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Unit 5: The Vendor of Sweets by R K Narayan

An outstanding gift of R K Narayan as a writer is his capacity to affect, as it were, a comedic Notes
catharsis. The cathartic happiness so urgently needed in these days of arid cackle of dry-bones of
humour bitter, disillusioned or cynical. In R K Narayan, we have laughter intensely happy, not
in the least tainted by cynicism and never by bitterness. There is pure sentiment and good
humour corrected from cheap sentimentality by detached and loving irony. The result is pure
aesthetic delight, happiness and peace.

5.1 About the Author

R K Narayan was born in Madras (now Chennai), Madras Presidency, British India. His father
was a school headmaster, and Narayan did some of his studies at his father’s school. As his
father’s job entailed frequent transfers, Narayan spent part of his childhood under the care of his
maternal grandmother, Parvati. During this time, his best friends and playmates were a peacock
and a mischievous monkey.
Figure 5.1: R K Narayan

Source: http://bp1.blogger.com/_Xr_OH6sQvAw/R9QkFKbT3hI/AAAAAAAAALs/WbhyCO63U0U/
s1600-h/Narayan.jpg

Did u know? Kunjappa is the name given to R K Narayan by his grandmother Parvathi.
His grandmother taught him arithmetic, mythology, classical Indian music and Sanskrit.
According to his youngest brother R K Laxman, the family mostly conversed in English, and
grammatical errors on the part of Narayan and his siblings were frowned upon. While living
with his grandmother, Narayan studied at a succession of schools in Madras, including the
Lutheran Mission School in Purasawalkam, C.R.C. High School, and the Christian College High
School. Narayan was an avid reader, and his early literary diet included Dickens, Wodehouse,
Arthur Conan Doyle and Thomas Hardy. When he was twelve years old, Narayan participated
in a pro-independence march, for which his uncle reprimanded him; the family was apolitical
and considered all governments wicked.

Narayan moved to Mysore to live with his family when his father was transferred to the
Maharajah’s Collegiate High School. The well-stocked library at the school, as well as his father’s
own, fed his reading habit, and he started writing as well. After completing high school, Narayan
failed the university entrance examination and spent a year at home reading and writing; he
subsequently passed the examination in 1926 and joined Maharaja College of Mysore. It took
Narayan four years to obtain his Bachelor’s degree, a year longer than usual. After being

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