SWAMI AND FRIENDS

R.K. NARAYAN

R. K. Narayan
R. K. Narayan, was an Indian author whose

works of fiction include a series of books about people and their interactions in an imagined town in India called Malgudi. Born: October 10, 1906, Chennai Died: May 13, 2001, Delhi Education: University of Mysore Movies: Guide Siblings: R. K. Laxman

CHARACTERS OF THE STORY

Swaminathan

His father
Mother Grandmother Pea (Samuel) Mani Rajam Sankar

About the book

This book comprises about Swaminathan and his

colleges and their school life in a fictionus town, namely Malgudi. Swami is a quite different child than the present day children. He lives in a village and he is extremely innocent which sometimes makes him look mischievous as well. His fate lands him in trouble in whatever he does. He has his own perception of the world and tries to be the conqueror in spite of his own shortcomings like fear, innocence, etc. Circumstances make him a mis-fit to any school in Malgudi.

 On the other hand, his friend Rajam is a city-born child

who acts beyond his age quite similar to the present day children. He is very ambitious and courageous with least respect for the elders. His father is a policeman which is also a reason for his courage. Apart from being very good in studies, he is very adamant to achieve things which are beyond his reach and is not bothered by the consequences of his present actions.
There is another friend of Swami called Mani who is a

village version of courageous child. Even though he is courageous, his innocence mostly overtakes that. He is very close to Swami and offers him lot of advice even when not asked. He also carries a club which he feels will protect him in adverse situations.

 The incidences which involve these three close

friends form the crux of the novel. Swami has a strict father, a kind grandmother, and a mother who loses interest in him once she gives birth to a new baby. The novel is pretty slow to start with and provides every small detail which form the base for the fun later. Ultimate fun awaits the reader in chapter 12. Swami and Mani listen to a freedom fighter's talk. The freedom fighter blasts the English rulers very much. He tells that if all the people of India go and spit on England, that is more than enough to submerge the whole England. I personally think it is quite true, unless one disproves it by actually making millions spit on England. Swami also thinks it is true and asks Mani if they can attempt that. Mani replies saying Europeans are very bad guys and they will

 Swami's encounters with the Board school

headmaster is also equally enjoyable. The attitude of that headmaster took me back to my school days when some of my teachers used to carry canes to beat students and treat the students as their slaves. Swami becomes a super-hero when he grabs and throws the cane away when the headmaster attempts to beat him. After that, his conscience makes him feel sad and leads to other troubles.
Malgudi Cricket Club (M.C.C.) which is started by

Swami and his friends took me back to my school days when we also tried to start a cricket team called Danger Boys. The letter they write to Binns sports shop in Madras and the other happenings are great to read.

My views
On the whole, Swami and Friends is an amazing

novel. This novel is an unadulterated and absolutely thorough portrayal of a child's life. It is rather unfortunate that most of the present day children have their so called intelligence suppressing innocence associated with their age. Having said that, I am sure that one can find many children like Swami in Indian villages even today. This novel is a must read for any one who want to roll back their years and enjoy the innocent moments of their life.

Values Learnt
This book teaches the

HIGHTECH young generation to be down to Earth. It wonderfully highlights the shades of life. Role of parents in our life.