A CRITICAL EXAMINATION ON R.K. NARAYAN’S

Dr. Rajtinder Singh Jhanji Principal, A.S. College, Khanna.

ABSTRACT

Swami and Friends (1935) is the main novel of Narayan which manages the little and guiltless children. In the present novel the plot is straightforward with different themes, for example, parents-child relationship, friendship, and orthodoxy and so forth. The characters of Swami, Sankar, Mani and Rajam present the sharp observation and information on human and child psychology of Narayan. The manners, by which childhood is socially developed, just as culturally and truly arranged, will clearly vary here and there. 'Swami and Friends' unmistakably outlines the unskilled statures of creative mind, from a child's perspective, in Narayan's universe of fiction. Narayan's accounts, cosseting with children, investigated their psychology plentifully. The element of innocence also their deeds that causes mental anxiety and dread complex in their delicate minds is portrayed in unmistakable style in his classic story Swami and Friends.

Keywords: friends, values, swami, novel, childhood, etc.

1. INTRODUCTION eye. During his scholarly profession he created fifteen novels; Swami and Friends (1935), The Rasipuram Krishnaswami Narayan is a famous Bachelor of Arts (1937), The Dark Room (1938), novelist and short story essayist of India. He is (1945), Mr. Sampath considered as the free author of pre and post (1948), (1952), Waiting independent India. He is exceptionally for Mahatma (1955), (1958), The acclaimed as a confined onlooker of life. R. K. ManEater of (1961), The Vendor of Narayan was born in an upper middle class Sweets (1967), (1977), A Brahmin family of Madras, Narayan considers Tiger for Malgudi (1983), (1986), South to be a fundamentally preservationist The World of Nagaraj (1990) and Hindu society which he reasonably presents in Grandmother’s Tale (1992). Apart from novels the majority of his novels and stories with the he also published six non fictions; lower middle class regular man as his base. The (1960), My Dateless Diary (1960), fanciful town that he makes and calls Malgudi (1974), (1974), The Emerald has everything of a society Narayan abides in, Route (1980) and A Writer’s Nightmare (1988). and he delineates it with a definitely attentive Being a Brahmin he has keen interest in the

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religion and he has also presented his knowledge human imprudences and whimsies by blending of mythology in his three mythological books; satire in with delicate diversion yet he neither Gods, Demons and Others (1964), The straightforwardly comment nor respond to them. Ramayana (1973) and The Mahabharata (1978). Narayan has also tried his hands on short stories 2. OUTLINE OF SWAMI AND FRIENDS too. He published six collections of short stories; Malgudi Days (1942), An Astrologer’s Day and The present novel is a partitioned into 19 Other Stories (1947), Lawley Road and Other sections. From the earliest starting point to the Stories (1956), A Horse and Two Goats (1970), last the story is eye getting and intriguing. This Under the Banyan Tree and Other Stories is the account of four friends; Swami, Mani, (1985) and The Grandmother’s Tale and Shankar and Samuel. Selected Stories (1994). All his scholarly manifestations present his sharp observation of The story is about a youthful boy growing up human creatures through the various characters. around then, Swami, a little boy who is a student Every one of his characters is easy to be at Albert Mission School. It recounts to the comprehended and they all represent the average account of Swami and others like, Shanker who South Indian tradition and customs. is a top at each test; "Pea" and Somu, who involve the middle positions and Mani, who is R.K. Narayan's style exemplifies his vision of Swami's' closest companion and consistently sits life, the commonplace existence of Malgudi in a on the last seat and takes over one year to pass a remarkably basic and unpretentious language few classes. Swami and Mani rule over the class with no stressing delayed consequences. It is and scarcely manage to scratch past the tests. especially clear that Narayan could do it with These boys live for summer get-aways when least exertion in a language which isn't local to they can play constantly in the road with friends. him. There is no uncertainty that every one of This serene setting is upset once in a while by his portrayals, characters, plots, themes, the harsh director of the school and here and discourse, satire, humor that he presented in his there by the religious study educator, Ebenezar artistic works is amazing. He has never bounced and furthermore by a harsh father. The old boy outside the South India and particularly his grows up when Rajam joins the school. The envisioned town Malgudi. He painted the dreary school life of Swami at that point picks genuine image of India in his envisioned town. up excitement when together with Rajam, he fantasies about framing a cricket crew. Youthful Narayan constantly utilized basic language to Swami becomes involved with the counter depict the characters of his novels. This is the British movement and manages to get tossed out explanation for his fame as an artist. Narayan is of school. At the point when he flees from most popular for his utilization of spotless, clear school for the subsequent time, he feels that and magnificently expressive language and he there is not all that much thus he likewise flees never confounded his English by blending the from home. Inevitably Swami gets back to the kind of Tamil or some other Indian language. help of his parents.All the children are Narayan is an intense onlooker of society, and remarkable characters. Mani is the adrenaline through his art he conveyed the great just as the junkie, Rajam, however devious, normally goes fiendishness in society.Narayan expressed about as a voice of caution; Swami is bashful,

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yet wicked and imprudent. Through this imprudent and unconstrained. The character Narayan takes us to the universe of outcome is he is associated with one children. difficulty after another, however after every one of such ventures he 3. THE THEME OF THE NOVEL understands his misstep thus increases a little in development. In every one of the novels of Narayan, the focal character isn't courageous in any way. The vast  Humiliation and Suffering: Their majority of Narayan's legends are unheroic and Impact Another progression towards they have a place with middle class or development is taken through Swami's underneath middle class family with basic involvement with the coachman and his human Excellencies and shortcomings. They child. The entire scene brings about his need to struggle towards development. The more frustration and much affliction. they get development, the more their Hereafter, he goes about in dread of his circumstances become basic. In this way, life, for the coachman's child had taken Narayan's characters are the manikins in the steps to cut him with his blade, at hands of circumstance. They move on the finger whatever point he would get an of circumstance. The characters of Narayan opportunity. become savvy and adult by battling with conditions. What's more, his absolute first novel  Political Activity: The Dawn of is no special case right now; this subject isn't so Wisdom Similarly, Swami's political well-set apart in it as in the later novels. action makes him an a lot more troubled and shrewder individual; it is a  Acknowledgment of Life, a Sign of significant advance in his development. Maturity: Narayan's saints at last His profession as a student along these acknowledge life for what it's worth, lines reaches an abrupt conclusion. As and this is a proportion of their he himself tells his friends later on, he otherworldly development. This should not to have reveled at all in his acknowledgment incorporates, "savor "political movement". The shrewdness the experience of the expressive day breaks upon him that it would have assortment of life, cognizance of its been exceptional by a wide margin to absurdities, joke at its pretension and have remained at home on that acknowledgment of its troubles." This portentous day. acknowledgment is something which is bit by bit moved in the direction of,  “Futility of Escape ": Need of developed up to, and developed. Acceptance Soon he understands that it is never again workable for him to  Swami's Escapades-Steps towards remain in Malgudi. Neither would he be Maturity: Swami is ten years of age able to go to his home, for his dad when the novel opens. His reactions would be irate, nor can be proceed with have not yet been designed and his instruction in Malgudi, for there is restrained; they are individual, no third school. He, hence, flees from

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home and Malgudi to attempt his karma opening pages of Swami and Friends, Narayan somewhere else. convey the silent, jail-like atmosphere of the classroom. Narayan's kindergarten experience  Restoration of Order and Normalcy: resurfaces in the scene where Swami wanders At the finish of the novel, Swami is into the infant sections of his school and watches totally changed. Presently he becomes the toddler's effort to shape models from wet full grown and attempts to comprehend clay.It seems to Swami a meaningless activity and play out his obligations. He turns which they can do in their own home instant of out to be to some degree genuine and coming to school.The principal line opens with true. He apologizes on the the character of Swami and the last line of the demonstration of getting away from novel closes with the anguish of Swami. In this home and he understands the genuine way, he is considered as the saint of the novel quintessence of life. yet not a functioning legend since he can't control the conditions unexpectedly he is 4. THE PROJECTION OF CHILD constrained by them. The outcome is he floats latently about, is engaged with challenges, from Narayan's development of the child and which he is saved by the auspicious assistance of childhood is a significant part of his work. In others. Swami and Friends it is obviously observed that Narayan had just compassion and empathy for R. K. Narayan has apropos legitimized the title the child. In his own childhood, as outlined in of the novel, Swami and Friends since it is a My Days, we see Narayan's more than direct story of the boys for the boys. Every one thoughtful depiction of himself according to of the scenes and occurrences of the story for grown-ups. Mani and Balu are abnormalities example, Swami's tendency, his friendship, his however Swami, the Pea, Somu are blameless activities – responses, his fights, his connection people and plainly Narayan saw any brutality with his mom, orthodox and exacting dad, his done to the child as off-base and unsatisfactory. pretty grandma, educators, his schoolwork, his preferences abhorrences, assessments and his Narayan's children battle yet their battles have arguments mirror the narrative of any school nothing to do with preparation for the Civil boy. Graham Greene puts a touchy finger on the Service and without a doubt are exceptional for correct moment that he talks about Swami as their absence of malevolence. Narayan's children being not just a boy but rather a child. A boy is a are delicate and Swami's powerful goodbye to perceived figure in a given example complying Rajam is characteristic of an alternate world by with specific shows. A child is an individual and large, while we may consider them to be human creature, unlegislated for, getting a part of an honest world. Narayan's authenticity charge out of immediately an unrehearsed self- works just at a specific level. Swami and his sufficiency. The reactions of a boy are socially friend’s demonstration the manner in which they designed. He has experienced a proportion of do on the grounds that that is the means by control and has figured out how to act as which children act. In his School life, Narayan indicated by set examples, shows and codes of acquired a lifelong dislike for traditional formal conduct. His responses can be predicted, yet not education which is reflected in the novel. In the so of a child. A child's activities, then again, are

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rash unconstrained, and unpredictable. Swami is child conduct and creative mind. fundamentally a child, and he has a more As William Walsh puts: The individual and unconstrained presence than a mental snappiness, the agility of school-boy. He has all the engaging quality and discernment, the cool, the independence of a child, he is still untroubled examination of the undistracted by sex or desire or cash or vocation. child's temperament and mind He watches the grown-up world around him and which can issue into attempts to get it. He attempts to construct better unadulterated enjoyment can terms with the grown-up world. Some of the likewise form into an idyllic time because of his youthfulness, he more than feeling of the powers of the once faces inconveniences while his friends are boy's understanding and the more full grown than Swami. Under the profundity of his character. impression of others, he stays missing in the Take a gander at the class and he tosses stones at the class of straightforwardness, for windows of his school. Accordingly, he is caned instance, with which Narayan by his educators when he can't hold up under the uncovers the boy's fear as he oppression of his instructor he gets the stick and flees from home around evening inconsiderately acts with his educator and flees time: "His ears turned out to be from his school, home and town. He is rusticated unusually delicate. They got from both the schools of the town Malgudi and each commotion his feet made, finally he escapes into the woodland however he with the scarcest varieties. His is brought back by the timberland official. feet descended on the ground Narayan has impeccably portrayed the with a light tick or a repressed exceptionally lovely and edgy creative mind of a snap or a delicate wash, as child through his child characters in his novel. indicated by the article on the Children are pulled in towards the chivalry so ground: little dry shriveled they effectively go under the impression of other leaves. There were incidental and they likewise make them their good patches of exposed revealed examples and attempt to tail them. Something ground, and there the very similar occurs with Swami. Swami is under commotion was a light crash, or the acceptable impression of his quick friends pit, pat, pit, pat, pit, pat in dull Mani and Rajam who are truly and mentally are reiteration" (Walsh: 1982, 58). solid separately. Swami can't confront the truth since he generally lives in his conjured up Narayan has touchy mindfulness, of the universe. Swami consistently commends and criticalness that size has in the child's life. follows Mani and Rajam in light of the fact that Lessened size and minuteness of presence offer he considered them as his saints. to the child reality decreased to a controllable size and a model of the manner in which From the primary novel, children would want presence to be. Indeed, Narayan has presented his even pulverization, even death itself, can be profound information on child managed on the off chance that they or their psychology and examination of conditions are decreased in size.

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Adults may giggle at the in his present novel. He portrays the scorn, likes, reactions of a child, similar to and abhorrences, delights, distress, boyish Swami, as being exceptionally enjoyments, insignificant squabbles and broken ludicrous and overstated, as the and fixed friendship of the children in his novel. creation of mole-slopes into He has likewise portrayed the psychology of mountains, yet would not adults and he presents the universe of growns-up grown-up reactions show up as appeared to the children. similarly silly to the infinitely knowledgeable and every 5. PRESENTATION OF INDIAN LIFE knowing god. Right now, Thompson properly comments: R.K. Narayan is an Indian writing in English and Most individuals, we assume, patriotism is to be seen both in the topic of his must overlook what they novels, and in his treatment of the themes. resembled when they were children else they would realize  Depiction of Indian School: Swami and that the pains of their childhood Friends is an incredible classic of were enthusiastic 'school boy' fiction. The school-world abandonment... Children's pains delineated in the novel, is the universe are close to nothing, surely; of Indian school-boys and not an however so is the child, so is its English world. In India the majorities of continuance, so is its field of the students are day-researchers, and sit vision, while its apprehensive back at home, and thus the delineation impressionability is quicker than of Swami's home life. our own. Pain involves relativity... Empty a puddle into  The Indian Setting: The setting, as a thimble, or an Atlantic into well, is regularly Indian. Malgudi is a Etna; both thimble and South Indian town, it is a microcosm of mountain flood. Grown-up the cosmos, and life as it is lived in fools, would not the blessed Malgudi is the life as it is experienced messengers grin at our everywhere throughout the nation. distresses, were not heavenly Indeed, even the Indian struggle for attendants too savvy to even Independence has been acquired and consider smiling at them there are tumults, strikes and (Thompson) lathicharges, for example, were occurring everywhere throughout the Through the aptitude of characterization, it is nation in those significant days. demonstrated that Narayan is on the tallness in the portrayal and projection of the rainbow  Story-Teller in the Indian Tradition: universe of childhood and early boyhood. Narayan is a story-teller in the Indian Narayan is a sharp spectator of childhood; he tradition. His portrayal is clear and has left nothing in the delineation of childhood sequential. Scenes follow scenes with in his novels. Everything of children is described hardly a pause in between and the

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development is somewhat free and long  Indian Imagery and Vocabulary: winded. Narayan's Indianness is likewise found in his utilization of symbolism drawn  Indian Stress on Family ties: Narayan from the Indian scene, and his language, has an extraordinary respect for family both in its vocabulary and its syntax is ties and devotions of the home and the the language usually utilized by taught family. Human relationships, Indians. His vocabulary is constrained, particularly local relationships, involve a yet by this restricted vocabulary he has focal spot in his novels. This weight on designed for himself an instrument of the job of the family shows his basic use for the Indian scene. Indianness. In the present novel likewise, the family plays a significant 6. EXPLORATION OF HUMAN job in embellishment the character of RELATIONSHIPS Swami. Narayan is a decent onlooker of the society. He  Religious and Superstitious: Narayan's knows the significance and estimation of human Indianness is likewise found in his abuse connection in one's life. In his initial novels, he of the Indian confidence in religion, and has minutely portrays the different human of their superstitious and relationships, for example, relations among unsophisticated nature. Accordingly educators and students, among classmates and Swami effectively accepts that the friends, family connection of a couple, father coachman would have the option to and child, grandson and grandma and so on. In duplicate his cash by the utilization of the later novels, Narayan's observation turns out some enchantment equation which he to be sharp and he centers on complex sort of knows. He additionally accepts that connection and spotlights on the sex and cash divine beings, on the off chance that matters. In his first novel, Swami and Friends he they are thoughtful, can transform investigates basic sort of human relationships. stones into coins. He is mortally terrified Swami is a negligible child and he isn't yet of apparitions, devils and aware of cash and sex. underhandedness spirits and goes to the divine beings for their security.  Swami's father

 One Deviation: No Obtrusive Morality Swami is a day-researcher and an enormous part But in one significant regard he veers of his time is passed at home. He is the apple of off from the Indian tradition. He avoids his parent's eyes and is humored and made much education, he makes no endeavor to off by his granny. His dad might be somewhat preach or convey a message. He is 'fastidious', he is too stubborn that Swami should maybe an ethical examiner, an study in any event, during the get-aways, and investigator of character and conduct, comes in the method for his loafing about in yet yet he doesn't endeavor to force his he, as well, adores him, is kind of his welfare perspectives on his pursuers. and consistently goes to his assistance when things turn out badly.

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 Swami's mother he flees from both these schools. Almost certainly, he is careless and rash, he is off base, Swami's mom is a devout, residential woman however a tad bit of thoughtful comprehension who gives a valiant effort to priest to the of his child-like nature would have been necessities of the family and to furnish Swami adequate to carry him to the correct way, to with heavenly dishes. She is a sort and tender change and instruct him, yet both the directors mother who adores her child, yet additionally are absolutely ailing in such compassion. makes sure that her adoration doesn't ruin the child. That is the reason she reveals to her better 7. THE ELEMENTS OF HUMOR, IRONY half that Swami goes out in the evenings and AND SATIRE lounges about with his friends. Narayan is the best of the humorists among the  Swami's Grandmother Indo-Anglian novelists. His funniness is all- unavoidable and generally differed. We get in Swami's granny, as well, cherishes Swami and him absurd diversion or amusingness of his nighttimes are passed with her. She discloses circumstance, silliness of character, or to him stories from Hindu folklore and it is right cleverness emerging from the old and the now Swami gains his insight into Hindu divine unusual in character and individual. We beings, and the notable figures and scenes of additionally get in him verbal amusingness Hindu folklore. emerging from jokes, satire, humor, repartees, counters and by the smart utilization of language  Swami's Friends in different manners. His diversion frequently blends with poignancy, and afterward we grin Swami's friendship is delineated in the novel on through our tears. He can be funny even at the the significant scale with minute subtleties. moments of most elevated disaster. Satiric Swami's quick friends are Mani and Rajam with cleverness is likewise there in his novels. He whom he shares every one of his preferences, mocks insatiable businessmen and delights and distresses and issues. He takes a moneylenders, coercing house-proprietors, dark gander at them as a diving being. He looks for marketeers and profiteers, or makers of profane advices and aides from them. In the whole movies, counterfeit sadhus and guileless novel, they are seen together during the school boneheads, yet his satire is so mellow and hours, after the school hours and in any event, delicate that it is regularly hard to choose throughout the midyear get-away. whether Narayan is being satiric, or he is just uncovering and disparaging for the amusement  Swami’s teachers of his peruses. His funniness is cheerful and benevolent, for he acknowledges life all things Swami is a student of an Indian school where considered, with every one of its indiscretions there is no fagging system. He goes to two and shortfalls, and isn't diverted by the schools, and the deans of both the schools are enthusiasm of the reformer. Commonly he is a cruel and unsympathetic. They are excessively humorist and not a comedian. In any case, it is to attached to mortifying and caning the students. be recollected "Narayan's feeling of the comic is Swami can't hold up under this oppression thus supported not by the Dickensian sort of

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embellishment yet rather, if an examination must playground. Afterward, the extent of the novel is be made to enroll understanding and bring out additionally enlarged by acquiring the Indian reactions, by the incongruity of understatement struggle for freedom, and indicating its effect on rehearsed by a Jane Austen". He manages Malgudi, particularly on the "boys' reality". normal and the customary, his goal being to Narayan has keenly put the elements of show the remarkable and the phenomenal innate cleverness, satire and incongruity in the present in the normal, a he does as such by centering work through his characters and his clear "consideration, in one novel after another, on the language. Narayan is an exceptionally inconsistency among fact and yearning. straightforward novelist since he utilizes Basic English, basic characters and waterway forward 8. CONCLUSION story of his works and he attempts to satisfy his pursuers. To conclude, It can be said novel has free and roundabout plot. Be that it may, Swami, the hero REFERENCES of the novel, isn't a picaro; novel has all the picaresque attributes of its development. Every 1. Archana, Sanjay Singh. “Charting the one of the occurrences and episodes of the novel Carnivalesque in R.K.Narayan’s novel are entwined so that three solidarities; solidarity Swami and Friends.” International of time, solidarity of spot and solidarity of Journal of English Language, Literature activity are accomplished. Every one of the and Humanities, Vol.-2(5), 26 -34, occurrences and episodes are grouped round September 2014, Online. Swami. In a picaresque novel, characters show up and vanish in the different episodes and 2. Bhat, Priyamvada Dinesh. “Portrayal of occurrences yet they never meet again in the Child in Swami and Friends.” Research story. As novel advances, new characters with Nebula, Vol. –I (2), July, 2012, Online. their weird experiences are presented. The accentuation is made on the episodes and not on 3. Ashalata, Raman. “Depiction of the characters in a picaresque novel. The greater Childhood in R. K. Narayan’s Novels.” part of the characters in a picaresque novel is Hi Tech Research Analysis, Vol. – I (1), slight and shadowy figures. In the most cases, Feb. - July, 2011, Print. the sensible solidarity of circumstances and 4. Gunasekaran,S. “R. K. Narayan’s logical results is inadequate with regards to, Humour in Swami and Friends.” number of episodes and their request can Language in India Strength of Today without much of a stretch be changed. Be that as and Bright Hope for Tomorrow, Vol. – it may, every one of the occurrences and 10, Feb. , 2010, Online. episodes rotate around Swami and different boys, which present the rainbow universe of the 5. Narayan, R. K. Swami and Friends. children. Further, the activity isn't restricted Mysore: Indian Thought Publication, simply to "the boy's reality" but at the same time 2002, Print is similarly worried about the 'household universe' of Swami. The activity moves from the home to the school and from the school to the

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6. Narayan, R.K. Swami and Friends, Indian Thought Publication, Chennai, 54th Reprint, 2010, Print.

7. Rao, V. Pandurang. The Art of R.K. Narayan, Journal of Commonwealth Literature, No. 5, July l968, Print.

8. Reddy, K. Eswar and Rahiman, S.K.A. “Use of Indian Language in the Selected Novels of R. K. Narayan, The Criterion: An International Journal in English, Issue 12, 1-4, February, 2013, Online.

9. Sahoo, Dr. Sudarsan. “The Place and Importance of Malgudi in the Novels of R.K. Narayan.” Journal of Humanities and Social Science, Vol. – 19 (IV), April, 2014, pg. 98 – 100, Print.

10. Yelsoju, Somachary. “An Art Is a Proof of Life Experience: A Study of R.K.Narayan’s’ “Swami And Friends’.” International Journal of English Language, Literature and Translation Studies, Vol. - 2. (2), 66-69, 2015, Print

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