Salient Features of R.K.

Narayans Prose Style in

The Bachelor of Arts
by Pragati Ghosh
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R.K. Narayans style embodies his vision of life, the typical life of Malgudi in an
extraordinarily simple and unpretentious language with no straining after effects. What
makes it even more striking is the fact that Narayan could do it with minimum effort in a
language which is not native to him. Narayan chose to write in English because it is the
only language I am really familiar with. It is the only language which transparent and
takes on the hues of the country or region where the story is set. However, I find after
writing for more than half a century that the reach of English is far less than the reach of
Hindi.
Narayan said to Graham Green in a B.B.C. interview: I was never aware that I was
using a different, foreign language when I wrote in English, because it came to me very
easily. I cant explain how English is a very adaptable language. And its so transparent
it can take the tint of any country. The flexibility and adaptability of English fascinated
him. He chose it as his medium of story-telling. In another statement he remarked:
English has proved that if a language has flexibility, any experience can be
communicated through it, even it has to be paraphrased sometimes rather than
conveyed, and even if the factual detail is partially understood. All that I am able to
confirm after nearly thirty years of writing, is that it has served my purpose admirably, of
conveying unambiguously the thoughts and acts of a set of personalities, who flourish in
a small town located in a corner of South India.
Narayan has remarkable command over English and used it as the medium of
story telling in a simple, natural, lucid and unaffected manner:

Narayan has remarkable command over English and used it as the medium of story
telling in a simple, natural, lucid and unaffected manner:
The conversation of his characters never reads like a translation, while it is at the same
time free from English colloquialisms which in the circumstances would ring false. He
manages to make his people speak, in fact, as they would speak, in fact, as they would
speak if English were their language.
Narayans English is free from the blemish of gimmicky and mannerism which
characterize the English of Anand and Raja Rao. Mulk Raj Anands language and style,
though vigorous, racy and clear, is overloaded with Indianisms, or more precisely
Panjabism, in an attempt to produce a semblance of realism in an alien medium.
Anands literal translations of Panjabi swear words and phrases as rape mother, rape
daughter, the illegally begotten, eater of masters salt etc. direct presentation of
Hindi words as thappar, angrez lok etc. create a jarring effect of realism and spoil the
naturalness and spontaneity of expression. Raja Rao tries to adopt his English style to
movement of Sanskrit sentence. His style is rich with images and metaphors; allusions
and quotations not only from Sanskrit classics, but also from French literature.
As compared to Anand and Raja Rao whose styles are conspicuous by artifice and
mannerisms, Narayan uses a style which is simple, easy, vigorous, racy, pointed and
natural. It is conspicuous by its unobtrusive quality. William Walsh attributes a strange
degree of translucence to his prose. Manhood finds a type of luminosity in his prose
and remarks that Narayans works is as pellucid as glass. The Times Literary
Supplement alludes to integral cohesiveness in Narayans style: His humor is woven
into the texture of his prose. It never erupts in a detachable epigram or joke.
Narayan tries to inject the spirit and tempo of Tamilian idiom into English speech
in a natural and unaffected manner:
Narayan tries to inject the spirit and tempo of Tamilian idiom into English speech in a
natural and unaffected manner. His is not the public school English which other
novelists like Manohar Malgonkar, Kamala Markandaya and Santha Rama Rao use in

their novels. Study the following example the conversation between Natesan, the Union
Secretary and Chandran from The Bachelor of Arts:
I will tell you a secret, the secretary said. If I had kept clear of the Union elections, I
should have saved nearly seventy rupees.
What do you mean?
Every vote was purchased with coffee and tiffin, and, in the election month, the
restaurant bill came to seventy. My father wrote to me from the village asking if 1
thought that rupees lay scattered in our village street.
Narayans style is so uniformly simple that the most ludicrous as well as the most
serious events are described in the same vein:
Narayans style is so uniformly simple that the most ludicrous as well as the most
serious events are described in the same vein. Simplicity of language and style imparts
pointedness to his comic irony. Take for example the following excerpts from The
Bachelor of Arts.
i) The cook said: Please call your mother. She is waiting for you. All right. Bring me
first rice and curd.
He then gave a shout, Mother! which reached her as she sat in the back Veranda,
turning the prayer beads in her hand, looking at the coconut trees at the far end of the
compound. As she turned the beads, her lips uttered the holy name of Sri Rama, part of
her mind busied itself with thoughts of her husband, home, children, and relatives, and
her eyes took in the delicate beauty of coconut trees waving against a starlit sky.
ii) The household was up by this time. His father was in the garden, minutely examining
the plants for evidence of any miracle that might have happened overnight.
In order to impart naturalness and simplicity Narayan uses popular Tamil and
Sanskrit words freely in his novels:
In order to impart naturalness and simplicity Narayan uses popular Tamil and Sanskrit
words freely in The Bachelor of Arts, for example: puja, dhoti, jutka (two-wheeled cart

drawn by horse), sanyasi, and Veena. In fact, Narayans language belongs to the
everyday world of ordinary people. It is the language in which the average Malgudians
dream, love and indulge in their small wars, laugh and lament. His style gives the
distinct impression of a small South Indian Community confined to particular temporal
and special setting, their manners and musings, conversations and thoughts, and
instinctive reaction to things.
In spite of raciness and simplicity, Narayans style is rich in evocativeness and
suggestiveness:
In The Bachelor of Arts Chandrans affair with Malathi has been imaginatively conceived
and skillfully executed episode revealing the authors narrative art with a notable
economy of detail and suavity of tone:
i) Chandran saw her at the river bank next evening. She was wearing a green sari, and
playing with her little companion. Chandran saw her from a distance and went towards
her as if drawn by a rope. But on approaching her, his courage failed him, and he
walked away in the opposite direction He hoped that she had observed him. He
hoped that she had noted his coat. He stood there and debated with himself whether
she had seen him or not.
ii) Encouraged by this conclusion, he wondered if he should not stop her and talk to her
when she rose to go home. He might even accompany her to her house. That might
become a beautiful habit. What wonderful things he would to say to her. When the traffic
of the town had died, they could walk together, under the moon or in magic starlight. He
would stop a few yards from her house. What a parting of sweetness and pain!
Then we have Narayans description of Chandrans feelings on his return journey to
Malgudi from Talapur after girl-seeing his prospective wife Susila:
i) For the rest of the journey the music of the word Susila rang in his ears. Susila.
Susila, Susila. Her name, music, figure, face, and everything about her was divine.
Susila, SusilaMalathi, not a spot beside Susila; it was tongue-twister; he wondered
why people liked that name.

And then we have Narayans excellent poetic description of Chandran who returns after
his wedding with Susila from Talapur:
ii) Chandran returned a new man, his mind full of Susila, the fragrance of jasmine and
sandal paste, the smokiness of the Sacred Fire, of brilliant lights, music, gaiety, and
laughter.
Narayan is a master of irony:
Narayans irony dissembles in humor, and the reader realizes only when hit. Here is a
sample of Narayans irony from his novel, The Bachelor of Arts. Study the conversation
between the hero Chandran and Kailas who forces his friendship on Chandran at
Madras:
i) Excuse me. I made a vow never to touch alcohol in my life, before my mother, said
Chandran.
This affected Kailas profoundly. He remained solemn for a moment and said: Then
dont. Mother is a sacred object. It is a commodity whose value we dont realize as long
as it is with us. One must lose it to know what a precious possession it is. If I had my
mother I should have studied in a college and become a respectable person. You
wouldnt find me here. After this where do you think Im going?
I dont know.
To the house of a prostitute.
He remained reflective for a moment and said with a sigh:
As long as my mother lived she said every minute, Do this dont do that. And I
remained a good son to her. The moment she died I changed. It is a rare commodity, sir.
Mother is a rare commodity.
Again we have another master-stroke of Narayans irony when Narayan describes
drunken Kailas who wrongly lands in the house of some other prostitute instead his
favourite Kokilam:

i) The taxi drove away.

Whose house is this? asked Chandran.
My girls house, said Kailas. He surveyed the house up and down and said doubtfully:
It looks different today. Never mind. He climbed the steps and asked somebody at the
door: Is this Kokilams house?
What does that matter? You are welcome to my poor abode, Sir. It was a middle-aged
woman.
You are right, said Kailas, greatly pleased.
Narayans style is simple, pure and racy:
Narayan is a master of simple, pure and racy style. He has the apt word for the apt
occasion. He is facile in his description of the serious and the comic and sometimes
mingling both. Study for example his description of Veerasamy, the friend of Chandran
at college:
i) Veerasamy bristled with prejudices and violence. Imperialism was his favourite
demon. He believed in smuggling arms into the country, and, on a given day, shooting
all the Englishmen. He assured Chandran that he was preparing for that great work. His
education, sleep, contacts, and everything, were a preparationIn regard to sickness
he believed that the British encouraged it in order to provide a permanent market for the
British drug manufacturers. He was going to defeat that plan by propagating the naturecure idea.
Narayans style is capable of evoking the pathos:
Narayans style is capable of evoking the pathos. Study for example his description of
the last day of Chandran and his friends at college having their Class Socials and their
feeling sad and sentimental at their parting:
They had their Class Socials that evening. A group photo, with the Principal sitting in the
centre, was taken. A large lunch was eaten and coffee drunk. Songs were sung,
speeches were made, everybody wished everybody else success in the examination;

professors shook hands with the students, and students shook hand with each other.
Everybody was soft and sentimental. They did everything short of shedding tears at the
parting.
As they passed and went home, Chandran was aware that he had passed the very last
moments in his college life, which had filled the major portion of his waking hours for the
last four years. There would be no more college for him from tomorrow. He would return
to it a fortnight hence for the examination and (hoping for the best) pass it, and pass out
into the world, forever out of Albert College. He felt tender and depressed.
Narayan straightaway takes his readers to the hustle bustle of the college where
his hero, Chandran is doing his final year B.A. in History:
Narayan straightaway takes his readers to the hustle bustle of the college where his
hero, Chandran is doing his final year B.A. in History. Characteristically enough, the
novel opens in a humorous note with Natesan, the Secretary of the College Union
asking Chandran to be the Prime Mover for the debate the following evening and move
the topic that the historians should be slaughtered first. Chandran being a student of
history is in a fit to move a topic debunking historians and earn the displeasure of his
history professor, Ragavachar.
But Natesan, the Secretary assures him that he will not invite his professor. Chandran
goes to the college Library but finds volumes and volumes of history but nothing
concerned with slaughtering the historians. In his worry to prepare for the topic, he does
not even pay attention to his lecture classes. Finally, he manages to muster some points
and a humorous anecdote as footage for his speech. His speech is received very well.
Even Principal Brown is said to have enjoyed his speech. At the end, the House with a
majority of votes decides in favour of the proposal and Chandran feels quiet happy at
the outcome.
Narayan gives a realistic and humorous account of college election through the
Secretary, Natesan:
When he returns home with the Secretary, Natesan we learn that he bought the votes
during the election by bribing the voters with tiffin and coffee. This is both a realistic and
humorous touch of Narayan about college elections. Chandran runs down Natesan and

others for making much of Professor Browns sense of humour. Chandran hopes that
Natesan will make some observation about his speech that evening. As he does not do
it, Chandran asks Natesan about it.
When Chandran learns that it was very good and appreciated even by Professor Brown,
he is happy about it. He quickly withdraws his harsh comments on both Natesan and
Professor Brown and says that he meant nothing serious about his personal remarks
about him and observes that Professor Brown is a great scholar with a nice sense of
humour.
Narayan gives us an ironic picture of Assistant Professor of English Mr. Gajapathi
who is both unpopular with his students and his colleagues:
Narayan gives us an ironic picture of Assistant Professor of English Mr. Gajapathi who
is both unpopular with his students and his colleagues.
He is unpopular with his students because of his teaching and unpopular with his
colleagues because of his conceit. He is self-righteous, arrogant and conceited. He
considers himself to be the custodian of English language and especially its
punctuation. He has notion of his knowledge of Shakespeare so much so he runs down
celebrated critics like Dowden and Bradley. He has the audacity to correct the English of
Fowler. No wonder, he is hated by his colleagues.
Though Chandran attends Professor Gajapathis lectures on Othello, his mind is not in
the class. Further Chandran finds that it is not Shakespeares Othello but it is
Gajapathis Othello with his self-conceit and academic arrogance. Without taking lecture
notes, he draws the image of an elephant with spectacles on to represent Gajapathi, the
elephant master! When Gajapathi later wants to see his lecture notes, Chandran tells
him that he has not taken any notes and excuses himself saying that he has an
appointment with Professor Ragavachar just then.
Professor Browns sarcastically humorous rejoinder to Professor Raghavacliar
during the Inaugural of the Historical Association is enjoyed by every one:
Narayan depicts the picture of Professor Brown and Chairman, Professor Ragavachar
life-like with their mannerisms intact. Though Ragavachar says that he will not take

more than a few minutes, he takes a full forty minutes! Narayan is at his ironical best in
describing the speech of Ragavachar trying to dispel the darkness of majority people
with respect to Indian History by bringing light through his Historical Association in the
college as well as the sarcastically humorous rejoinder to his speech by the downright
debunking of History by Professor Brown. Narayan provides an excellent fare of humour
through the intellectual fencing between Ragavachar and Brown.
The episode of the flower thief is replete with rib-tickling humour has a
picaresque touch:
The episode of the flower thief is replete with rib-tickling humour has a picaresque
touch. Chandran makes a decision to prepare seriously for his impending final
examination by getting at four-thirty next morning. Man proposes but God disposes. His
father unable to bear the smarts of his wife decides to catch the flower thief and lay him
at her feet, alive or dead. The minor tiff between Chandrans mother and his father over
preventing the theft of flowers in the garden is given a mock-epic touch by Narayan. In
his ardour for catching the thief, he is like a Knight Templar fighting a dragon for the
cause of his ladylove.
Narayans humour is part and parcel of the fabric of his novel:
We have given here only a few samples revealing the various shades of Narayans rich
humour. Pages after pages of the novel keep the reader entertained with a rich fare of
Narayans humour. And another thing, the best way to enjoy the humour will be to enjoy
in the context where it occurs. To isolate them out of the text may be an interesting
academic exercise but not real enjoyment. This is because Narayans humour in its
widest application is part and parcel of the fabric of the novel enriching its liveliness and
sparkle.
It is the prose of the plains, not the prose of the gushing Ganga of the Himalayas
as found in Mulk Raj Anand or Raja Rao:
Narayans simple style of narrations holds up a mirror to the simple, occasionally
ambitious, and the relaxed way of living of the Malgudians. Commenting on Narayans
style Uma Paramaeswaran observes:

His prose is clear and correct but lacks poetry. It is the prose of the plains, not the prose
of the gushing Ganga of the Himalayas as found in Mulk Raj Anand or Raja Rao. It is
the prose of the Southern plains in April when the rivers are streamless standing still in
the torrid blaze of the tropical sun, appreciated by the passerby not so much for what
they contain as for what they represent, not much for their meager beauty but the sheer
fact that they are there, still surviving under the summer sun. The same metaphor might
be applied to Narayans early work in general. It is appreciated for the sheer fact of its
existence at a time and place when the literary clime was dry and barren.