The paradoxes of pre-independence India, the alternating aloof and passionate nature of the people, the confusions that encompass the mind of a child in such a volatile environment: all those things are brought out beautifully. An equivocal situation, which provides two different meanings, one plausible and the other real, is a good example. Swami didn’t see her in kitchen. Examination is a period of stress and exhaustion for the students. After the headmaster’s speech the assembly was dispersed. interested in them that day? Now only his spectacles remained and then the watch. Swami admired Rajam and was much impressed by his carefree conduct, manners, and by his brilliance as a student. Someone had written the word ‘tail’ on the blackboard in huge letters. It is heightened by the fact that the reader knows that Rajam has not and will not forgive Swami, while Swami believes that he is forgiven and is grieving for his “dearest friend’s” departure: “At the sight of the familiar face Swaminathan lost control of himself and cried: ‘Oh Rajam, Rajam you are going away. No one call him a good student. Accordingly, Mani came to the place with his clubs and Rajam came there with his air gun. Swami’s final close friend is Samuel, who is known as “ the Pea ” because he is small and unremarkable. What provoked Swaminathan to slap the Pea? Swami came out of the examination room twenty minutes earlier and waited for others to come but none came till the bell rang and then it was all noise and jubilation. He is known as “the mighty good for nothing.” He towers head and shoulders above the other boys of the class and is admired by all. This chapter introduces us to a newcomer to the class, Rajam. He symbolizes the new Indian middle class that Thomas Babington Macaulay anticipated in his now famous 1835 Minute on Education ‘a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect.’. So. She called him closer to her. In the beginning he was skeptical of his brother but as he grew he became more interesting for him. He assumed a certain non chalance to which Mani was not accustomed to. Question 1. The clerk replied vaguely about all the subjects. He was set about his business, whatever it was, with absolute confidence and calmness. ‘Swaminathan broke into loud protestation.’ What were the protestations? (M.P. The clerk was pleased, welcomed Mani, and talked a great deal about various matters. (MP.Board 2011) However, this was not true Swami did not tried to talk him but Rajam came to him asking for a sharpner. He wanted to talk to his Granny who was not interested in his talks. There were many good picture books and a number of other attractive things. Boys began making mischief ( jubilation for the vacation, ink bottles were broken and ink was poured over one another’s head and,clothes. (M.P. In his mind British or Indian, they were all human beings with prejudices, follies, errors, kindness and goodness, each in varying degrees. He spoke very good English, exactly like a European; which meant that few in the school could make out what he said.” The last sentence in the quotation actually runs beyond its literary meaning. The masterly irony is seen because these two characters not only meet but (in Swami’s eyes) they also apparently get along well. She had been in bed for two days. Constant pressure from all directions finally tells on Swami and he bends. He could speak English fluently. Throughout Swami grovels in darkness around him and yet does not see himself as being in the dark: that is the final irony and the one the cuts deepest. He was however, not being patriotic, but rather impulsive, and was enjoying breaking windowpanes by throwing stones. They are tortured. It falls in pre-independence days in India. He watched him as he tied his turban, took his watch, his snuff box, his handkerchief and his umbrella. Swami had almost closed the book and risen. It took only a minute to answer it. He has rather directed his creativity at depicting the life of the people at the time. He told that once when Rajam’s father was camping in a forest, Rajam was also with him. One day he was passing along the edge of a pond. Swami tells her of his new friend Rajam and she narrates to him the story of Harishchandra, till he goes to sleep. This was a secluded place in the school campus. As they had closed their eyes, they did not see that Somu, Sanker, and Pea were there. She entered mother’s room. So, he slapped them on the face. His character is a child in the fullest sense of the world. Swami suspected that the Pea and Sankar had done it. Question 5. when he woke up he saw a lady doctor in the hail. He said that there is no need to buy anything as everything was available there. Board 2009, 2011) Swami is a paradox throughout the narration. This conclusion was much to the relief of Swami, for he admired Rajam and wanted to be friends with him. The Guardian acknowledged the novel as one of the world’s best English novels by an Indian author. When Swami came back home from school, he was feeling dull. ( Log Out /  What instructions did Swami give her? Theme Of A Tiger For Malgudi 805 Words | 4 Pages. What did grandmother tell Swaminathan about his grandfather? Question 2. Answer: See answer of Monday Morning given in comprehension topic. The chapter deals with the approach of the annual examinations, and the trouble it meant for Swami. He Is the son of the Superintendent of Police, well-dressed, intelligent, and a good student. As soon as his father is gone, Swami runs away to his friends, despite the remonstrance of his mother. He used to secure 90 per cent of marks in arithmetics. After exchanging some units of messages, they finally came to the point to prove their might at the river near Nallappa’s grove. Such a funny-looking creature.” Further, he said, “this thing has wonderful pair of hands, so small and plump. (M.P. Swami is now under pressure by Rajam to attend cricket practices; he skips his drill classes in order to do so, and gets into trouble with the drill teacher. Then he asked about that remark and it got confirmed that they were calling him tail of Rajam. Question 3. Question 2. I have to give 500 to my teacher and the rest, I will spend for buying some stationery and books. His Western mind is only capable of “classifying, labeling and departmentalizing…” And the gentle criticism and irony directed towards him was in the same way directed towards his fellow countrymen. They all play and enjoy just like Swami, and try to circumvent doing homework by ingenious excuses and methods. He showed them his almirah full of toys. Question 7. Swami likes Rajam very much his qualities. Swami and Friends is the first of a trilogy of novels written by R. K. Narayan, English language novelist from India. Board 2012) Which sentence in the lesson suggests that it was a five-day week in Swaminathan’s school? By that time, Mani was the boss as there was no one to challenge his strength. 1. Answer: A. Swami’s mother was to give birth to a baby. It is the story of a generation of Indians who are born and brought up in the shadow of the British colonial Raj and who inherit the confusions of the cultural and social conflict. Answer: The clerk was a clever fellow. Answer: Question 1. Do you approve of Rajam’s behaviour with the cook? Question 2. Karma, spirit of oneness with all, the theme of transformation from materialism to spiritualism, the concept of non-violence are discussed in the novels discussed here, namely, Waiting for the Mahatma, The Vendor of Sweets, The English Teacher, Swami and Friends, The Bachelor of Arts, The Man Eater of Malgudi and A Tiger for Malgudi. In this last episode Narayan stresses the difference between the thoughtless Rajam and his devoted two friends Swami and Mani. Swami came out of the exam-hall twenty minutes before the time. The hushed voices, hurry, seriousness, agitations hot water, and medicine preparations for shering in a new person were all beyond the comprehension of Swami. Mani and Rajam went to a secluded spot to settle matters. Then, he talked to his Granny. He was a brilliant student. The novel, which is also Narayan’s first, is set in pre-independence days in India, in a fictional town – Malgudi, which has almost become a real place in India today, due to the wide recognition and popularity of Narayan’s many novels. Swami is especially proud to be Mani’s friend. His method of teaching is interesting, but it does not conform to any known principles of education. Question 7. Answer: One of the most glaring facts about the novel is the similarity of children through out the world, and how they have not changed since the time the novel was written. His style is smooth and simple. The second was doubtful, the third was satisfaction, the fourth was clearly wrong but the sixth answer was the best of all. Answer: The present article focuses on how R.K.Narayan produces humour effectively through situation and character in the novel Swami and Friends. They were totally confused but overwhelmed. His life is dramatically changed when Rajam – a symbol of colonial super power – joins the school and he and Rajam become friends. What was Swaminathan waiting for while his father was preparing to go out? Mani didn’t like Rajam. What were Swaminathan’s friends doing when he left the examination hail? When he was taken to her room, he found her lying weak and pale on the bed. He felt uncomfortable in her absence. Answer: Narayan takes a dig at the educational system too as envisioned by the British masters. He then proceeded to give them a long lecture on the value of friendship, and the infinite torture to which those who harbour ennuty are subjected in Hell. the boys broke more bottles of ink on the ground. And add to all this the fact that Rajam was a regular seventy-percenter, second only to Shankar. It continued till the headmaster came to the spot. Answer: Somu sided with Sankar and Pea, and Mani stood up for Swami. Answer: Question 1. Their friendship matures, the three are constantly together, and the others are excluded from this ‘inner circle’. It disappointed. The second and third books in the trilogy are The Bachelor of … As they had closed their eyes they did not see that Somu, Sankar and the Pea were there, Indeed they touched and fond:ed their feet and when they did open their eyes they saw that they had touched the feet of Somu, Sankar, and Pea. The chapter tells us how Rajam caused Swami and Mani to become friends once again with the Pea, Somu, and Shankar. Question 3. Then he asked his Granny to change hepdhoti and not to interrupt between them. Overview. A sense of humour makes one see one’s proper place in this world, and teaches him to see things in proportion. Answer: Mani and Swaminathan wanted to play a prank on Rajam. It is full of humor and irony. Why was Swaminathan apprehensive of Mondays? The turning point in his young life comes when impulsively he decides to join a rebellion against the British. This attitude of Rajam’s is akin to that of the colonizer who came, conquered, made drastic changes in the lives of Indians and then left just as abruptly as he had come, leaving chaos behind. Question 5. Answer: Hence it would be folly to attack the very system that would sustain him as a novelist, his career of choice. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The other end is Mani who is rough, untamed, naive, emotional and yet loyal. Narayan does a great job in transforming the reader back to childhood, where such importance is given to the simple things in life. I am a little bit worried that my examination is coming doser. Somu pushed it away with a heavy blow. As the time of examination was close Swami tried to concentrate on study. Swami failed to understand the meaning of the goings-on and as to why the lady doctor was treating the home as her own, and why she was being obeyed by all concerned. What changes do you find in your parents’ behaviour as your examination approaches? These include boyhood (Swami and Friends), education and the finding of a role in life (The Bachelor of Arts), and marriage (The Dark Room and The English Teacher). For this he used the tools of humor and irony. Why did Mani take the boys out: of the class to a secluded place? 2. There were beehives all around with bees as big as lemons, If the sinner stepped down from the pedestal, he would have to put his foot on immense scorpions and centipedes that crawled about the room in hundreds. Rajam became a rival of Mani. His mother was not at home. On the very first day, Rajam had impressed him by his nonchalance. The novel, Narayan's first, is set in British India in a fictional town called Malgudi. Unruled paper – 20 sheets And when he finally does so, this friendship initially creates friction between his earlier friends. ( Log Out /  Board 2009) Question 5. He asked his mother to send the coffee and tiffin through the cook. But I tell you, his face is awful, red, red like chilli.”. Rajam gave them permission to handle anything they pleased. Who was Rajam? 13th July, 20xx He had a gold bangle in his hand. (M.P. How did Swaminathan prepare the list of things he wanted for the examination? The rice mill owner Mr Retty was “the most Indianized of the ‘Europeans’….and was the mystery man of the place: nobody could say who he was or where he had come from: he swore at his boy and his customers in perfect Tamil and always moved about in shirt, shorts and sandaled feet.” Mr Matheison feels strongly for Indians and considers himself Indian. Answer: He selected his father’s room. Swami told his grandmother that Rajam was a brilliant boy. Swami had read the question at two minutes to four thirty, started answering a minute later, and finished at four thirty, The question was to give the moral of the story. He came, he conquered and he will go as he pleases. He also displayed his bare red gums in a smile. He is a spontaneous, impulsive, mischievous and yet a very innocent child. Then, he thought about the size and shape of the country He wondered how such foolish ideas came into their minds. Board 2015) Give reasons in support of your answer . It was the month of April, just two weeks before the annual exams. The grandmother was a garrulous lady and liked to talk about events in the distant past. How did Mani contemplate taking revenge cm Somu, Sankar and the Pea? How did Rajam bring about reconciliation between his fighting friends? When Mani told him about Rajam’s friendship with them, the guard allowed them humbly to go inside the house. Swami and Friends was the first novel by R.K.Narayan ( Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami ), one of the famous Indian writer in English, contemporary of Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao. The sentence in the text that suggests that it was a five-day week in Swaminathan’s school”After a delicious freedom of Saturday and Sunday it was difficult to get into the Monday mood of work and discipline.”. However Mani was satisfied. He took a gift to impress him. Board 2011,2015) Describe Mani’s personality. How did they behave with him? Question 1. Answer: Question 1. Swami had good rapport with his grandmother. He always wanted to be cordial and friendly with everyone. In this way, the prank had turned upon themselves. Answer: He also instructed his cook to wear a clean, white dhoti and shirt. However, his father was taking time for preparing himself. A. Swami and Friends (1935) was published with the help of Graham Green. इस अध्याय में हमें उपन्यास के प्रमुख चरित्र स्वामी का परिचय दिया जाता है। वह एक दस वर्ष का अलबर्ट मिशन स्कूल, मालगुड़ी के प्रथम भाग (अ) में पढ़ने वाला लड़का है। वह स्कूल के बुद्धिमान विद्यार्थियों में से नहीं है। शनिवार और रविवार की सुखद आज़ादी और आराम के बाद सोमवार को वह स्कूल नहीं जाना चाहता है। सोमवार की सुबह – वह पढ़ाई में ध्यान केन्द्रित नहीं कर पाता। हमें उसके अभिन्न मित्रों व शिक्षकों का भी परिचय मिलता है। दोस्तो, के बीच वह मणि के अधिक निकट है। मणि एक हष्ट-पुष्ट लड़का है तथा वह किसी की भी पिटाई करने के लिए अपने घर पर एक मजबूत हुंडा रखता है। शिक्षकों में क्रिश्चन इबेनेजार है, जो हमेशा अपने धर्म की प्रशंसा करता है और हिन्दू देवताओं की आलोचना करता है। स्वामी इसका विरोध करता है और शिक्षक उसके बाएँ कान को खींचकर दंड देने की कोशिश करता है। स्वामी अपने पिता से इसकी शिकायत करता है जो उसे अगले दिन प्रधानाध्यापक को देने के लिए एक चिट्ठी लिखता है। लेकिन इसका कोई असर नहीं होता। चीजें सामान्य ढंग से चलती रहती हैं।, इस अध्याय में एक नये लड़के राजम के बारे में जानकारी मिलती है। वह पुलिस अधीक्षक का बेटा है जो सुसज्जित पोशाकवाला, तेज़ और अच्छा लड़का है। शुरू में वह मणि का प्रतिद्वन्दी माना जाता है और लड़ाई के लिए आमंत्रित किया जाता है। स्वामी उससे प्रभावित होता है और उसके प्रति मित्रवत् है। उसे बहुत राहत मिलती है जब लड़ाई नहीं होती और दोनों पीछे हट जाते हैं। उनकी दोस्ती गहरी हो जाती है और तीनों हमेशा साथ रहते हैं और अन्य लोगों को इस दायरे से बाहर कर दिया जाता है।, इस अध्याय में तीन भाग हैं। प्रथम भाग में हमें स्वामी की दादी का परिचय मिलता है कैसे वह अपने कमरे में अपना समय गुजारती है। स्वामी उससे अपने नये दोस्त राजम के बारे में बताता है और वह उसे हरिश्चन्द्र की कहानी सुनाती है जब तक वह सो न जाए। दूसरे भाग में स्वामी की बेचैनी दिखाई गई है कि कैसे वह बाहर अपने दोस्तों के साथ खेले। जैसे ही पिता जी बाहर जाते हैं वह अपनी माँ के बुदबुदाने के बावजूद भी भाग खड़ा होता है। तीसरे भाग में राजम के घर पर स्वामी और मणि का मिलना दिखाया गया है। वे लोग उसके खिलौने, उसके रौब और कॉफी और नाश्ता परोसने के तरीके से काफी प्रभावित होते हैं। अध्याय हँसी के साथ समाप्त होता है-राजम का नौकरों के साथ मज़ाक।, स्वामी के दोस्त राजम के साथ उसकी दोस्ती से जलते हैं। इसलिए वे उसे राजम की ‘दुम’ कहकर बुलाते हैं और उसके साथ खेलने और बात करने से इनकार कर देते हैं। स्वामी काफी दयनीय, अकेला और दुःखी महसूस करता है।, इस अध्याय को सुविधा के लिए तीन भाग में बाँटा जा सकता है। पहले भाग में स्वामी अपने पिता से इस बात की स्वीकृति माँगता है कि राजम के आने के समय वह अपने पिता के कमरे का अपने कमरे के रूप में इस्तेमाल कर सके और उसे इसकी स्वीकृति मिल जाती है। दूसरे भाग में राजम के उसके घर आने की बात है। तीसरे भाग में विद्यालय का दृश्य आता है। किसी ने ब्लैक बोर्ड पर ‘Tail’ बड़े अक्षरों में लिख दिया है। इससे भयंकर लड़ाई छिड़ जाती है और लड़ाई तब तक चलती है जबतक कि हेडमास्टर आ नहीं जाते हैं और सोमू और मणि को अलग . 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Small in size lnk-2 bottles, clips and pins locked up in a,! The value of friendship and said that.Those who harbour enmity are subjected to.! And Raja Rao humor ’ prizes he offered to each of Swami to. And Samuel, called the Pea Rajam asked a giggle went along the benches talks.with.: Swan-ti, one plausible and the tiger, he could break neck of those it! Could break neck of anyone with his clubs plausible and the coffee was really good followed by principal! Two weeks before the time of examination was close to his satisfaction so they had leave. On till the 19th of June and shall reopen on the night when his new baby brother buy certain for.