A Guide or a ‘Mis’Guide ?
It is amazing how some complex stories are written in the simplest manner. R.K Narayan’s The Guide is one such example. The extraordinary adventures of the young and lively Raju, as a tourist guide, a lover, an affluent man, a fraud and finally as India’s greatest saint (even though false) is what makes the book unusual. Unlike any typical hero, Raju is quite a complex character. He is good as well as bad. At times he is sincere and lovable; at times he is selfish and greedy.
Inspite of the unusual plot and the multifaceted protagonist, the author presents the story in an effortless but effective manner. An engaging plot, numerous sub-plots, spicy characters set against the fictional town of Malgudi and a thorough peppering of humour are some of the reasons why anyone should read this book.
The Guide is a story that moves back and forth through the past and present. Raju, the protagonist, gradually unfolds the various adventures he has had since childhood. Having an innate ability to spin falsehoods, Raju soon becomes a tourist guide, who fools the visiting tourists. Nevertheless, he grows famous and is dubbed as Railway Raju. He falls for the beautiful dancer Rosie, who is married to the emotionless Marco. In due course, their relationship intensifies and soon Marco grows aware of this and abandons Rosie. Having nowhere to go, Raju offers her shelter and soon transforms her into a celebrity. After amassing a fortune and then losing it (thanks to a sham he commits) Raju ends up in prison. At the end of his sentence, he finds himself in a village where he is assumed a saint who would deliver the villagers from their sorrows. A series of ironic circumstances results in Raju fasting for 13 days to save the villagers from the wrath of a famine. The book ends on the last day of the fast, and the readers are left to decide whether Raju survived and whether the famine actually ended.
The funniest incident is when Raju discovers that his message was mis-conveyed to the villagers and he would have to fast for 13 days to drive away the famine. The description of a startled Raju and the innocence of the village simpletons make the readers smile. The touchiest scene though was when Rosie confides in Raju about her loveless and lifeless marriage. The pain in Rosie’s heart is spilt out and just like Raju, the reader too feels this pain.
The title of the book is an irony. Raju is a guide throughout the story. He was not only a tourist guide, but a guide to Rosie the lonely wife as well as Rosie the celebrity dancer. Finally, he was a guide to the innocent villagers.
But was he a Guide or a ‘Mis’guide? Was it right to deceive the innocent villagers? Is the book a sarcastic remark on blind faith? And most importantly, is Raju a good man? These are some of the questions the book raises inconspicuously.
On the whole, The Guide is an entertaining book that offers an enjoyable experience and shocking but subtle revelations to its readers.
- Rohit Jain (15 years)
Please Note: This is a review sent in as an entry to the Chillibreeze Writing Bee Contest for kids. The review has not been edited. The views in this review are the reviewer’s own and not endorsed by Chillibreeze.
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