A Hero

By R K Naryan

Context
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

Lines 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 sneeredThis tells us that his father blindly accepts everything said in the newspaper and also tells us that he doesnt respect his sons opinions.

Lines 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.

Lines 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.

Lines 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.

Lines 50 75
Presentation 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 he seems to have.

Presentation 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

Reactions 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.

Swamis 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

Lines 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 99-100: 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.