BOOK REVIEW OF THE BOOK THE GUIDE
WRITER NAME ; R K Naryana
This novel’s lead, Raju, is sitting by a riverside shrine when he’s
mistaken for a holy man. In actuality, Raju was just released from
prison for forging the signature of a woman with whom he has a
complicated relationship. The woman is married to another man but she
has a love of dance, and her husband wants her to give up such
frivolities. She falls for Raju, who is working for her husband as a
travel guide /expediter, because he supports her in the pursuit of
dance. [One can see the dual meaning of the title as Raju is a travel
guide by trade and becomes a spiritual guide to the villagers of the
fictional town of Malgudi.] After experiencing some hard times with the
shops left him by his father, Raju finds success by being not only the
lover of the dancer but also her Col. Tom Parker (i.e. her promoter
/manager.)
The story isn’t told in chronological order, but is easily enough
followed and is the more interesting for its nonlinear telling. For
example, we learn the details of Raju’s troubles as a confession he
makes to the individual who first mistook him for a guru.
The book explores several themes. One is the power of charisma and
bumper-sticker wisdom in building a sage. When Raju’s first student
hears his confession, the young man is unswayed, following Raju
unwaveringly. On a brighter note, one also sees how people’s strong
beliefs, ill-founded as they might seem to be, can produce a guru.
Ultimately, Raju becomes the teacher that the entire village thought him
to be all along.
There’s also the issue of passion versus familial bonds and
tradition. While Raju’s mother personally likes the dancer woman, the
fact that the girl is of a lower class and caste (not to mention married
to another man), creates a tension. Raju must decide between his love
of the dancer and that of his mother. We also get to see the hard edge
of tradition in the Raju’s uncle who puts all the bias of class and
caste in its most explicit form.
I enjoyed this novel. It’s a nice compact story and is very
thought-provoking. The character of Raju is well-developed and
interesting. The reader finds Raju likable even though at times he’s a
bit loathsome in his behavior. There’s more than one comedy of error in
the story’s formulation to offer some lightness to contrast the family
drama.
I’d highly recommend this book for fiction readers. It was also
interesting for me as an ex-pat in India as it offers some insight into
the culture. It should be noted that it’s set in a bygone era. But even
though it’s dated, one can see the long shadow of cultural proclivities
in the story elements.
This novel’s lead, Raju, is sitting by a riverside shrine when he’s
mistaken for a holy man. In actuality, Raju was just released from
prison for forging the signature of a woman with whom he has a
complicated relationship. The woman is married to another man but she
has a love of dance, and her husband wants her to give up such
frivolities. She falls for Raju, who is working for her husband as a
travel guide /expediter, because he supports her in the pursuit of
dance. [One can see the dual meaning of the title as Raju is a travel
guide by trade and becomes a spiritual guide to the villagers of the
fictional town of Malgudi.] After experiencing some hard times with the
shops left him by his father, Raju finds success by being not only the
lover of the dancer but also her Col. Tom Parker (i.e. her promoter
/manager.)
The story isn’t told in chronological order, but is easily enough
followed and is the more interesting for its nonlinear telling. For
example, we learn the details of Raju’s troubles as a confession he
makes to the individual who first mistook him for a guru.
The book explores several themes. One is the power of charisma and
bumper-sticker wisdom in building a sage. When Raju’s first student
hears his confession, the young man is unswayed, following Raju
unwaveringly. On a brighter note, one also sees how people’s strong
beliefs, ill-founded as they might seem to be, can produce a guru.
Ultimately, Raju becomes the teacher that the entire village thought him
to be all along.
There’s also the issue of passion versus familial bonds and
tradition. While Raju’s mother personally likes the dancer woman, the
fact that the girl is of a lower class and caste (not to mention married
to another man), creates a tension. Raju must decide between his love
of the dancer and that of his mother. We also get to see the hard edge
of tradition in the Raju’s uncle who puts all the bias of class and
caste in its most explicit form.
I enjoyed this novel. It’s a nice compact story and is very
thought-provoking. The character of Raju is well-developed and
interesting. The reader finds Raju likable even though at times he’s a
bit loathsome in his behavior. There’s more than one comedy of error in
the story’s formulation to offer some lightness to contrast the family
drama.
I’d highly recommend this book for fiction readers. It was also
interesting for me as an ex-pat in India as it offers some insight into
the culture. It should be noted that it’s set in a bygone era. But even
though it’s dated, one can see the long shadow of cultural proclivities
in the story elements.