for empathy, Raju is a sympathetic character throughout the novel.
JUSTIFICATION OF THE TITLE
The title of the novel is very apt as it shows Raju’s career and life as a Guide for the tourists and then later on for the villagers. The novel shows his progression and transformation from a selfish tourist Guide to a selfless holy. From Guide an unruly, undisciplined, and selfish man, he turns into a thoughtful, selfless, and disciplined person. The major theme of transmigration of the human soul from the clutches of ‘Maya’ or ordinary desires to attain ‘nirvana’ or self realization is amply demonstrated by the author in the novel. Raju begins his journey of life as a selfish man who is smitten and trapped in the world of ‘Maya’ or illusion, but finally is able to achieve the path of self realization in the end when he turns into a selfless guru or spiritual Guide, doing his dharma, or moral duty assigned to him by God. He rises from the ranks of a railway Guide to a spiritual Guide and derives spiritual joy from the fast that he keeps for the villagers. From a Pseudo Saint he attains the stature of a real saint.
MESSAGE CONVEYED
The daily life of the Indians, the ethnicity of the land and indeed the superstitions and values of India gains a contour in the remarkable novel “ The Guide “.It is the story of a tourist Guide Raju, who happens to be the central character of the novel. The development of the character of Raju, as a travel Guide justifies the title. Although started in a rather loose way the story carries a deep significance of sheer realisms R.K.Narayan quite consciously in his novel "The Guide” echoes the mores and tradition of the Indian society amidst his literal symbolisms.
CONCLUSION
Narayan's greatest achievement was making India accessible to the outside world throughhisliterature`TheGuide begins as a comic look at the life of a rogue, but develops into something different in its progression. In a fairly compact and concise manner the book conveys the numerous aspects of the day-to-day lives of Indian people. The different culture systems, the superstitions and values of the people of a small town named Malgudi serve as a reflection on Indian society altogether.
