A Hero

By R K Naryan

text
R.K.Marayan Born 1906 (Madras). Died 2001
An Indian man and writing in English
He looked at human relationships & ironies of daily
life in India
He often concerned himself with the tensions
between traditions + modernity
A hero comes from a collection of short stories
called Malgudi Days

es 1-26

For Swami events took an unexpected turn- This tells us that

Swami wasnt expecting this. It also takes us right into the story
and the characters are introduced as the story goes along.
The fight the boy had with the tiger and his flight up a tree,
where he stayed for half a day till some people came that way
and killed the tiger- This is the catalyst of Swamis problem.
Also has this tale been exaggerated?
Father looked at Swami fixedly- This tells us of his fathers
behavior or characteristics because he comes across as being
stern and overbearing.
How could a boy fight a tiger?- This tells us Swamis
character as well. He comes across as being more sensible than
his father and not easily gullible. Also even though hes scared
of his father he has the guts to talk back to his father and
doesnt meekly accept everything said.
You think you are wiser than the newspaper? Father
sneered- This tells us that his father blindly accepts everything
said in the newspaper and also tells us that he doesnt respect
his sons opinions.

es 11-26

Strength and age are not important- Tells us how narrow

minded his father is because that fact is not effective.

Swami disputed the theory- Portrays Swami as a bold and

more practical. Also what he says makes more sense.

Let me see if you can sleep alone tonight in my office

room- The reason why his father started the conversation.
A frightful proposition- shows that hes timid and slightly
scared.

You must sleep alone hereafter- Shows the tone of

command in his father voice. It was a order from the head of the
family and he was meant to obey it.

He knew his fathers tenacity at such moments- Shows

that his father pulled this tone quite often and also shows how
well Swami knows his father.

nes 28-35
From the first of next month Ill sleep alone Father here
shows one of Swamis characteristics; he is opportunistic
accepts praise for his bravery

it is disgraceful sleeping beside granny or mother like a

baby the father is quite cruel and tries to find a way to
humiliate swami

why do you look at me while you say it? the mother is

quite defensive for her side. She doesnt believe that she has
anything to do with it.

I hardly know anything about the boy the mother is

also quite distant and dismissive. She doesnt have a
great deal to do with Swami.
If you mean that your mother is spoiling him, tell her so;
and dont look at me she blames Granny; doesnt seem
to have a very close relationship with her too.

nes 37-43

Swami rose silently and tiptoed away to his

bed in the passage it shows that swami is
cunning and attempts to outwit his father by
pretending to sleep

Swami made wild gesticulations to silence his

granny, but that good lady saw nothing/ Dont
cover your face, are you really very sleepy?
Grannys characteristic is that she does the
wrong things at the wrong times and this causes
humor.

es 50 75

sentation of Father Positive

Little fellow this shows Father in a good

light, because it sounds affectionate and caring
You must learn not to be afraid of
darkness. It is only a question of habit
this makes Father sound less commanding and
arrogant and more of a good parent, trying to
teach his child an important lesson. He doesnt
sound like hes preaching, but more like hes
explaining.
All right (consents to leaving the door open)
this shows that he is ready to make some
minor allowances if it will make Swami happy
and shows that he does not have the iron grip

esentation of Father - negative

I will make you the laughing stock of your
school this makes Father seem cruel and
horrid and uncaring. He doesnt seem to care
how his son feels, and what others will think of
him.

Come with me this shows Fathers

commanding tone and shows that he is not
requesting, but ordering

actions of Mother and Granny

Granny pleaded, Why do you disturb
him? this shows that Granny dotes on
Swami and defends him. It also shows that she
is not very successful.

He threw a look of appeal at his mother

and she said, Why do you take him into
the office room? He can sleep in the hall, I
think this shows that Swami clearly has
more influence with Mother than with Father.
She also feels sorry for him, and tries to defend
him, but it again doesnt work.

amis reactions
Hesitated for a moment, and followed his father into
the office room this shows Swamis submission, after a
moments hesitation. He follows his Fathers orders, but not so meekly

Threw a look of appeal at his mother he doesnt take the

orders lying down; he tries to get the support of his mother to get him
out of the situation

Can I have a lamp burning in the room? Will you

atleast leave the door open? this shows that Swami tries
very hard to negotiate with his father to better his position. Although
he is too scared to stand up directly to him, he subtly tries to get his
way too.

Swami felt cut off from humanity this short sentence is

particularly effective in showing how Swami feels. This raises the
tension of the piece.

but a monster the ellipsis at the end of the paragraph

shows the trail of Swamis thoughts and shows his pondering over the
different things he wishes had happen.

His heart beat faster this again increases tension and terror

nes 75-100

These lines consist of the

Rising Terror and the
Climax of the story.

And what about poor Munisami's father, who spat

out blood because the devil near the river's edge
slapped his cheek when he was returning home late
one night Lines 75-77: It is successful in creating
humour. Reader is amused by Swamis wild imagination
and naiveness.
Through the stillness all kinds of noises reached
his ears- the clicking of the clock, rustle of trees,
snoring sounds and some vague night insects
humming. Lines 76-77: Highlights the increasing terror.
It is building up to the climax
Every moment he expected the devils to come up
to carry him away; there was the instance of his old
friend in the fourth class who suddenly disappeared
and was said to have been carried off by a ghost to
Siam or Nepal ... Lines 79-82: Once again, humor is
created because, this is such a ridiculous proposition.

 A tiger was chasing him. His feet stuck to the

ground. Lines 86-87: Variation in sentence structure, good
for emphasis and used for a dramatic effect.
he could hear its claws scratch the ground ... scratch,
scratch, and then a light thud .... Lines 88-89: Ellipses
Builds tension, Reader asks the question- What will happen
next?
Swami groaned in despair. Line 91: The Terror is rising.
And now what was this rustling? Line 95: Rhetorical
question. Reader is made to wonder what is rustling.
As it came nearer he crawled out from under the
bench, hugged it with all his might Line 98-99: Its
shows decisiveness of Swami now. Desperate times have
called for desperate measures- he has overcome his fear.
used his teeth on it like a mortal weapon Line 99100: This is the climax of the story. Ellipses build tension
towards the end. The reader wonders what happens next,
builds curiosity.

Aiyo something has bitten me went forth an agonised thundering cry

and was followed by a heavy tumbling and falling amidst furniture. In
a moment Father, cook and a servant came in carrying light.
. Tensions dissolve its a contrast to swamis fears
Congratulations were showered on Swami next day. His classmates
looked at him with respect, and his teacher patted his back. - Hes
. showered with compliments, very opportunistic
Where is he sleeping? In his usual place After all that Swami gets
.what he wants in the end. He ends up sleeping with his grandmother
All right molly coddle and spoil him as much as you like. Only dont
blame me afterwards - Less confident in speech, not too happy
. with the end result
Swami following the whole conversation from under the blanket, felt
tremendously relieved to hear that his father was giving him up.
.Irony. He won