NEB Grade: 11 (English) 1.7 An Astrologer's Day- by R.K. Narayan ( Short Stories) Part- 2

 NEB Grade: 11 (English) 1.7  An Astrologer's Day- by R.K. Narayan ( Short Stories) Part- 2

R.K. Narayan: About the author

Ø R.K. Narayan  (born October 10, 1906, Madras [Chennai], India—died May 13, 2001, Madras),  is  one of the finest Indian authors of his generation writing in English, is well known for  his works  set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. His full name  was Rasipuram Krishnaswami Narayan.

Ø Narayan completed his education in 1930 and briefly worked as a teacher before deciding to devote himself to writing. His first novel, Swami and Friends (1935), is an episodic narrative recounting the adventures of a group of schoolboys. Narayan typically portrays the peculiarities of human relationships and the ironies of Indian daily life, in which modern urban existence clashes with ancient tradition. His style is graceful, marked by genial humour, elegance, and simplicity.

Ø Among the best-received of Narayan’s 34 novels are The English Teacher (1945), Waiting for the Mahatma (1955), The Guide (1958), The Man-Eater of Malgudi (1961), The Vendor of Sweets (1967), and A Tiger for Malgudi (1983).

Ø “ An Astrologer’s Day” is a thriller, suspense story describing a day in the life of an astrologer who makes his living by selling cosmic insights to gullible villagers, though he has no knowledge of the cosmos or actual spiritual insight.

 

 

—  An Astrologer’s Day: Summary

—  "An Astrologer's Day“, written by an Indian writer R.K. Narayan, is a thriller, suspense story which describes a day in the life of an ordinary but fake astrologer who is unnamed. He earns his livelihood through making prophecies or selling cosmic insights to gullible villagers though he does not know  the cosmos or actual spiritual insights. It projects human nature as hypocrisies, shrewdness, revengeful nature and selfishness.

—  Astrologer’s Business:

—  An astrologer always opened his astrology shop during midday. He sat and ran his business under a tamarind tree on the Town Hall road , a favourite place full of amply crowded with different people with different trades and professions. The groundnut vendor also used to sit beside him. The gaslight of groundnut vendor enabled the astrologer to run his business even after the sunset. The astrologer was quite skilful at analysing human nature and psychology.

—  Astrologer’s dressings:

—   As he started his business during midday, he decorated his business with  his tools of the trade, a mix of cowrie shells, obscure charts, a notebook, and other such curios  from his bag. He also dressed typically like an astrologer to attract customers by painting his forehead with sacred ash, wrapped his head in a turban.  All of these things served to give him an air of wisdom, transcendence, and prophetic power, though the narrator is quick to point out that none of these qualities actually belong to the man.

—  Astrologer as fraud:

—  The astrologer was good at his trade; he told people what they wanted to hear, and they left comforted by it.  He just made guesswork to satisfy his customers. According to him, he left his village because he didn't want to continue the traditional occupation of his forefathers i.e. farming. He is good at his trade; he tells people what they want to hear, and they leave comforted by it. Though it is not an honest living that the astrologer makes, it is still a well-earned one.

—  Astrologer and Guru Nayak’s bet:

—  One day, the astrologer was closing his shop, he saw a man standing in front of him. The man-made a bet with the astrologer &  promised to provide an anna to the astrologer for his satisfactory answer to his question but if not, he would have to return his anna with interest. The astrologer demanded eight annas for a satisfactory answer. The man became ready to pay up with a condition if failed to satisfy,  he would have to return double amount i.e. sixteen annas and the bet was made.

—   Astrologer’s satisfactory reply:

—  When the astrologer  saw  the glimpse of his face in the light, He denied the challenge but the man held him tight on his wrist which made  the astrologer trembled in fear and he accepted the challenge unwillingly. The man had a single question whether he would get that what he was searching for. The man promised the astrologer to pay him up a rupee after getting a satisfactory answer. The astrologer again prayed a few incantations before replying. The astrologer revealed the fact about the man who had been attacked by an unknown person with a knife on his chest and he was thrown into a well nearby to die but a passerby saw and saved him. The man wanted to know about culprit's detail from the astrologer so that he could take revenge. But the astrologer informed about culprits death four months ago in a far town with satisfied  answer that the culprit was crushed under a lorry. The man named Guru Nayak returned his village after giving the astrologer a handful of coins. The astrologer also packed his belongings and went home. 

—  Astrologer’s regret:

—  The astrologer arrived home late at night and showed his wife the money he had made, becoming briefly bitter when he realized that although Guru Nayak had paid him a great sum, it was not quite as much as promised. Even so, his wife was thrilled. As they lied down to sleep, the astrologer revealed to his wife that a great burden had been lifted off of his shoulders. Years ago, the astrologer was the one to stab Guru Nayak and leave him for dead, which forced him to flee his home and made a new life as a fraudulent astrologer. He had thought himself to be a murderer, but was now content that he had not in fact taken a life. Satisfied by this, he went to sleep.

Understanding the text…

—  Answer the following questions.

a.     How does the astrologer’s appearance help him attract customers? How does he help the customers satisfy their needs?

Ø His forehead resplendent with scared ash and vermilion, sparkled eyes and  his mystic charts help him attract customers. He helped the customers satisfy their needs by telling them what they wanted to hear, and what comforted them through  just his guesswork.

b.     How do you characterize the astrologer’s attitude towards stranger?

Ø I think the astrologer is very good at his trade though his attitude towards stranger is not so good rather to satisfy them in their own aspects through his guess task and earn money from them.

c.      What details does the astrologer give the stranger about his past?

Ø The astrologer revealed several facts about the stranger’s past saying he had been attacked by an unknown person with a knife on his chest and he was thrown into a well nearby to die but a passerby saw and saved him.

d.     Why does he advise the stranger to go home immediately?

Ø He advised the stranger to go back home immediately and never to travel south again mentioning that he might get into the trouble if he left his home again.

e.     What is your reaction to the conversation between the astrologer and his wife?

Ø I take the conversation  between the astrologer and his wife positively and natural as his wife becomes very delighted after seeing money and he himself becomes relaxed and free from his thought of being murderer of  his own friend.

Reference to the context…

a.     Suspense is the feeling of anticipation you may have as you read. In this story, what details contributed to your feelings of suspense and surprise? Explain.

In the story “An Astrologer’s Day, R.K. Narayan presents several instances of suspense to surprise the audiences. Some of them are followings:

Ø The feeling of suspense is created by the author about the astrologer’s personal and past life. He illustrates his real intension was not be an astrologer. It was not his family business.

Ø The astrologer left his village without any previous plan. Why he broke this ancestral cycle and left his home all of a sudden arises curiosity in the readers and doubt them.

Ø The sense of suspense can be easily noticed in the audiences when the astrologer encounters the stranger. The astrologer catches a glimpse of the stranger’s face in the flash of light created by the matchstick, and immediately disagrees to accept the stranger’s challenge.

Ø The astrologer asks the stranger to back home immediately also doubt the readers that why he says so to him.

Ø  At the end of the story, the reader is surprised with revelation of the fact that the astrologer was the person who stabbed the stranger and left for dead when he was drunk during one of his days as a youngster.

b.     Analyze the conflicts in “An Astrologer’s Day.” Explain how the conflicts are resolved and what they reveal about the characters involved in the story.

—  In the story, “An  Astrologer’s Day”, conflict arises when a stranger appears in front of the astrologer as his client.

—   The astrologer is packing up his stuff and ready to call it a day. The stranger challenges the astrologer to provide specific and correct answers for his questions of his real life.

—   As the stranger lits his cheroot, he catches a glimpse of his face by the match light and for some unclear reasons the astrologer feels uncomfortable and rejects the challenge.

—  But, he is forced to tell the stranger something that will satisfy him. The stranger is surprised by the words told about his past life by the astrologer, and agrees to give up his search for his enemy who was declared to have been crushed under a lorry.

—   The astrologer  himself ensures a safe and secure life for himself hereafter after telling the facts about the life of the stranger and assuring him to go home immediately.

c.      “All right. I will speak. But will you give me a rupee if what I say is convincing? Otherwise I will not open my mouth, and you may do what you like.”

                          i. Who is the speaker?

                        ii. Who is he speaking to?

                       iii. What does the expression ‘open my mouth’ mean?

Ø i. The astrologer is the speaker.

Ø ii. He is speaking to the stranger, Guru Nayak.

Ø iii. The expression ‘open my mouth’ means to speak something convincing about the life of some convincing information about the life of the stranger.

d. Description helps readers visualize what is happening in a story. What details and techniques does the author use to describe the astrologer?

—  Obviously, it is description which helps readers visualize what is happening in a story. Here, in this story “An Astrologer’s Day”, the author uses impressionistic technique and details of descriptions to describe about the astrologer.

—  The author presents the astrologer as an impressive character in the story. He has ability to develop a new personality to survive in a densely populated urban environment by using his intelligence. He lives by his wits. Despite having no mystical knowledge he knows how to attract passers-by.

—  It is obvious that he must sit for long hours in order to collect enough to keep himself and his family alive from day to day. He  is bold enough as well. When dealing with Guru Nayak, he bargains for money though his life is in risk.

—  He is a very good husband as well as father who brings every single anna home to his wife so that she can buy food for the family.

—  The story has been presented from  the mode of third-person omniscience. The use of dialogue  by the narrator is prominent in the story. The setting is given in the Town Hall Park, in the late evening.

e. Irony is a contrast between appearances and reality. What is ironic about Guru Nayak’s meeting with the astrologer?

—  Irony is a contrast between appearances and reality . The meeting of Guru Nayak with the astrologer is ironical because he comes to meet  the astrologer for  knowing the fact about his killing the man but he is asking with the same person.

—  The man whom Guru Nayak is looking for is none other than the astrologer himself. As soon as the astrologer recognizes the man, he feels very uncomfortable.

—  But the astrologer wisely maintains the situations and misguides him. Furthermore, he bargains Guru Nayak for money. When he finally calls the stranger by his name and tells him about the incident that happened in the village, he has control over Guru Nayak and sends him back to his village at the end.

f. How does the astrologer’s manner of dress suit his character?

—  The astrologer is the protagonist or the principal character  of the story.  His appearance is vividly presented  in the story.

—  The opening of the  story describes the outfit and the manners that the astrologer carries when he performs his duty.

—  He is dressed typically like an astrologer. His forehead is bright with sacred ash and vermilion. He winds a saffron-coloured turban around his head. His dress and appearance suit his character and becomes a center of attraction.

—  People are easily fooled by the astrologer’s appearance and his wits. He is intelligent and informs people what they  wanted to hear. Thus, his character suits his profession though he misguides people.

 

Reference Beyond the text…

a.     The astrologer attracts many customers in the street who are pleased and astonished by what he tells them. What does this tell you about the people of the town walking in the street?

—  The astrologer attracts many customers in the street who are pleased and astonished by what he tells them. As many people living in the eastern societies have faith in astrology and its premises they get pleased and sometimes astonished by the words and saying of the astrologer. The astrologer’s  forehead is bright with sacred ash and vermilion and his eyes are assigned with a prophetic light. He wears a saffron turban and presents himself as a perfect prophet for all the people.

—  As the astrologer satisfies the needs and demands such as love, marriage, money, jobs etc of  the customers of the town walking in the street, they are easily attracted and have deep faith in the astrologer’s words and sayings.

b. Why do most people want to know their future? Do you think astrologers can really help them know their future?

—  Every individuals want to know about their potential future. It might be true that we have a deep spiritual or biological purpose  and we want to about our forthcoming future based on namely: present past and environment.  Astrologers use motivations for wanting to see the future. People want to know about their coming days so that they can get prepared for their forthcoming days and able to know what will happen the days to come.

    I don't think astrologers can really help them know their future but many other people believe in such sayings and facts. In reference to the story "The Astrologer's Day," we can say that the astrologer becomes able to deal with the past of his customer but it is due to coincidence. The fact that the astrologers get succeed in their path of predicting future depend on their skills in this regard.

Thus, the astrologers have knowledge of stars and planets and  their movements and on the basis of this traditional science which help to predict future about the people but we can not completely depend up on it.

c.      Is astrology a good practice of fortune telling or is it just a blind faith? Give reasons.

Yes, astrology is a good practice of fortune telling. In the many societies of the East, many people practise  fortune telling  and they have strong believe in it.

Astrology is the study of the influence that distant cosmic objects, usually stars and planets, have on human lives. It is considered as the the best part of human life and their day to day activities. The practice of astrology can be observed everywhere and in every steps of life. In the eastern societies, people have many more faith in astrology.

Some people consider astrology as a way to solve their day to day problems. They think that people will come out of their obstacles through astrological measures. Some people use astrology to generate expectations about future events and people's personalities, much as scientific ideas generate expectations.

—  Character sketch of the Astrologer

—  In "An Astrologer's Day," the main character is the astrologer. He is an ordinary man who practices to be a genuine astrologer. At midday, he begins his job by seeking out people who need to know more about their futures. 

—  Punctually at midday he opened his bag and spread out his professional equipment, which consisted of a dozen cowrie shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic charts on it, a notebook, and a bundle of Palmyra writing. In a prophetic like glare, he seeks out customers. His forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion, and his eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers, but which his simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted. 

—  The astrologer worked in an area that had poor lighting. At night, he used the light of the neighboring vendors who sold nuts, fruits, and ice cream to name a few things being sold. When a client would sit down, he would allow the client to talk for ten minutes. By this time, the astrologer had enough information to go on. He was a good judge of character. He could read people very well. His job was one of guess work for "he knew no more of what was going to happen to others than he knew what was going to happen to himself the next minute."

—  The astrologer was shrewd. He understood the problems of life. Yet he said things which pleased and astonished everyone: that was more a matter of study, practice, and shrewd guesswork. 

—  As evening approached, the astrologer saw a man passing by and assumed he would be a potential client. This client was Guru Nayak and he would not be played with. He tried to get away from the astrologer, having little faith in his abilities. Guru Nayak lit a cheroot and the astrologer recognized him as a man he had stabbed and left for dead many years ago. Nervously, the astrologer tried to back out the deal the two had made. But Guru Nayak would not hear of it. He insisted that the astrologer would tell him if the man he searched for was alive or dead. Guru Nayak wanted to know where the man was who had stabbed him and left him for dead years ago. 

—  Finally, the astrologer tells Guru Nayak what he wants to hear. He claims the man who stabbed him is dead. The astrologer knows what to say since he was the man who had stabbed him years ago. Fortunately, Guru Nayak does not recognize the astrologer. He satisfies Guru Nayak and makes extra money off him. 

Guru Nayak leaves, satisfied that his attacker is dead. The astrologer makes it home late. His wife is waiting at the door. He gives her the extra money and shares his story of meeting a man whom he thought he had killed years ago. The astrologer is relieved to know he didn't kill the man. He stretches himself out to sleep a good night's sleep.

( All Images Credit: Google Images)

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