Some observations on the novel, The Guide

Satire is one kind of humor; its greater purpose is frequently beneficial social criticism, using intelligence to represent consideration to both exact and wider affairs of society. Characteristics of satire is well-built irony or contempt – in satire, irony is confrontational but parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing. Satire is used in literature as a form of great explanation of human aspects; it is like a boost to change the social conventionalism through its eccentric effects which can improve the system. Satire as a literary form applied to Roman period to the present time. 

Satire is the heart of R.K.Narayan's writing. Ironical modes and humour in his works are very important to represent the real scenario of his contemporary society. Modernism in his works points out the accessibility of old to new and better to best. There is no exaggeration to say that his use of satire in his works is the window to bring modernism in orthodox lifestyle of Indian. He uses satire as a harbinger of modernism. It is the medium of changing the mind set of society. 

Subsequently, his narration of literary favourability concentrates on the various factors of imaginative reality. His choice of characters and finding a hygienic situation from normal surroundings has ambiance and natural flow of his writing. He narrates all fields of people in his novels like children, teacher, guide, lover, saint, even Gandhi, vendor, orthodox culture to modern culture, beauty of women, worries of old people and colourful youth etc. It means that he understands the different types of psychology of people. He adorns the characters and situations according to the demand of time. His contemporary society is mirror of his works. To assert modernism is another active face of his works. 

Modernism in his works has not meant that he narrates the fascination and culture of Western people and their lifestyle but modernism of Narayan‘s works follows the idealism of art of living in Western people. His works wouldn‘t forcefully impose the Western culture but it smoothly turns people to live better and comfortable life. His idea of modernism conveys the famous message has been given by the first Prime Minister of India Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru: ―Live and Let Live. This fact of living healthy and comfortable life is only based on the ideas that to pick up good things of foreign culture and live independently without stress and falsify. To pursue this fact he uses satire.

As Nandan Datta writes in his review "The Life of R. K. Narayan" in California Literary Review, "Narayan‘s fiction rarely addresses political issues or high philosophy. He writes with grace and humour, about a fictional town Malgudi and its inhabitants; and their little lives. Narayan is a classic teller of tales; an enduring appeal springs from his canvas where common men and women of all times and places are joined in their commonality.

Satire in Narayan‘s works present through its various devices like humour, irony, sarcasm, verbal irony, fun, wit etc. These devices are used in his works to show the congruity among the characters, place and situation. Ironical modes in his novels are found very impressive and attack on the society through light humour. Satire, irony and other devices are closely relevant to works of Narayan. His world is created through his ironical characters, stories, distinguished professions, sense of value, different choices of careers etc. His works embody number of things altogether such as romantic approaches, religious enunciation, and hypocrisy of educated people

Narayan‘s writing is simple and lucid to understand. It doesn‘t demand highly intellectual readers. It streams a natural flow of humour, irony and satire through the help of Indian mythological perceptions. His religious sense and social insight bloom from his childhood experiences with his grandmother Parvati. As William Walsh said: ―"The religious sense of Indian myths is a part of Narayan‘s grip of his reality, of his particular view of human life and his individual way of placing and ordering human feeling and experiences."

 It means that Narayan uses the realistic view to present the Indian society. He forces his readers to follow the traditionalism with the acceptance of modernism. He shows the mirror of modernism against the awkward conventional values of his surrounding people. He emphasizes to accept the reality of modernism for comfortable life and keep on the present attachment of own cultural activities. R. K. Narayan uses the realm of modernism in his most of the works. As one can be aware of Narayan‘s modernism through his imaginative town Malgudi. It is the village with lots of innovation and modern equipment in the contemporary time of Narayan. His ideology is very near to show the view of modernism through the medium of satire. He strikes society satirically and eventually performs the duty as a good citizen. His works emphasizes that to accept change and modernism through the path of Indian culture. His modernism does not push towards the vulgarity or pretension but his works give the message that accept reality, don‘t escape from reality

Clashes of education and illiteracy, struggle of individualism verses socialism, psychoanalytical study of common people etc are the major modern theme in this novel. Raju is an individual personality who is associated with his surrounding people under the different reasons. Moreover, his job as a guide continuously agitates him to meet with the variety of people. Excitement of youth and enthusiasm to earn money is the primary realistic view in Raju but after all he is a charming young man and fantastic glory of life stretches him towards the world of colourful gay of youth and he falls in love with married woman. And as the psycho-analytical study he rebels against his own people, even with his mother the only family member in his home. He not only rebels against society but he also proves his decision right through his insight of Rosie‘s art of dancing. Narayan shows that Raju operates the society and Rosie intelligently and gets the benefits of Rosie‘s art. Rosie is one of those women who has been constantly resorting to some form of repression either it may be physical, psychological or educational or societal. R.K. Narayan‘s Rosie is an epitome of psychological or emotional repression by both her husband and Raju. Raju helps her at one stage and later exploits her. 

Existentialism is also one of the active features of Narayan‘s novels. The struggle for existence, different people have different views of existence and living as shown in this novel too. Gandhi‘s view demands for sacrifice for the nation first. Gandhi set the universal law of existence for all people of India through freedom struggle and equality in the society. The Guide also expresses the feelings of youth through the central character Raju and Rosie. After the crash of marriage life of Rosie, Raju pushes her towards the new life where they can set their existence through money. However, the plan  succeeds but eventually Raju‘s action like tragic heroes of Shakespeare can‘t survive the situation and his own action breaks his newly created existence. At last, he finds new destination and set his existence as sainthood. Throughout the novel, Raju‘s action jumps to one place to another.