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Unit 7: An Astrologer’s Day by R.K. Narayan

village stealthily and take up the profession of an astrologer which he least intended to in a Notes
faraway village.
There is an element of social satire in the story: What happened in the past and how it affected
the lives henceforth is for all of us to see.

7.5.7 Astrology as a Profession

The author uses irony to show how the science of astrology has been misused by these conmen
in the society thereby creating distrust in the people about astrology and astrologers. Though
the author uses ironic comment on the astrologer’s crafty ways of carrying out his profession
and the gullible people who came to him for solutions and finding respite but he has never been
judgmental and undermined astrology as a profession.

7.5.8 Illustration

”He was as much a stranger to the stars as were his innocent customer. Yet he said things which
pleased and astonished everyone: that was more a matter of study, practice, and shrewd
guesswork. All the same, it was as much an honest man’s labour as any other, and he deserved
the wages he carried home at the end of a day”.
What makes the story impressive is the interesting plot, element of suspense, logical climax,
figurative language, importance to details, and the underlying meaning behind the story. These
elements have been artistically interwoven in the story by the author, making it an interesting
read.

Self Assessment

State true or false:
1. R.K. Narayan is the author of An Astrologer’s Day.
2. The English Teacher is R. K. Narayan’s popular work.
3. The astrologer set up his shop in Town Hall Park.

4. The astrologer wears dull clothes when he is first introduced in the story.
5. The astrologer possessed some supernatural powers.

7.6 Summary

Indian author R.K. Narayan, full name Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami,
is widely considered to be one of India’s greatest English language novelists known for
his simple and unpretentious writing style, often compared to William Faulkner. He was
felicitated with Sahitya Akademi Award for The Guide in 1958; Padma Bhushan in 1964.
R.K. Narayan was born on October 10, 1906 in Madras. 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.
His first published work was a book review of Development of Maritime Laws of 17th-Century
England. Subsequently, he started writing the occasional local interest story for English
newspapers and magazines.

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