"The Guide" by R. K. Narayan - Book Review
"The Guide" by R. K. Narayan
Book Name: The
Guide
Author: R.K.
Narayan
Publication
Year: 1958
Genre:
Philosophical novel, Romance, Classics
Pages: 220
Publisher: Viking
Press (US), Methuen (UK)
Price:
$14.00, £8.99
ISBN: 0-670-35668-9
(First American edition)
“The Guide” was written by R. K.Narayan. He was born 1906 in Madras (now it is called Chennai). He is one of
the famous Indian novelist and English writer. His writing style is Fiction,
Mythology, Classic, and Romantic. “The Guide” was published in 1958. It is a
Romantic Classic. This book is for the people who wants to know about his own
ancient culture and traditions. For this novel he got “Sahitya Academy” award
in 1958. This novel was translated into French, Italian, Bengali, Dutch,
German, Polish, Swedish, Russian and Hebrew. This noble has eleven chapters.
And it is one of the best novel of R. K. Narayan. Before this novel he also
wrote Swami and Friends, The Bachelor of Arts, The Dark Room,
The English Teacher, An Astrologer’s Day. He also wrote other stories.
Like his other nobles this noble is
also multi layered. This book has eleven chapters. In these 11 chapters he
profoundly florescence the Indian culture. The main character of the novel is
Raju. He fall in love with Rosie, but she had a husband called Macho (Macho is
not his original name it was assumed by Raju, by his appliance). “The Guide”
reflect typical India of that time. In this noble one can see variation of
Raju’s character. At first of the story he is playful boy, then he is a guide,
he a lover, lastly he is a saint. By reading this novel you can understand that
he didn’t adapt all the character by his own. He was forced to do all that he
just went with the flow. The imageries of this novel is very good. Scene, plot
is beautifully sat by R. K. Narayan. Another thing I liked most is the change
of scene. If you go through the novel you can comprehend that, the story starts
in an old temple beside a river and he was setting like a saint. But after
reading out some line you will amaze that he is in the nearest barber shop from
jail. By seating in the barber shop he is thinking about his previous life. In
the novel most of the scene is about explaining his previous life. After
reading the whole novel I came to conclusion that, the main character shrewdly
escaped everyone’s view. When he was a guide, he exaggeratedly explained about
a dull place. Which was not so especial. He also cheated Rosie and the
villagers by being saint. Though it was not intentionally, but he did so.
Another thing which was eye-catching to me that, R. K. Narayan gorgeously
reflected the festivals of India. By his writing he shown us how people of old
India used to celebrate their festivals and follow customs. We also can see how
they used to believe people or saint by their talk and assumption.
Some other things which was missing
is that, firstly, I did not get and description of that village named “Malgudi”
and life style of their people. Secondly, protagonist Raju is changing his
character so easily is look unrealistic to me. Last not the least, as he was a
chicanery personality but in the last scene why he fasted for the villagers is
not clear to me. Without any reason he suddenly became a good man is feels odd
to me. Maybe it was happened for the people’s believe on him. And the writer
let all these thing uncomplete to make people think more to feel their desire.
