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| Sunday, 19 February 2006 |
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Transfiguration of Raju's life
The Guide by renowned Indian novelist, R. K. Narayan is a novel about a swami or a saint who is neither born nor made, but simply 'happens'. At one level the novel shows the ease with which gods can be made in India or anywhere. Anyway despite being presented with Narayan's delightful humour and mild satire, The Guide is indeed a serious comedy. The story alternates between a narration by an omniscient third person narrator about Raju's (Protagonist) life as a holy man and Raju's own account to Velan about his past which comes in the form of a flashback. Title: The Guide Author: R. K. Narayan by Samangie Wettimuny The title of the novel is quite appropriate. Throughout the novel Raju, is a guide. He starts off his life as a tourist guide, then as Rosie's lover he guides her life, he is the one who helps her to enhance her inborn talents, and makes her a star. In the prison he becomes a model prisoner. Then, in the end, he becomes or is rather forced to be a spiritual guide. Along with the central theme, transformation of Raju's life from a tour guide to a spiritual guide, the novel touches upon many other themes as well. Family relationships in India, the status of traditional dance, socially accepted behaviour, etc. The role of Rosie As Raju himself admits to Velan, his troubles would not have started,if not for Rosie. In fact in the novel Rosie's character is being used to illustrate a certain characteristic of Raju. He led a mundane life until Rosie 's unexpected arrival. According to certain critics, Rosie is the agent of disorder in Raju's life. Despite her mother's warnings, Raju falls for her forgetting everything else around him. But Raju's life deteriorates because of her, though he could earn a lot using her talents. But is Rosie totally responsible for his downfall? As I feel, though Rosie has her own frailties, Raju's own weaknesses are more to be blamed for his downfall. As they climb up the social ladder Raju changes negatively, while Rosie's values remain unchanged. As an artiste she cherishes the garlands, not the money. She does not want to abandon Raju's old house. Even when Raju is in custody she sells her diamonds in order to pay off their debts, and finds a big lawyer for him. Just as Rosie declares at the moment of his arrest, ("I felt all along you were not doing the right things") his values begin to centre largely around money. His management is quite poor. He spends a lot and quite soon falls into debt. Social values In the novel, Rosie is not merely a narrative adjunct. Though Narayan does not subscribe to the ancient belief of treating women as destroyers, here, she is being used to highlight the distorted role of wifehood. Loyalty to the husband is a must, on the part of wives. Her behaviour is not socially acceptable. Narayan's vision of a good society is perhaps depicted through Raju's mother who esteems these values. Even her attitude about dance is a reflection of that of society. "Don't have anything to do with these dancing women. They are all a bad sort." Though dance form became an elevated position in the 20th century people still consider it inferior as in the past the traditional dancers supported themselves through prostitution as well. Intricacies in Rosie's character In the end, even after Rosie's dream to be a dancer becomes a success, she remains unsatisfied. "...the thought of it makes me sick" "I feel like one of those parrots in a cage taken around the village fairs, or the performing monkey as he used to say." I hardly think that what Narayan wants to highlight here is the 'commonly' discussed frailty in women. She has reasons for her dissatisfaction. Even though she was unhappy when living with her husband she always had a soft corner for her husband, in her inner heart, as she later on revealed to Raju "I may be mistaken in my judgement. After all, he had been kind to me". Raju as a swami Who makes Raju a swami? It is Velan who started treating him as a swami. Soon, the rest of the villagers followed him. Even after Raju narrated his life story, Velan went on treating him in the same manner. Indeed it is with mild satire that Narayan treats the gullibility of the villagers and describes how he was turned into a reluctant guru. "His influence was unlimited. It was believed that when he stroked the head of a child, the child improved in various ways." It is almost like the villagers are starved for a god. Hinduism is a collection of beliefs. Depending on the efficiency of gods, they can be created. The story takes a different turn as a drought strikes the village. Raju had to engage in a fast, appealing for rain as the village boy distorts the message. Narayan finely describes his mental trauma as he sees people eating. But at the end his position is rather elevated, as he makes a genuine resolution. Though the ending is not clear whether it rained or not, since Raju has undergone a genuine transformation, we can take it as positive. He actually becomes a spiritual guide in the end, what the villagers mistook him for at the beginning. All in all, Raju's life story makes us ponder on the meaning of our existence.. The Guide written with Narayan's optimistic vision of life thus becomes a 'serious comedy' and gives its readers the same effect, no matter how many times he/she has read it. |
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