Swami is expelled from school
About the author
Rasipuram
Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami (10
October 1906 – 13 May 2001),commonly known as R. K. Narayan, was an
Indian writer known for his work set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. He was a leading author of early Indian literature
in English along with Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao.
Narayan's
mentor and friend Graham Greene was
instrumental in getting publishers for Narayan's first four books including the
semi-autobiographical trilogy of Swami and Friends, The Bachelor of Arts
and The English Teacher.
The fictional town of Malgudi was first introduced in Swami and Friends.
Narayan's The Financial Expert
was hailed as one of the most original works of 1951 and Sahitya Academy Award
winner The Guide was adapted for film (winning a Filmfare Award
for Best Film) and for Broadway. The present extract is from Swami
and Friends.
Summary
The headmaster entered the class with slightly flushed face and a hard ominous
look in his eyes. Swaminathan wished that he had been anywhere but not here at this
moment. the headmaster surveyed the class for few minutes and asked "are
you not ashamed of coming and sitting there after what you did yesterday??”
just as a special honour to them the headmaster read the names of the students
who attend the class and next read the names of the students who kept away and
ask them to stand on the benches. He said that the punishment was not enough
and ask them to stand on desks. Swaminathan was among them. Now the headmaster
started to ask them the questions that why they were absent. the first one told
at that he got a attack of headache and the headmaster ask him to bring the
medical certificate. the second one told that while he was coming to school on
the previous day someone told him that there was no school and he had gone back
to home. After asking some questions the headmaster told that he will cancel
his 10 days attendance and he should pay to two rupees and he should on the
desk for the whole day .The said that he had an attack of headache. The fourth
one said that he had stomach. The fifth said his grandmother was dead. the
principal asked him many questions and noticed that that it was not real and
suspended him for 15 days. And now it was Swaminathan's turn. Swaminathan
looked around helplessly. he was deaf to the question that the headmaster was
putting to him. A rap on his body from the headmaster cane bought him to himself.
The headmaster asked him several times about why he didn't come to school
yesterday. Swaminathan didn't answer anything and kept staring at headmaster.
Headmaster scolded him that he will kill him if you didn't answer. Swaminathan
didn't know what to say. Turning to a boy the headmaster told "bring the peon”.
The headmaster said to the peon "now say what you know about this rascal
on the desk”. After some conversation Swaminathan had a sudden flood of
courage, the courage that comes of depression. He restrained the tears that
were threatening to rush out, jump down and grasping his books, rushed out
muttering "I don't care for your dirty School”.
Comprehension
Answer the following questions:
1.
What was the mood of the Headmaster
when he entered the class?
Answer: The headmaster entered the class with a
slightly flushed face and a hard ominous look in his eyes.
2.
How did Swaminathan react to the
questions put by the headmaster?
Answer: At first Swaminathan wanted to protest that he
had never been absent. He was confused what to say. He stood silent all the
time.
3. Why was the peon
called? What did he tell about Swaminathan?
Comments
Post a Comment