CBCS Sem-2 "The Guide" : Significance of title

Significance of the title of R.K Narayan's novel "The Guide"

In the realm of unidimensional characters developed by Narayan in the backdrop of his fictitious town of Malgudi, the character of ‘Railway Raju’ or ‘Raju Guide’ is the most complex and fascinating one owing to Raju’s ability to adapt himself to different roles that life offers him. In the novel we find the titular character Raju as a multifaceted personality whose character shows several self conflicting features. {In him we find the craftiness, dishonesty and credulity of Margayya, the flashy bomb-blast of Mr. Sampath, the adventurousness of Mali, the romantic excess of Sitaram and the mystical leaning of Chandran.} In “The Guide”, R.k. Narayan is like a stonemason labouring to make a goddess out of a stone, to make a saint out of a man of earth. The entire theme of the novel revolves around the titular character of Raju. {Narayan adopts an interesting dual narrative strategy to sketch the character of his picaresque hero- in order to give a third person objective point of view of his present, while gradually revealing Raju’s past in the 1^st person autobiographical mode.} The narrative point of view never shifts from Raju; Raju’s inner thoughts are presented while not those of other characters. The novel is aptly titled after Raju who is the Guide.

In ‘The Guide’ the conflict between modernisation and tradition brings about several transformations in the life of Raju. Some of these transformations are due to his own desire while others are thrust upon him by the circumstances of life. As the story goes on Raju appears before us in various forms- as a young boy, a railway vendor, a corrupt tourist guide, an adulterous lover, a dancer’s guide, a guide for jailbirds, and finally the true spiritual guide; a martyr who renounces his life for the sake of others.

Right in the 1^st chapter Raju admits that it is in his nature, “to get involved in other people’s interests”, “the old, old habit of affording guidance to others…” As to Velan’s inquiry why he chose the career of a guide, Raju replies, “…as one is a signaller, porter or guard. It was fated thus.” Indeed Raju was immensely successful as a guide. The tourists were impressed by him and often recommended him to others-“If you are lucky enough to be guided, you will know everything. He will not only show you all the worthwhile places, but also help you in every way.” However Raju was not a faithful guide in terms of his historical knowledge but this should not stop him from answering the queries of the tourists for he gave descriptions “right out of his head”. {In fact he tells Velan- “It was not because I wanted to utter falsehood, but only because I wanted to be pleasant.”}

Raju’s role as a tourist guide brings him close to Rosie, the wife of an archeologist and explorer whom he calls Marco. With mercenary flattery he gradually insinuates his way into the heart of the lonely wife. After Rosie’s estrangement from her husband, Raju not only shelters her against his mother’s wishes but his love for her motivates him to look after her physical and artistic needs, and finally sets Rosie as a successful dancer. But Raju’s mercenary instincts lead him to an over-exploitation of Rosie, for her performances brought him an unending supply of money to lavish with. Raju’s adaptability to new roles now brings him into the new role of a dancer’s guide. As a result of Rosie’s complete dedication to her profession Raju becomes her manager and arranges her stage performances and business affairs. But his possessive instincts finally betray him to criminal action. Raju not only tries to hide Marco’s book from Rosie but in an attempt to conceal Marco’s generosity, he forges Rosie’s signature in one of his documents for which he is convicted and sent to prison.

As a prisoner too, Raju proves himself to be a model prisoner, a guide for the jailbirds. He builds a good rapport even with the most dangerous criminals who listen to him with great respect. His high sounding talks earn him the title of ‘ustad’. His reputation in the jail is special. He even impressed the jail superintendent who employed him as his personal servant. Master of adapting to every situation Raju enjoyed his jail life fully and feels sad when released.

In the opening chapter however, we find Raju, the titular character just released from jail, sitting bored and lonely near a dilapidated temple and contemplating about his future life. When the innocent villager Velan mistakes him for a swami and tells him the troubles of his life looking for advice and guidance, Raju is tempted- “the old, old habit of affording guidance to others asserting itself.” As an interpreter of maladies Raju satisfies the demands of the villagers of Mangal by finding fit words which the new role of a swami demands. The impersonation proves good enough for Raju to provide him free meals which the villagers bring in baskets “filled with bananas, cucumbers, pieces of sugarcanes…”. His circle of devotees inevitably widens as he is believed to have worked a miracle on Velan’s step-sister. Soon enough Raju begins to feel like an actor “who was always expected to utter the right sentence.” Everything worked well as Raju was getting accustomed into the new role of a swami uttering mystifying and perplexing statements but a season of long drought upsets everything. In critical circumstances of the drought not only did his visitors decline but to make the situation worse there occurs a riot among the villagers. To pacify the situation Raju declares that he would not take food until the villagers refrained from fighting, but a moronic brother of Velan reports to the villagers that the swami would not take food until the rains came. The unshakeable faith of the villagers transformed Raju into an instrument of their will so that he feels naturally inclined to fast for their survival. When his devotees call upon him in large numbers, he realizes that, “he had worked himself into a position from which he could not get out.” Finally, Raju becomes aware about the fact that something has changed within him: “If by avoiding food I should help the trees bloom, and the grass grow, why not do it thoroughly?” For the first time in his life he was making an earnest effort, for the first time he was learning thrill of full application outside money and love, for the first time he was doing something in which he was not personally interested.

Thus the self-centered and idiosyncratic Raju emerges as a true saviour, a martyr who sacrifices his life for others. A corrupt guide finally emerges as a true spiritual guide of entire mankind that the magnitude of spiritual gain lies not in self fulfillment but in renunciation.