Demystifying the Enigma in R. K. Narayan’s The Guide: A Sartrean Reading of the Novel

Abstract

[Abstract : R. K. Narayan’s novel, The Guide (1958), which is also known as his magnum opus, tells us about the life-story of Mr. Raju who starts his career at the Malgudi Railway Station as a keeper of the shop, established by his father, who deviates himself from their traditional profession of priesthood as they are Brahmins by caste. Raju, later, builds up a checkered career throughout his life. But, he adapts himself much in every profession he chooses and in every situation he faces. Interestingly, to the utter surprise of the readers, Raju sacrifices finally his life in a fasting, like a spiritual guide, to appease the god of water for rains with an aim to save the people of Mangala from the impending famine. Still, the ending of the novel, The Guide, with Raju’s metamorphosis from a tourist guide to a spiritual guide, seems to be “enigmatic” to most of Narayan critics. The present study aims to demystify this enigma in The Guide by exploring the life-story of Mr. Raju in the light of “existential psychoanalysis” propounded by Jean-Paul Sartre. For this purpose, the writer of this paper intends to adopt some key ideas found in Sartre’s existential philosophy.]