A critical study on the depiction of Heroism in “ The Guide”

A critical study on the depiction of Heroism in “The Guide” Vij, Advait IBD SelaQui World School Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Introduction to R.K Narayan • He won numerous awards and honours for his works, including the National Prize of the SahityaAkademi, the Indian literary academy, for The Guide in 1958. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Introduction • The Guide portrays the journey of a man through a maze of illusions in order to achieve reality. It is how Raju converts from a tourist guide to a guide who helps souls progress on a spiritual basis. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Narrative Style • R.K.Narayan wrote the novel in two narrative styles. A first person narrative is used when Raju narrates his flashbacks. A third person narrative is used when Narayan describes Raju in the present. • These styles symbolize Raju's dualist character and how he eventually manages to transform from a selfish tourist guide to a pure Swami. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Title- “The Guide” • The title of the novel, The Guide, has a double meaning, and Raju is in a sense a double character. As a tour guide and lover, he is impulsive, unprincipled, and self-indulgent. After his imprisonment, and after his transformation into a holy man, he is compassionate, selfless and spiritual. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

The Guide • Acclaimed as Narayan’s masterpiece, it is a book in which the protagonist, Raju, undergoes a series of renovations to ultimately develop from a tourist guide to a spiritual guide. This book is a flashback of his entire lifespan. • In my presentation I'm going to show the various stages in which Raju is shown to be, or is, a hero in the eyes of different people; and how he finally becomes the hero to the reader by genuinely thinking of the draught-suffering people of the village. • He thinks that, if he can actually help the group through devotion to God, then it will be worth a try. This is the first time he is shown to be not selfish, but rather caring. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Heroism • In this novel Raju is show in four different heroic aspects Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Stage 1 • After his shopkeeper father’s death, Raju begins his professional career for the first time as an adult. He becomes famous and known as “Raju the Guide.” Even though he is not very informative as a tourist guide, his involvement in his profession, and his enthusiasm and cleverness in his work make him famous with the tourists. He begins to know and understand people. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Cont… • He learns how to deal with different kinds of tourists. He could even identify the tourists by their physical appearances, what would they demand, and how to entertain them in different ways in accordance with their preferences. • In a short span of time he becomes so famous that he becomes a hero in the eyes of the tourists. People start approaching him with references. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Stage 2 • In his occupation as a tourist guide he meets a couple from Madras. • The husband is an archaeologist who has come to Malgudi for conducting archaeological studies in the ancient caves around Malgudi. • His beautiful and fun loving wife is fond of dancing and feels neglected by her husbands single minded pursuit his profession. • Raju falls in love with the wife(Rosie) and ends up with a torrid affair with her. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Cont… • The husband comes to know of the affair between Raju and his wife. He questions his wife and eventually discovers their physical relationship. • The husband does not forgive his wife; he completely ignores her and ultimately leaves her in Malgudi and goes back to Madras. • Rosie goes back to Raju and lives with him and his mother. Raju becomes a hero in her eyes as he promises to fulfill her dream of becoming a dancer. • Raju starts neglecting his professional life and falls into debt in order to help and guide Rosie in her dance practice. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Cont… • Raju’s mother starts resenting his relationship with Rosie and calls her a “snake dancer.” she eventually leaves the house to stay with her brother in their village. • Ultimately Raju sacrifices his career to promote Rosie as a dancer. • He succeeds in making Rosie (who changes her name to Nalini)perform in one of the union functions and as a result Nalini becomes very famous. They become economically and socially very powerful. • Later due to Nalini’s husband’s legal complaint of false signature against him, Raju goes to jail for 2 years. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Stage 3 • This is the very beginning of the novel when he is released from the jail, and this is where the flashback of his life begins. • The people of Mangal mistake him for a holy man. Regardless of the lack of practical worth of his advice, or his utter lack of authority to be giving it, Raju’s ability to present advice in a convincing formatmakes him invaluable to the villagers, who accordingly worship him. This is again the stage where he is not truly, but is shown to be, a hero- in the eyes of the villagers. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Stage 4 • This is the most practical stage where Raju actually acts and becomes a hero- genuinely. • Raju redeems himself in the end • He shows qualities of courage, wisdom, and strength along with selfless devotion to the fast for the villagers. • Raju displays the characteristic that confirms his heroism: courage. The villagers take Raju's promise to eliminate the rain by fasting as a sign of courage, but we know that this promise was never really made. • It is only the villagers' misinterpretation of a garbled message that gives rise to the rumour that he would end the drought. • The sign we need to prove Raju's courage does not come until after he has already emotionally dedicated himself to the fast. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Cont…. • Despite the doctors’ and government officials’ pleas to save himself, Raju demands "Help me to my feet," and continues his vigil. In the depths of illness, almost about to collapse, Raju insists on advancing to the river and praying for rain. • On the tenth day of the fast, Raju can not even remain standing, and collapses in Velan's arms, perhaps dead. Raju's dedication to his people is, in the end, profound. A weaker man would have succumbed to the desire to run away. Raju has the courage to complete the task the villagers desperately want him to. It is only on the last page of The Guide, when the elements of courage and respect are combined, does Raju become the hero of the book. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Conclusion • According to me a hero must firstly "show great courage," and secondly, he must be "admired for his achievements and qualities." The second term depends implicitly on moral relativism -- a hero is whoever his contemporaries think he or she is. Thus, a man like Hitler was considered a hero by his country and the people who admired him, though he is villainous to our understanding today. It may be said that opinion depends on subjective knowledge implicitly. Likewise, though to the villagers that worshipped him, Raju was a holy man and a hero, to the reader he manifests the qualities of neither until the conclusion of the story. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Some Food for Thought (TOK)What is Heroism?...my personal analysis • Is heroism totally subjective? Is it fair to say that because the villagers believe in him, Raju is a hero, and because we don't, he isn't? Raju is a hero to the villagers, if only because they need one so badly. Therefore all my heroic aspects are subjective to the other characters until he objectively attains the status of a true leader in the end. For instance to a hungry man, even the most revolting gruel is food, while to us it is utterly inedible. Raju inadvertently describes the state of the villagers on p. 16 saying "anything would have tasted good now." They need a leader so badly that one who can pretend like Raju was as valuable as a true prophet. One who appears courageous and wise, would be infinitely heroic compared to the void the villagers had before. Heroism is for Narayannot an absolute quality, and Raju could remain as a hero for some, yet not all. It is up to the Wheel of Destiny to raise Raju to a level of respect and courage high enough for all to consider him a hero. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Bibliography • Narayan, R.K. The Guide. London, England: Penguin books, 1958. • "R.k. Narayan's 'the Guide" : a Critical Appreciation Essay | Student Essays Summary." BookRags.com: Book Summaries, Study Guides. 2 Aug. 2008 <http://www.bookrags.com/essay • Notes by Paul Brians, Department of English, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-5020. • "www.everything2.com." www.everything2.com. 13 Aug. 2008 <http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1442366>. • "Sex, Symbolism, Illusion and Reality in R K Narayan's The Guide." English Literature Web Sites Essays Books & Forum. 13 Aug. 2008 <http://www.literature-study-online.com/essays/narayan-guide.html>. Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

Thank You Vij, Advait Session: May 2009 Candidate Number: 002150-001

A critical study on the depiction of Heroism in “ The Guide”