Summary of the Novel:
Chapter 1:
The railway guide named Raju after his release from the jail went to an ancient temple on the banks of the river Sarayu. There Velan from the village Mangala visited him. Before coming here Raju got his beard shaved off by a talkative barber who said that without beard he looked like a Maharaja. Velan told him that he had a step sister who had refused to marry the man chosen by her elders. Raju, in fact, did not know what to do with this problem but pretended to offer his guidance and asked him to bring his sister in the morning. Velan came to him at 8 a.m. with his sister and brought many food gifts for him. He said to Velan that every matter takes time for solution and whatever is written happens, no one can change it. Velan and his sister got the clue of their problems and were satisfied with the words uttered by Raju.
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| R.K. Narayan’s Novel The Guide—A Brief Summary of the Novel |
Chapter 2:
The narration turns to the past of Raju.
A railway track and a railway station were to be built in Malgudi. All the materials for construction was brought there. Raju spent most of his time in the company of labourers. He learnt their abusive language and bad manners. Raju's father admitted Raju in Pyol School to save him from the abusive language of the labourers. But the school teacher used abusive language which affected the boys adversely. But somehow, Raju progressed so much that within a year he was sent to Board High School.
The narration turns from the past to the present.
Velan again came to Raju and said that everything had been right and his sister became ready to marry the man chosen by her elders. Raju was invited in the marriage but he did not go there to avoid a crowd. Velan used to come to Raju daily. After some time a few others also came to see Raju. One evening he hid himself behind the hibiscus bush in the temple. People came and did not see him. They whispered that he was really great, he was always lost in meditation, he could change the life of anyone. Raju did not come out. They left all the foodstuff there thinking that he might come and eat them. Raju was in a fix if he should play the role of swami, or run away from the place. But he knew that he could get food without hard only at this place or in the jail. So, he made up his mind to act as the swami. He wished to be blessed with all wisdom to guide people. He waited for Velan and other people with whatever foodstuff. They brought with themselves. It became dark but none came there. He was worried about food. Suddenly he saw a boy grazing his sheep on the opposite bank of the river. He told him that he was the new priest of the temple and the boy should go back and tell his uncle and other people about him.
Chapter 3:
The narration turns to the past.
The station was ready. The inauguration was to take place. There was much decoration; all the important people of the town were present there. Speeches were delivered by them. When the train moved, they got in the train. There was good sale at the shop of Raju that day.
A station master and a porter were posted. Raju's father earned a lot of money with the arrival of train and bought a julka and a horse. Raju's mother often fought with his father over the julka and the horse, saying that they were not put to use and they were a burden on the family. Ultimately his father sold them to the groom who made good business out of them as the julka and the horse carried the passengers to the town.
Raju's father was given a big shop at the station. All the articles of his shop at the hut were transferred in the new shop. The old hut shop was left in the charge of Raju. Sometimes Raju had to look after the new shop also. He was much busy so he left study.
Chapter 4:
The narration again takes a turn to the present.
The boy who was grazing his sheep on the other bank of the river announced to all the people that the swami had come back; the result was that a large number of men, women and children arrived there. When Raju came to know from their mouths that there was no school in that place, he suggested that the young boys should gather at hall and some school teacher should be arranged for them. The next day a school teacher came to Raju. He agreed to teach the boys under the guidance of Raju. The teacher collected a dozen children. Sometimes Raju also took their class. He taught them about life, eternity, godliness, cleanliness, the Ramayan and many other kinds of things. Raju felt delighted while teaching them. He was never interested in selling biscuits, bananas, toffees and cigarettes.
Again the story moves to the past.
Raju's father died in rainy season. He left much money behind him. With the permission of his mother, he closed the shop of his father. He stuffed his shop with old magazines, news - papers and books etc. He read them. He listened to students and grown up men talk to one another while waiting for the train and standing near his shop. All this gave him a lot of knowledge.
The story turns to the present.
The children took interest in the class - room lecture of Raju. The parents also joined their children to listen to Raju. He was suggested by Velan and others to give the people a discourse. Raju just said that all the things have to wait their hour. He asked them to remember every word that they had uttered since morning. No one could do so. Raju said if they could not remember their own words, how they could remember the words of others. He said he could remember his words. The people appreciated him for it. Then the children came back, he asked the parents to take them home safely and come back the next day.
In the next meeting Raju produced soft music with his hands, sang a holy song which was repeated by the audience. The hall was decorated and lighted and it echoed with the voices of men, women and children.
Raju grew long hair and a beard to look like swami. His audience increased every day, so they had to sit right upto the bank of the river. His influence was unlimited. He talked on philosophy. He prescribed medicines also. He passed judgment on the disputes of the people regarding the division of their property. He had no time for his personal life. Every night after the people had retired, he wished to live the life of an ordinary man.
Chapter 5:
The narration turns to the past.
Raju was called a railway Raju and the strangers enquired about him to know about the places worth visiting. He guided them falsely without having any knowledge. Sometimes he took the passengers to the taxi - driver Gaffur and appreciated his bad conditioned car, telling them that it could go on even bad roads. Once, someone was taken by Gaffur for a trip. He went to the source of Sarayu and praised its beauty very much. When Raju escorted the traveller on a trip, his shop was looked after by the son of the porter. Raju's mother objected to it all but he explained to her that he earned and learned by guiding the travellers.
There were travellers of various kinds. Some were interested in sightseeing; some were romantic and wanted to enjoy women in hotels. Some were interested in photography and some were interested in history. Raju knew their psychology and treated them likewise. If there were some special occasions like the trapping of elephants, a large number of tourists used to come.
Once, Marco and Rosie came from Madras. They were sent off to the Anand Bhavan Hotel. Rosie was very beautiful and she wanted to see a King Cobra. They went to the Iswara Temple where verses from the Ramayan were carved on the walls. Raju went away and gathered information about a Cobra. When he came back he found Rosie bored and tired and Marco busy with the verses carved on the temple - walls. Rosie took permission from her husband and went with Raju to see a Cobra dance. They went to a man who had a very big King Cobra in his house. The Cobra came out of the basket. The man played on the flute and made the Cobra raise its hood and dance. Rosie also moved and danced. Raju realised she was a great dancer. They went back to hotel at seven in the evening. Marco showed coldness towards him and asked him to come with a taxi at ten O'clock in the morning. Gaffur provided the taxi the next morning.
At the fixed time came Gaffur with a taxi and Raju reached the hotel. Marco came out dressed and ready without his wife Rosie. Marco wanted to visit the places of cave paintings. Raju told them that they could not come back and had to stay at the Peak House, Forest Bunglow that night. Raju was sent to the room No. 28 of the hotel to persuade her to go with her husband on his behalf. Raju humoured her with a few admiring and sweet words and addresses and she became ready to come. They reached the Peak House in the afternoon. The caretaker Joseph was given some money and he looked after them very nicely and provided them foodstuffs from the village. Raju was incharge of all the arrangements and did not have much time to look at the beautiful face of Rosie. The caves were a mile off. The Peak House was on the top most cliff on the Memphi Hills. There was a glass wall covering the north veranda. Below there was a jungle. Rosie enjoyed the greenery and was much pleased. Marco did not enjoy all this. Joseph brought food and coffee material for the morning and went down alone in the jungle. Rosie served them food and by chance touched the hand of Raju which made his head reel for a moment. He felt a passion for her. After the dinner, Rosie and Raju went to the veranda to look out at the wild animals and Marco busied himself with his papers.
Next morning the atmosphere was again tense. Only Marco came out for coffee but he did not taste his tiffin. They started out for the cave. They reached the cave. Marco went in the cave and forgot the world outside. He was busy in the cave. Raju came out and reached the Peak House to meet Rosie. He called her a sweetheart and an artist. Rosie said that Raju was like a brother to her. She related to him their daily quarrels, about her family and caste, and her being M.A. in Economics, and her marriage with Marco.
Gaffur's car did not come, so one day more they had to stay there. Raju was sent to the hotel to bring some papers for Marco. Rosie also came with him. Both stayed there for the night and returned to Marco the next morning. He took out Rosie for the sight - seeing and treated her very lovingly. She was really thrilled. They saw a cinema and reached the hotel late at night. They went in the room No. 28 and locked the world outside.
Chapter 6:
The narration turns to present.
Raju lived in the village Mangala for a long. He was given many gifts on various occasions. He told Velan that he was an ordinary man and did not deserve these gifts. He was called the swami and lived in the temple.
Once in the village there was no rain, and the condition became very bad. The water of the river was decreasing and animals were dying and there was no crop. During those days a quarrel took place between a shopman selling foodgrains and a customer. Shopman's relatives and Velan's men also got involved. In the morning Raju came to know through Velan's brother that Velan had been badly wounded. Velan's brother was half witted. Raju feared the arrival of police so he said to him that he would not eat until they stopped fighting. Velan's brother reached the assembly of village elders and said that the swami would not eat because it did not rain. They took him for a great saint who was fasting for their welfare. They went to him. They sat in a semicircle and their devotion to him was unquestionable. They all thought that Raju was on fast and gave him no food. They left him late at night but Velan was there till 5 O'clock in the morning when some other man came to look after Raju. Raju did not know anything. He said that the next day he would eat as there was peace. Then Velan told him that his brother informed the villagers that he was fasting for the rain. Raju once told the villagers a fake story about a saint fasting for the rain and it got applied to him for which he was sad but to no avail. He wanted to run away from the village but he knew he could get food without hard work, only there or in jail. Raju told Velan clearly that he was an ordinary man and could not bring down rain. Velan kept quiet.
Chapter 7:
Again the story moves to the past.
Raju became a sort of guide for Marco's family. He did everything for him. His main job during their stay at the Peak House was to give company to Rosie. Rosie showed a little more affection to Marco. Raju had her full company downhill. Gaffur came to know about their intimacy and threw glances at Raju. He was always full of the thought of Rosie. When Raju went to his shop, the son of the porter asked him where he should send the tourists. He said that he was very busy. He was not interested in his old life. His saving account was going down. He wanted to change the hotel to avoid gossip about himself but Rosie liked the room No. 28 as she could look out at a coconut grove and people irrigating it.
She was a complex character. She allowed Raju to make love to her and suddenly sat up on the bed and said after all Marco was her husband, and she should go to him.
When Raju spoke about dance, she became hopeful and asked him if he also hated to see her dance. Raju said ‘No’.
Rosie made plans for dance practice. A big hall with a heavy carpet and a figure of Natraj at a corner was arranged for the purpose. She decided to engage a Sanskrit pandit to explain to her Sanskrit Books on Music. She practised daily for one hour and at the end flung her body on Raju with the words that he had given her a new life.
When they next went to hills, Raju left Rosie with her husband so that she could ask him permission for making a public appearance as a dancer. Marco was happy as he had found a third cave full of musical notations. He said that he would mention Raju's name in his book.
After two days Raju went to hotel at noon to find there Rosie alone. But they were not there. After some time they reached the bunglow and went into their room without saying anything to Raju. Gaffur advised him to leave Marco and Rosie alone to solve their problems. After sometime Marco came to the car with a bundle of papers. He sat in the car. He pulled him out of the car. He wanted to discuss things with him. He would not be allowed to leave Rosie in this place. Marco said that Raju was nothing to him. He hired another room in the hotel. He went to the kitchen and saw all the food was lying there. He put the food on a tray for Rosie and waited in room No. 28. Rosie did not eat food and asked Raju to leave her alone. He came out and sat in the car. Gaffur took the car downward. He came back and returned to his normal life of a guide, but the thought of Rosie always tormented him . He was shocked that Rosie sided with her husband. He became dull - witted and his work of a guide was looked after by the porter's son.
After a month Rosie came to his door. She was all alone. Raju's mother asked her many questions but to avoid a bad situation Raju answered them all very promptly. Gaffur was called by him. He told him that Marco had gone to Madras. They went for a drive in the car of Gaffur. They sat on the bank of the river and Rosie narrated the whole story that led to her arrival at the door of his house. Rosie agreed not to dance any more for the sake of Marco. Once she danced a piece of her mother before him. He took no interest in it. By mistake Rosie told him that her dance was always appreciated by Raju for whom she danced in the hotel during their stay at the Peak House. He got very angry and said that he would not forgive her and would like to forget if ever he had married her. She hoped once they were back in their home in Madras, everything would be right.
Marco and Rosie packed their luggage separately. They went to the station. He sat in one compartment. Rosie also got in it but he said there was ticket for her.
Raju comforted her and assured her that she would become a famous dancer. She practised dancing for three hours. She helped Raju's mother in her household jobs. Suddenly one day she said that Rosie could not live with them as she was a tainted woman. She should go to her husband.
His financial condition became very bad. His sales were poor. His shop was given to a new contractor. Raju slapped the boy. The father of the boy said that Rosie had ruined him. A quarrel took place and he was going to attack the new shopkeeper but Raju's mother arrived and saved the situation. Rosie saw all this. Raju did not go to her but sat in a corner with his eyes shut.
Chapter 8:
Raju's creditor was a Seth. He entered his house when he was watching Rosie dance. He demanded his eight thousand rupees from him Raju some time. He asked for give him a week's time, at this Raju laughed. He filed a criminal charge of assault against him. Raju engaged a famous lawyer who prolonged the case and Raju had to spend much money over it.
Raju wanted to utilize Rosie's dancing services to make a lot of money. According to him she was gold - mine. Gaffur could not help him with money. Gaffur advised him to send Rosie away and return to the ordinary real life. But he did not do so. Slowly and slowly Rosie's passion for physical love was over and she became a devoted artist.
Raju's maternal uncle came, he scolded Raju for keeping Rosie in the house, but he did not listen to him. He asked Rosie to continue practising dance unmindful of what his uncle said. Raju said that those who did not like them could leave the house. The mother decided to leave the house and go with her brother. She left for the village and said that Raju should care of his health.
Raju and Rosie lived as husband and wife. Rosie's name was changed to Nalini for her public performance. The Albert Mission School organised a variety programme in which Rosie's Bharat Natyam was included. Drummers and accompanists were provided to her for the dance programme.
Chapter 9:
Rosie's performance at the Albert School was a successful starting. Her fame soared like Rocket. Raju became famous as he always accompanied her. Raju thought that he had made her famous. During the show he always sat in the middle of the sofa on the front seat.
When after the show she reached home. She hugged Raju and said that even if she were given seven births, she would not be able to repay her debt to him. In spite of the busy schedule she always cooked food herself.
The old house of Raju was mortgaged to the Seth and he had to move to the new big house with double storey. Now they had many servants. Number of visitors used to come to their house. They wanted to enjoy the company of Rosie but Raju did not allow them to do so. Only a few privileged could enjoy her company. Raju said to Rosie that she should put the final husband - wife relationship touch on their relationship.
She had a large number of engagement and they earned a lot of money through them. Sometimes she got bored and wearied of these programmes but she could not avoid them. Not to earn money, when it is a good time, is a sin. Raju forgot that Marco was still alive and he was the husband of Rosie. A book from Marco came to him. There was a pencilled message ‘See Page 158’. On this page he acknowledged his debt to Raju for helping him in discovery the Memphi Caves. He kept the book in a secret place as he did not want to show it to Rosie. After three days Marco's photo appeared in the Illustrated Weekly. Rosie saw it and put photo at her dressing table. A review of this book was also published in this paper. She wanted to have a copy of the book. Somehow she came to know that Raju had got the book. She felt offended that Raju did not give it to her. She liked everything concerning with Marco. She said after all he was her husband and it was good on his part that he tolerated Rosie after knowing what she had done.
After some time Rosie became normal, and they lived normal life, then came a letter from Marco. In the letter she was asked to sign some documents sent by the lawyer of Marco, for the release of the jewellery box. Raju did not show even this letter to Rosie. He tried her signature, signed the documents as Rosie Nalini and returned them by post. He started waiting for the parcel of the jewel box, but it did not come. One evening during the charity show of Rosie for a maternity home, one of the organisers came to Raju and told him that he was wanted by the District Superintendent of Police. There was a warrant for his arrest on a complaint from Marco for forging Rosie's signature.
After the show they went home. Rosie went in her room. Raju also entered her room while the Superintendent stood on the landing. First Rosie scolded Raju for his bad deeds, then came out of the room and asked the Superintendent if anything could save Raju. He told there was a non - bailable warrant. She could apply to the magistrate for the reconsideration the next day.
Chapter 10:
Raju had to be in the lock up for ten days. Rosie arranged ten thousand rupees for his bail. The bail was granted. Their normal life was gone. There was no work and no peace. Raju advised Rosie to go through engagements. They did not talk to each other. Raju sought self-pity but Rosie did not care for him. She could not face the public after Raju's arrest. She wanted to go to Marco, if that not was possible, she suggested that both of them should commit suicide. She promised to save Raju from jail. She said after his coming out she would like to be left alone.
To save Raju she sold all her property and engaged a lawyer from Madras. He was very expensive. To provide for money to meet the expenses of the case she had to go through more and more engagements. She stood on her own feet and earned a lot of money. Raju thought that she needed neither him nor Marco.
The lawyer presented the case in three phases. In the first phase Marco was presented as an enemy of civilized world. He wanted to drive his wife Rosie mad. The second phase presented Raju as a humble humanitarian who saved Rosie. The third part was when the whole world was enjoying the Bharat Natyam, Marco was slighting this art and brought out the document forgotten and lain in concealment. He wanted Rosie to sign it for some sinister motive. When the document was sent to him unsigned by Rosie, he made some one sign it and put the charge against Raju. Raju was innocent, and he should be discharged. With the prosecution case being strong, Mani was cross - examined and finally the hand - writing experts testified against Raju, and so he was sentenced to two years imprisonment.
Raju's mother was present at the last hearing; she broke down and reproached Rosie as snake woman who had ruined Raju. Raju's conduct in jail was good and he was regarded as a model - prisoner. He helped everyone there, whether he was a convict, or a warden, an official or the jail Superintendent. He said to Mani when he came to meet him in the jail that it was not a bad place. He knew from him that Rosie had settled independently in Madras after having cleared all debts.
