The Guide
 | This article describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. (April 2011) |
 First US edition | |
| Author | R. K. Narayan |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Philosophical novel |
| Publisher |
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Publication date | 1958 |
| Publication place | India |
| Media type | Print (hardcover & paperback) |
| Pages | 220 pp |
| ISBN | 0-670-35668-9 (first American edition) |
| OCLC | 65644730 |
The Guide is a 1958 novel written in English by the Indian author R. K. Narayan. Like most of his works, the novel is based on Malgudi, a fictional town in South India. The novel describes the transformation of the protagonist, Raju, from a tour guide to a spiritual guide and then one of the greatest holy men of India.
The novel earned Narayan the 1960 Sahitya Akademi Award for English, by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters.[1] In 2022, it was included on the "Big Jubilee Read" list of 70 books by Commonwealth authors selected to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.[2]
Plot summary
Raju, nicknamed "Railway Raju", is a corrupt and popular tour guide. He falls in love with a beautiful dancer named Rosie, who is married to an archaeologist named Marco. They are both visiting Malgudi as tourists. However, Marco disapproves of Rosie's passion for dancing. With Raju's encouragement, Rosie decides to pursue her dreams and begins a career as a dancer. As they spend more time together, Raju and Rosie grow closer.
Upon learning about their relationship, Marco leaves Rosie in Malgudi and returns to Madras alone. Rosie seeks refuge at Raju's home, and they start living together. However, Raju's mother does not approve of their relationship and leaves them.
Raju becomes Rosie's stage manager, and with his marketing tactics, Rosie becomes a successful dancer. However, Raju's ego inflates, and he starts trying to control Rosie's life, driven by his desire for wealth. He gets involved in a forgery case related to Rosie's signature, and despite her best efforts to save him, Raju is sentenced to two years in prison.
After completing his sentence, Raju passes through a village called Mangal, where he is mistaken for a sadhu (a spiritual guide). To avoid returning to Malgudi in disgrace, he decides to stay in an abandoned temple near Mangal. There, he takes on the role of a sadhu, delivering sermons and solving the villagers' daily problems and disputes.
Some time later, a famine strikes the village, and the villagers come to believe that Raju's fasting can bring rain. Raju decides to confess his entire past to Velan, who had initially discovered him in the temple and had unwavering faith in him like the rest of the villagers. However, Velan remains unchanged by the confession, and Raju resolves to continue with the fast.
As news of Raju's fast spreads through the media, a large crowd gathers to witness the spectacle, much to Raju's annoyance. On the morning of the eleventh day of his fast, he goes to the riverside as part of his daily ritual. He senses rain falling in the distant hills and collapses into the water. Whether it actually rained or if Raju died remains unknown and open to the reader's interpretation.
Adaptations
The film Guide was released in 1965, based on the novel.[3] It was directed by Vijay Anand. It starred Dev Anand as Raju, Waheeda Rehman as Rosie, and Leela Chitnis in the lead roles. The film's score was composed by S. D. Burman. The movie's ending differs from that of the novel, in which the fate of some characters remain unanswered.
A 120-minute U.S. version was written by Pearl S. Buck, and directed and produced by Tad Danielewski. The film was screened at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, 42 years after its release.
The novel was also adapted into a play in 1968.[4] The play was profiled in the William Goldman book The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway.
References
- ^ "Sahitya Akademi Awards listings". Sahitya Akademi, Official website.
- ^ "The Big Jubilee Read: A literary celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's record-breaking reign". BBC. 17 April 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ Raheja, Dinesh. "Guide; a human odyssey". Rediff.com. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
- ^ Playbill from 1968 production accessed 16 June 2013.
External links
- Guide (1965) at IMdb
- Read a Study guide on the original novel
- An analysis on the original novel
- Some thoughts about the novel at Let's talk about Bollywood