THE BACHELOR OF ARTS - SUMMARY

THE BACHELOR OF ARTS

R K NARAYAN

R K Narayan (1906-2001)

(Picture courtesy: Google Images)

R K Narayan (Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami) is one of the most well-known and well-loved of the Indian fiction writers. He is credited with having invented and popularized in his writings a fictional town by the name of Malgudi. Most of his novels and stories are located in this small, idyllic, scenic, south Indian town of Malgudi.

The Bachelor of Arts (1937) is the second novel written by Narayan, and is also the second novel in his famous trilogy, Swami and Friends (1935) being the first, and The English Teacher (1945) being the concluding one in the trilogy.

The Bachelor of Arts is a Bildungsroman novel. A bildungsroman or coming-of-age novel is that category of fictional writing that concerns itself with the growth of the protagonist from naiveté to experience, from innocence to maturity. It’s about self-realization of one’s identity. 

Detailed Summary of the Novel

  

Picture courtesy: Google Images

Chandran in College

Chandran is in the final year of his BA (History) course at Albert Mission College, Malgudi. His life revolves around his college and family. He belongs to an upper middle class family. His father H C Venkatachala is a retired District Judge and is very progressive and supportive. Chandran’s mother is a god-fearing, pious homemaker who is content with her household duties. His younger brother Seenu is a student at Albert Mission School.

Chandran is a bright student and when the novel begins he is asked by the Union secretary Natesan to be the Prime Mover in a debate to be held that evening. Chandran finds it doubly challenging as time is scarce and he has to speak against his own subject as the topic of debate is “Historians should be slaughtered first”. He prepares in whatever time has been given to him and delivers a great speech against the existence of historians. Everyone is happy with his performance. He is also in a mood for celebration, so he asks his close friend Ramu, who lives close to their house in Lawley Extension, to accompany him for a late night movie show.

His history professor Raghavachar is so impressed with Chandran’s speech that he informs Chandran that he has decided to form a Historical Association and has decided to have Chandran to be its first Secretary. Elated and feeling honoured, Chandran makes a lot of preparations for the inaugural function of the Association and manages to invite Professor Brown, the principal of the college to be the chief guest. Natesan, the Union Secretary helps him a lot and he is able to make the ceremony very colourful.

Throughout the term he is busy organizing meetings, competitions for the Association and does not get much time to study. It is already November and he suddenly realizes that he is not left with much time to prepare for his final exams. He devises an elaborate and complex study plan and discusses with his father. He forbids everyone to disturb him while he is studying.

A small mystery disturbs his morning study schedule as there is sudden disappearance of flowers from the garden of their house. Unable to catch the thief they keep a close watch and come to realize that the flowers are stolen in wee hours of morning. Chandran helps his parents catch the thief who seems to be some sanyasi as he is in ochre coloured clothes and who wants the flowers for his everyday worship. An understanding is reached between the thief and Chandran’s family and he is asked to leave some flowers for the mother’s worship.

Finally Chandran takes his exams and is able to get through. And now he is a Bachelor of Arts.

Chandran and Malathi

Irritated with his friends and relatives who are pestering him with questions about his future plans, Chandran asks his father as to what should he do now after his graduation. His father suggests that he can go to England for further studies if he likes.

His father writes to his brother in Madras to find out the details of the formalities to be completed for going to London and asks Chandran to tell his friends and relatives the same if they ask again. Chandran has plans of doing research in England and join a college or university as a lecturer. But all his plans bite dust when he sees Malathi.

He goes to Sarayu river every evening. There he falls in love with a girl who comes there daily with a small companion who seems to be her sister. It is love-at-first-sight for Chandran. Though he does not get to see her face clearly, he finds that she has a fine figure. He maintains a safe distance and admires her beauty daily. Lovelorn, he feels that he needs to do something about his feelings, so he decides to know more about her and follows her to her house one evening. He finds that her house is on Mill Street, exactly opposite the Modern Indian Lodge where his college friend Mohan, a poet, lives as a tenant in room no. 14. He goes to Mohan and tries to gather information about the girl. He comes to know that the girl’s name is Malathi and she is unmarried. Her father D. W. Krishna Iyer is works as a clerk in the Executive Engineer’s office. Chandran is elated to know that the girl is of the same caste as his.  

He brings the matter to his father’s attention. The father is not exactly opposed to this and he discusses the matter with his wife who is furious about it. She fusses over the inferior social and financial status of Malathi’s parents and expresses her utter unwillingness at the alliance. Chandran is heartbroken with this reaction, sulks and confines himself to his room. He longs and pines for the girl and becomes disinterested in all other activities.

Unable to bear the suffering of their son, Chandran’s parents succumb to his desire and agree to consider the matter in a positive light. But Chandran’s mother says that first the horoscopes of the two have to be matched and the proposal should come from the girl’s side. They call their family astrologer Ganapathi Shastrigal and ask him to go to Malathi’s parents and suggest to them an alliance between Chandran and Malathi.

Soon Mr Krishna Iyer sends Malathi’s horoscope and seek Chandran’s horoscope as the convention is. Chandran is very happy and satisfied with the progress in the matter. But all his hopes are dashed against the rocks when he comes to learn that Mr Krishna Iyer has expressed his inability in accepting the alliance as their horoscopes do not match. He also states that he greatly regrets having lost a chance to form an alliance with such a noble family. Chandran is Manglik and he can marry a Manglik girl only. Chandran does not believe this and asks his father to do something about setting things right.

Chandran’s father calls a Srouthigal to read the horoscopes in Mr. Krishna Iyer’s presence. The Srouthigal has a different calculation to make and he says that the marriage can be solemnized as Chandran is approaching his twentieth year and the effect of Mars will be nullified by then. But Krishna Iyer knows some astrology and he is convinced about the effect of Mars on Chandran and does not want to risk his daughter’s life. He is just not ready to do it.

Heartbroken, disappointed, dejected and at the same time indignant and frustrated at the useless old customs and beliefs, Chandran is not able to bear the thought of being separated from Malathi. He bears a grudge against the whole society for being a spoiler in his love life. He is extremely frustrated at the stifling traditions and beliefs.

A few days later he goes to Mohan’s place and comes to know that Malathi is getting married to someone else. This is a blow so heavy that he just cannot take it and falls ill. He has high fever for days together. His parents and brother are worried for him and keep a vigilant eye on his health condition. Even the younger brother Seenu is worried a lot. When he gets better, he expresses a desire for a change of place and his father arranges for his trip to Madras at his brother’s place. He gives fifty rupees to Chandran and sends telegram to his brother about Chandran’s arrival. 

Chandran Becomes a Sanyasi

Chandran’s train reaches Egmore station in Madras and he finds that his cousin has come to station to receive him. Unwilling to go with him and wanting to run away from everything and everyone, Chandran slips away and checks in at a lodge opposite People’s Park.

A middle aged man Kailas forces his friendship on Chandran in the lodge and takes him along on a city tour and assures him that he will take care of him. He has earned a lot of money, has two wives back home, and he comes to Madras very now and then to have some fun, he tells Chandran. After the city tour, Kailas takes Chandran to a bar and offers liquor to him. Chandran refuses to have alcohol as he has promised his mother that he will never consume any. Kailas becomes solemn for moment and says that he had also made a promise to his mother to the same effect, and he kept his promise while she was alive. But now that she is no more he is free and can do whatever he wants. He orders lemonade for Chandran and gin and soda for himself.

Now he takes Chandran to a brothel. A middle aged prostitute tries hard to win Chandran’s favour, but he is so guilty and disgusted that he simply runs away without informing Kailas. He is so shocked, taken aback, and frightened at the same time by the incident that he does not bother to go back to the lodge and collect his belongings.

Chandran sleeps on the platform that night and catches a train to Bezwada early next morning. But suddenly he develops a dislike for the name of a place with z in its spelling. He gets down the train and take a tramcar going to Mylapore. There he gets down at the terminus and walks towards Kapaleeswarar temple. At the temple tank he finds a barber and seeks his help in getting his head shaven and procuring ochre-dyed upper cloths and loin cloths for him. The barber advises him not to become a sanyasi at this young an age. But Chandran promises to give him his present clothes and a lot of money in return. The barber arranges everything and now Chandran is a sanyasi.

He goes from village to village and is respected because of his ochre cloths. He gets food and offerings wherever he goes and is able to sustain. People are always willing to help him. Whenever he gets tired he gets a free lift on a cart or bus. He stops shaving his head and grows long hair and beard.

For eight months he roams around like this and then reaches Koopal village in Sainad district. As everywhere else, people welcome him and make abundant offerings of fruits and food. Chandran feels guilty and realizes that he is cheating the villagers. The villagers respect him for being a sanyasi but he is different from others. He has not renounced the world because of his asceticism but as an alternative to suicide. He has also caused a lot of pain and suffering to his parents. He realizes his mistakes and decides to go back home. He catches a bus to Maduram and goes to a post master there. He narrates his whole story and seeks his help in connecting with his parents. With the postmaster’s help he sends a telegram to his father asking for twenty five rupees. His father sends fifty rupees instead. He gets his head shaven, discards his ochre cloths and boards a train to Malgudi.

A Settled Life

Chandran’s parents are elated at his return. His father tells him that his mother was worried but he was alright. But Chandran can sense his father’s anxiety as it is reflected in the neglect of their garden which is ill-kept and in very bad shape. Chandran’s brother Seenu also tells him that he has missed him a lot. Chandran’s room is kept exactly in the condition that he had left it in.

Within a few days Chandran decides that he has to do something to earn a living as he cannot go on being a parasite on his parents. He does not want to go to England for further studies. He comes to know about requirement for an agency for The Daily Messenger newspaper that has fallen vacant. He seeks his father’s help in securing the agency. His father talks to his brother who is in Madras for the same. Chandran goes to Madras and finalises the details.

He sets up an office on the Market Road and uses ingenious ideas to promote the circulation of the newspaper. His poet friend Mohan is the Malgudi correspondent of the paper and is of great help in promoting the sales.

One day Chandran’s father comes to his office and tells Chandran that a good proposal has come for him from a lawyer Mr. Jayaram Iyer of Talapur district. Chandran refuses the proposal and expresses his unwillingness to marry. His father also does not want to pressurize him. But Mohan convinces Chandran to accept the marriage proposal. He goes to Talapur with his mother and is highly impressed with Sushila’s beauty and talents. He regrets having wasted so much of his time in pining for Malathi whose name seems to twist the tongue while pronouncing. Sushila is far superior to Malathi in beauty, he opines. They get married soon and Chandran is all praises for Sushila. Since Sushila is studying in the final year of school she stays with her parents even after their wedding. Both of them exchange letters on a regular basis.

But Chandran does not receive any letter from her for six days at a stretch. He becomes so worried that he rushes to Talapur asking Mohan to take care of the news agency till he comes back.