Narayan’s depiction of

Indian life in
“The Guide”
Micro teaching presentation by-
Pragya Keeba Toppo
M.A. English 4th Semester
 Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami (10
October 1906 – 13 May 2001)[1] was an Indian
writer known for his work set in the fictional South
Indian town of Malgudi. He was a leading author of
early Indian literature in English along with Mulk
Raj Anand and Raja Rao.
Narayan highlights the social context and
everyday life of his characters. He has been
compared to William Faulkner who created a similar
fictional town and likewise explored with humor and
compassion the energy of ordinary life. Narayan's
R.K. Narayan short stories have been compared with those of Guy
de Maupassant because of his ability to compress a
narrative.
 “It seems to me that we
generally do not have a correct
measure of our own wisdom”
-R.K. Narayan. The Guide
 Guide is a 1965 Indian Hindi-language
romantic drama film directed by Vijay
Anand and produced by Dev Anand,
who co-starred in the film with
Waheeda Rehman.
Dev Anand as Raju Kishore Sahu as
Marco Based on R. K. Narayan's 1958 novel
The Guide, the film narrates the story of
the freelance guide Raju (Anand) and
his meeting with Rosie (Rehman), who
is the wife of a wealthy archaeologist.

A 120-minute U.S. version titled The

Guide was written by Pearl S. Buck and
directed and produced by Tad
Danielewski.[4][5] The film was
Waheeda Rehman
screened at the 2007 Cannes Film
as Rosie
Festival, 42 years after its release.
 Introduction
Typical India, not a tourist India.
R.K. Narayan’s chief concern as a novelist has
been to give an artistic expression to his views
of Indian life, without attempting to preach or
impress his viewers. Here is an analysis of
character and conduct of the average humanity.
Though his art form is western, his theme,
atmosphere, situations and scenes are truly
Indian. Narayan, his novels, is typically Indian
as he delas with an Indian sensibility, theme and
atmosphere. Here is a ‘typical India’ and not a
‘tourist India’, however, while dealing with
Indian themes in an Indian atmosphere, the
motives and traits of his characters appear
universal.
 Malgudi
 Narayan’s India is symbolized by Malgudi,
an imaginary touch and locale of his novels
like Jane Austen, he works on the “the two
inches of irony”, which is Malgudi. It is an
average town with swamis, beggars,
postmen, shopkeepers and spongers etc.

 Gradually, it grows like any other town and

because a city of tourists, a center of
attraction for scholars of ancient Indian
culture and even Americans who see the
future of India in its growth. Malgudi, thus,
being a symbol of India, becomes a
character of his novels-who changes and
develops like a real hero.

 In fact, all the characters contribute to the

development of this lower middle class
town.
The village school
Narayan gives a vivid and faithful
picture of a village school. The
“PYOL” school, with its respected
but not well-paid teachers; the school
master sitting on a cushion with
classes going on simultaneously, the
routine of school-boys shouting and
getting caned; the foul-mouthed
teacher who abuses instead of
including good manners; the co-
operative efforts of the parents in
catering to the needs of the
schoolmaster – all these are typically
Indian and represent a typical village
school.
Religious beliefs – “Swami”
 The Guide also depicts Indian religious beliefs,
superstitions and philosophy.

 The blind faith of the Indian masses in sadhus and

religious men is depicted in their acceptance of Raju as
a swami However, unlike most swamis, Raju is forced
into this role due to circumstances and he has a true
disciple (Velan) instead of the usual fake accomplices.
The blind faith of Indians who worship swamis and
give offerings to them is depicted very realistically.

 The drought and their response to it, is authentically

Indian - they make offerings and wait for a muscle
man to foot and bring rain. The reaction to the fast,
too, is characteristic - they are glad and they make use
of the opportunity for 'party', make money and make
merry.
 Sacrifice
 The sacrifice of life for social and
spiritual good, and ideal of Indian
philosophy, is portrayed through
all this.
 Selfishness gives away to
altruism and sacrifice: Raju,
epitomizes this Indian belief he
moves from scepticism to
idealism; he changes his psyche
and from a criminal he becomes
as altruistic swami with true
feelings for those who have fed
him.
 Thus, he sacrifices his life for the
well-being of the villagers.
Physical needs
 Raju’s physical needs too, which
are real and obsessive, are
typically Indian.
 The Indian belief that as long as
man lives in this world, he
cannot neglect his bodily needs
and develop a soul as depicted
here.
 In Raju’s life, intimacy and food
dominates his life as long as he
is interested. Once he decides to
discard food, he attains the
stature of a saint.
Traditional morality
 The Guide also portrays other Indian beliefs.

 The India philosophy that any deviation from

tradition creates disorder and unhappiness that
happiness can only be restored by conforming to
traditional values, is well-illustrated in the novel.
 Raju, too deviates from traditional morality by
seducing Marco's wife. When Rosie comes to live
in his house, she brings disorder in his life and he
is ultimately jailed.

 However, by becoming a sadhu and accepting the

traditional belief in sacrifice, self-discipline and
self-purification, he brings harmony and order to
his spiritual life. He has a spiritual rebirth because
he conforms to traditional beliefs.
 Modernization
 In fact, the authentic Indian setting of
Malgudi, undergoing a change from an Agricultural town
agricultural town to a tourist city, stands
for the transition taking place in India
and the world.

 The commercial setting and attitude is

essentially modern India.

 The Guide being a cross-section of

modern Indian life, is an authentic
juxtaposition of traditional India with
modern culture.

Tourist town
 Family
 Family relationships being a part of Indian
tradition the main theme of family, too, is
characteristically Indian.

 Narayan gives a graphic description of Raju's

family and inter-family relationships. His
relationship with his father and mother is
expressed vividly.

 The theme of family relationships is also

depicted with reference to Velan who has the
responsibility of marrying off his sister.

 According to Walsh, the action is developed

through the conflict between individual and
Rosie with Raju the claims made on him by the family. This is
well illustrated throughout.
 Hospitality
 Another Indian traits which is depicted is hospitality. Indians being extremely
hospitable, Raju and his mother look after Rosie. His mother asks no questions at
first.

 In the same way Velan and the villagers arrange for the meals of the swami, without
asking any questions Narayan also gives a realistic picture of the plight of Indian
villagers. Velan taking care of Raju who
is disguised as a swami ji.
 He authentically portrays the problems of a country dependent on agriculture and
monsoons. Drought leads to the inevitable famine, dying cattle, lack of water,
hoarding by merchants, riots, penance, pujas and sacrifices to appease the rain-God.

 This faith in swamis at the time of drought and the consequent fasting by Raju is
typically Indian. The gloomy picture, as usual, only attracts the attention of the
government, tourists and journalists but the problem of the villagers remains
unattended. The activity, which occurs due to the drought, is dealt with in a semi-
comic way and is an authentic portrayal of India. Various Swamis fasting to end
drought and villagers’ faith in them.
 Indian scenes and situations
 In fact, at each and every step, we come across Indian scenes and
situations. The mother and son’s arguments over marriage, the
maternal uncle’s endeavor to bring Raju to his senses, the
establishment of Raju as a fake swami, the fascination of tourists
for king Cobra’s dance, the renovation of the temple chanting of
holy texts, lighting of the lamp at the temple, the ‘Mela’ like
atmosphere while Raju is fasting – are all typically Indian.

 The snap-shots mentions the conversion of the drought – affected

area into picnic spot is also realistic an authentic. The red-tapes of
the government officers, the position of education in villages, the
indifference of teachers to students are again accurate portrayals
of Indian life.
Mela
 No wonder, in a country depending on chance and miracles, Raju in deathbed
swamis flourish. Here, again, the co-existence of science,
superstition, ignorance and knowledge is truly Indian. One
villager questions "if the atom bombs are responsible for the
drying up of the clouds?“ They also quarreled over the water-hole
for priorities’, when a documentary on mosquitoes presented a
close-up, the natives wondered where in the world such big
mosquitoes existed." Every response and scene is typically Indian.
  Narayan, in his authentic portrayal of India, does not idealize or
condemn India that he portrays through Malgudi. By means of
comic exaggeration , he accepts the people and their life.

 Though swamis, temple, marriage and fatalism are portrayed, he

does not present a sentimental view of India, but concentrates on
the incongruity and the consequent irony.

Conclusion  To sum up, like a true artist he has depicted a realistic Indian
environment and sensibility with its inter-personal relationships,
without referring to any political ideology of fashionable view.

 The references to five-year plans, postal services, education of the

masses, eradication of mosquitoes through films, the
backwardness of the country, the red-tapes and deep-rooted
beliefs in traditions and swamis- all create a realistic and
contemporary effect without any direct criticism of social and
political evils.

 His Indian symbols like temples, rivers, villages, hills, caves,

snakes, beggars and Bharat Natyam besides, being a structural
necessity are used not to present a handy guide to tourists but for
depicting genuine India and her authentic sensibility.
Thank you