An Astrologer’s Day (Story)
R.K. Narayan
Summary:
The story describes a day in the
life of a typical Indian astrologer with an unexpected event. He sits in a busy
marketplace. Though a fraud, he can convince people by saying what they want to
hear and offering solutions. At the end of this day comes a stranger, who
challenges him to tell exact details. The astrologer recognizes him and gives
every detail. That man, Guru Nayak, was nearly killed with a knife and pushed
into well years ago. In fact, the astrologer himself did it. But he lies that
the attacker was already killed in an accident. Later at home, he shares facts
with his wife.
Understanding the
text
Answer the following
questions.
a. How does the astrologer’s appearance help him attract customers? How does he
help the customers satisfy their needs?
Ans:
The astrologer’s appearance helps
him attract customers because his forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and
vermilion, and his eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam which was really
an outcome of a continual searching look for customers, but which his simple
clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted. He helps the customers
satisfy their needs by saying things which please and astonish everyone.
b. How do you characterize the astrologer’s attitude toward the
stranger?
Ans:
The astrologer’s attitude
suddenly changes when he encountered the stranger. He felt challenged. The
stranger bribed him to tell his questions answer. When the astrologer caught a
glimpse of his face by the match-light, he felt very uncomfortable. He had strong
and active voice. He used to satisfy everyone by saying things which please and
astonish everyone. But the astrologer shivered in his grip; and his voice shook
and became faint when he saw face of the stranger.
c. What details does the astrologer give the stranger about his past?
Ans: The astrologer
told that the stranger was left for dead in the past. A knife had passed
through him once. He was pushed into a well nearby in the field. He was left
for dead.
d. Why does he advise the stranger to go home immediately?
Ans: He advises the stranger
to go home immediately because he predicts a great danger to the stranger’s
life if he goes from home.
e. What is your reaction to the conversation between the astrologer and
his wife?
Ans: From the conversation
with his wife, we come to know about the astrologer’s real life, crime and
confession. He had nearly killed a man in his village. This happened in his
youth when they were drunk and quarreled.
Reference to the context
a. Suspense is the feeling of anticipation you may have as you read. In
this story, what details contributed to your feelings of suspense and surprise?
Explain.
Ans: The writer creates
suspense is the story by giving step-by-step details from the astrologer’s past
life. As we read, we come to know that he left his home secretly and never
returned. At the end of the story, we see his wife and and learn that he had
nearly killed a friend in his village.
Another way to create surprise is
the writer’s comments about the astrologer’s job. We see his typical
appearance, but the writer says this is to attract customers. He is a fraud,
who he became an astrologer to earn easy money.
b. Analyze the conflicts in “An Astrologer’s Day.” Explain how the
conflicts are resolved and what they reveal about the characters involved
in the story.
Ans: R.K. Narayan’s
“An Astrologer’s Day” is a story of a day in the life of a typical
Indian astrologer with an unexpected event. It uses elements of a novel: conflict.
Conflict brings struggle between characters in the story. It helps to move the
plot forward. We found both internal as well as external conflict in the story.
Internal and external conflict arises when the astrologer encounters with Guru
Nayak. Both of them have internal as well as external conflicts. The stranger
wanted to know about his past life and the astrologer wanted to get rid of the
stranger. The facial expression of the astrologer could be judged as internal
conflict of the astrologer. He shivered in his grip; and his voice shook and
became faint when he saw face of the stranger. Both conflicts resolved when the
astrologer told everything about the past life of Guru Nayak (the stranger).
When the conflict resolved, we came to know that the astrologer himself was the
convict for Guru Nayak’s condition.
d. Description helps readers visualize what is happening in a story.
What details and techniques does the author use to describe the
astrologer?
Ans: R.K. Narayan’s
“An Astrologer’s Day” uses descriptive technique to helps readers visualize
what is happening in a story. The commercial center and its sellers is
portrayed in genuinely striking subtlety in the story. Indian market is
presented as the open air markets where merchants of food, specialties and
apparel sell their products. The astrologer wears a saffron-shaded turban
folded over his head. He says clients are attracted to him “as honey bees are
drawn to universe or dahlia stalks.” Before we even see the commercial center
we see that it’s anything but a position of visual wonder, in view of the
depiction of the celestial prophet’s arrangements.
The actual spot is a clamor of
action. The crystal gazer’s area in the market is “under the branches of a
spreading tamarind tree.” One visual detail that appears to be significant and
which makes it conceivable to envision what it looks like is the reality there
is no city lighting, so merchants should give their own lights.
The story plot is followed by a
description of the astrologer’s way of doing business: it is discovered he
knows almost nothing about astrology, and simply speaks as the mood takes him,
so the random quality of light and shadow seems appropriate here.
e. Irony is a contrast between appearances and reality. What is ironic
about Guru Nayak’s meeting with the astrologer?
Ans: There is irony in the
astrologer’s meeting with Guru Nayak. He had nearly killed this man and run
away from village. Now Nayak happens to come to him but does not recognize him.
He asks the astrologer to read his palm. He does not know that it is the man he
is searching for revenge. But we know. It is ironic that Guru Nayak gets the
opposite of what he wants. He wants the man who nearly killed him. He has come
to the astrologer with this hope. But the astrologer tells him to go home for
safety.
f. How does the astrologer’s manner of dress suit his character?
Ans: The astrologer’s manner
of dress helps him attract customers because his forehead was resplendent with
sacred ash and vermilion, and his eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam
which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers, but
which his simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted. He
helps the customers satisfy their needs by saying things which please and
astonish everyone.
Reference beyond the
text
a. The astrologer attracts many customers in the street who are pleased
and astonished by what he tells them. What does this tell you about the
people of the town walking in the street?
Ans: The astrologer attracts
many customers in the street who are pleased and astonished by what he
tells them. People of the town walking in the street are busy people. They have
certain big dreams. They want to achieve rapid progress in their lives. As a
result, they want to check their future before doing anything. So, they trap in
a web of street astrologer. Road astrologer are a common figure. The astrologer
catches the sentiments of town people by understanding their psychology. There
are students, businessmen, housewife, youngsters, etc. who want to know unknown
things about their life. All people have some problems in their lives and all
want easy and quick solution. As a result, they trap in a vicious circle of the
street astrology once in their life.
b. Why do most people want to know their future? Do you think
astrologers can really help them know their future?
Ans: All people have some
problems in their lives and all want easy and quick solution. They visit
different astrologers to know their mysterious future. An astrologer treats
them psychologically like a doctor calms down a patient. Most people have
certain big dreams. They want to achieve rapid progress in their lives. As a
result, they want to check their future before doing anything by visiting an
astrologer. Some genuine astrologers can really help us to know our future by
studying our birth chart.
Astrology is the investigation of
the positions and parts of heavenly bodies in this conviction that they are
impacted by normal common occasions and on the course of human issues.
It is accepted that the planets
influence our lines from multiple points of view. They assume a significant
part in our universe. It has been explored to demonstrate that climate and
quakes can be dictated by a more intensive gander at planets. These realities
can assist with saving lives.
c. Is astrology a good practice of fortune telling or is it just a
blind faith? Give reasons.
Ans: Astrology is the study
of positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an
influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs.
People call in and get the predictions they have been looking for.
The study of astrology may seem
like a world full of mysticism and uncertainty. It is natural to ask whether a
person’s personality traits can be determined by planet alignment; After all it
seems far-fetched. Astrology and zodiac are much more complex than the average
person. Unless you take the time to fully research and understand astrology, it
is impossible to obtain the most accurate amount profile.
In ancient times, astrology was
closely linked to such fields as astronomy, philosophy, and medicine. Astrology
is a wide-ranging topic with deep roots in history, which should be broken to
fully understand it. The average person only knows about the signs of his Sun;
This is the beginning of only one zodiac profile. Each planet in our solar
system represents a certain aspect of life. For the most accurate reading of
your zodiac, you will need to know which symbol was affecting each planet at
the time and time of your birth. It can be as specific as the degree of which
the planet is affected by its respective symbol. If you are not aware of the
depth of the study astrology, then I encourage you to find out.
I cannot explain how or how the amount is valid, but I encourage you to give at least a chance to astrology. It will take less than five minutes to enter your information in a website and read the information you give. Whether you are a total astrological astrologer or a horoscope every time you come out of curiosity, you should take the time to know a little more about yourself through astrology.