An Astrologer's Day | R.K. Narayan | Summary
"An Astrologer's Day" is a popular short story ever written by R.K. Narayan. He is a notable Indian writer who deals with children's literature. This short story was published in 1947.
The story is set in an imaginary small South Indian town. In this story, R. K. Narayan describes the daily life of an astrologer. The astrologer sets up his ordinary stall on the street every day. He tells the fortunes and helps his customers with his valuable advice. He does his job very skillfully each evening. The astrologer is described as a mysterious figure. He has a shadowy past that is not fully known. At present, he is very humble in appearance. He is known as a skilled and knowledgeable astrologer in the art of astrology.
One day, a stranger approaches the astrologer to know his future. The astrologer senses something peculiar about him. The astrologer is initially hesitant about the stranger. The stranger seemed familiar to him. When the astrologer goes on thinking about his future, he realizes that the stranger is actually someone whom he met earlier in the past. He realizes that the stranger is the man whom he had attacked years ago in a fit of rage.
The astrologer is now faced with a dilemma. He goes on thinking whether he reveals the truth to the stranger or takes risk about the consequences. The astrologer thinks more and more. Once again, he thinks whether he continues the pretense or simply carries on with the fortune-telling. Ultimately, the astrologer decides to conceal the truth. He tells the stranger something about his wrong prediction with a vague and innocuous reading.
However, the story explores the themes of deception, the power of secrets and the unpredictability of fate. The astrologer’s conflicted feelings and his efforts to avoid the truth create an air of suspense and moral ambiguity throughout the story.
On the other hand, Narayan's writing style in this story is precise, vivid and rich with subtle humor and irony. He captures the reader’s attention with his skillful presentation of the small town setting of the story. He exposes the complex psychology of the characters in this short story. The story sheds light into the world of traditional Indian astrology. It reveals the function of astrology and its impact on the lives of people.
In fact, An Astrologer's Day is considered to be one of Narayan’s most celebrated short stories. It is praised for its insightful character development and evocative depiction of place in the short story. It mainly deals with the moral dilemmas of a fake astrologer.
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