An Astrologer's Day Exercise Class 11 English: Summary | Question Answers | R. K. Narayan

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           An Astrologer's Day Exercise 

                      R.  K.  Narayan

          Summary | Question Answers

                     Class 11 English 

                   Neb English Notes 

An Astrologer's Day by R. K. Narayan

ABOUT STORY 

An Astrologer's Day by R. K. Narayan

What is the story "An Astrologer's Day" by R. K. Narayan about?

This thriller and suspense short story  "An Astrologer's Day" by R. K. Narayan, was published in 1947 by Indian Thought Publications. It was the titular (related to the title) story of Narayan's fourth collection of short stories. It was the very first chapter of the world-famous collection of stories "Malgudi Days", which was later telecasted on television in 2006.

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This ironic and witty short story describes a day in the life of an ordinary but fake astrologer.

The main character in this story is an astrologer who is unnamed. He earns his livelihood by making prophecies or selling cosmic insights to gullible villagers, though he does not know the cosmos or actual spiritual insights.

This story has presented a very typical situation for the astrologer, where he faces his past life's story. Here, he has become successful in saving his life through his proper use of the mind.

THEMES 

An Astrologer's Day by R. K. Narayan

What are the major themes in the story "An Astrologer's Day" by R. K. Narayan?

Here in this story, we find various themes related to human nature, such as hypocrisy, shrewdness, revengeful nature, and selfishness.

We find the theme of fate in the story too.

MORAL 

An Astrologer's Day by R. K. Narayan

What moral lessons do you find in the story "An Astrologer's Day" by R. K. Narayan?

▪︎  Wisdom and quick thinking are more important than credibility or good behaviour because the witty but dishonest astrologer comes out on top at the end of the story.

▪︎  We should be responsible for what we have done and don’t run away from our mistakes.

SETTING 

An Astrologer's Day by R. K. Narayan

What is the setting of the story "An Astrologer's Day" by R. K. Narayan?

In the setting of the story, Town Hall Park has been presented. The place is used by various vendors. The story has been presented from midday until night (the astrologer opened his profession from morning until night).

CHARACTERS 

An Astrologer's Day by R. K. Narayan

Who are the major characters in the story "An Astrologer's Day" by R. K. Narayan?

There are three characters in the story.

The Astrologer

The astrologer is the main character in the story. He is the unnamed protagonist of the story. The astrologer is not truly an astrologer but a con man. He sets up shop each day beneath a tamarind tree in a market. He prepares himself and earns through making prophecies or selling cosmic insights to gullible villagers, though he does not know the cosmos or actual spiritual insights.

He is defined as lying, irresponsible, and unearthly.

Guru Nayak

Guru Nayak is another main character in the story. He is the man whom the astrologer tried to murder several years ago. He comes to Astrologer by chance during the evening. He is unable to recognise the astrologer, though he passes his time with him in conversation. He is in search of the culprit who once stabbed him and let him die in the well.

He is defined as a stranger, stubborn, curious, and ambitious.

The Astrologer’s Wife

The astronomer's wife is only introduced at the end of the story. She seems quite pleased when her husband brings home more money than usual from his day’s work. At the same time, she is shocked to hear about her husband's past story.

She is defined as patient and wise.

DETAILED SUMMARY 

An Astrologer's Day by R. K. Narayan

Write down the detailed summary of the story "An Astrologer's Day" by R. K. Narayan.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ASTROLOGER AND HIS BUSINESS

According to the writer, an astrologer always opened his astrology business at midday. He used to sit and run his business under a tamarind tree on Town Hall Road.

That road led to Town Hall Park, which was quite good for his business to lure his customers. The road was amply crowded with different people with different trades and professions. The groundnut vendor also used to sit beside him. The gaslight of the groundnut vendor enabled the astrologer to run his business even after the sunset. The astrologer was quite skilled at analysing human nature and psychology.

When he started his business at midday, he decorated his business of astrology by making various preparations. He took out his professional tools, like square cloth pieces, cowries shells, charts, Palmyra writings, etc., from his bag. He also dressed typically like an astrologer to attract customers. He put sacred ash and vermilion on his forehead. Due to his makeup, his forehead seemed quite bright. He placed a saffron turban on his head. Thus, the astrologer presented himself perfectly to attract his customers.

The astrologer was a shrewd person who hardly had any knowledge of astrology. He just made guesses to satisfy his customers. According to him, he left his village because he didn't want to continue the traditional occupation of his forefathers, i.e., farming. He never had any plans to return to his native village. He had to work so hard to earn his wages using his smart mind. He gave his daytime earnings to his wife in the evening.

MAIN EVENT IN THE STORY

One day, when the groundnut vendor blew out his gaslight, the astrologer also started closing his shop. While packing up his professional tools, he saw a man standing in front of him. He thought of the man as his prospective customer. When the astrologer invited him, the man challenged the astrologer and his astrology science. The man made a bet with the astrologer. He provided an anna to the astrologer and demanded a satisfactory answer to his question. He even added that if he didn't answer satisfactorily, he would have to return his anna with interest. The astrologer denied saying that he charged three pies per question's answer. He demanded a charge of five rupees for a satisfactory answer. But, finally, he demanded eight annas for a satisfactory answer. The man became ready to pay up. But he put up a condition in front of an astrologer. According to him, if the astrologer answered his question satisfactorily, he would provide him with eight annas. But if he failed to satisfy him with his answer, he would have to return double the amount, i.e., sixteen annas. The bet was made. The astrologer prayed to heaven. A bit later, when the man lit up his cheroot, the astrologer caught a glimpse of his face. He denied the challenge and asked the man to let him go. But the man held him tight on his wrist. The astrologer trembled in fear. He accepted the challenge unwillingly. The astrologer started telling him about a woman, but the man stopped him, being unsatisfied. The man had a single question: whether he would get what he was searching for. The man promised the astrologer to pay him a rupee after getting a satisfactory answer. The astrologer again prayed a few incantations before replying. The astrologer revealed the incident involving a man in the past. According to him, the man had been attacked by an unknown person with a knife in his chest. The man became excited to hear the astrologer's words. In the past, he had been attacked with a knife. After he got wounded, he was thrown into a well nearby to die. A passerby saw and rescued him. The man wanted to know about the culprit's details from the astrologer so that he could take revenge. But the astrologer informed me about the culprit's death four months ago in a faraway town. The man was disappointed to hear this. The astrologer even identified the name of the man before him as Guru Nayak. He told the man that his village was located in the north, and it took two days' journey to reach there. He warned him to go back home and never travel south again. He asked him to return to his hometown immediately. He told the man that he might get into trouble if he left his home again. The man wanted to know the cause behind the culprit's death. The astrologer satisfied him by informing him that the culprit was crushed under a truck. The man left after giving the astrologer a handful of coins. The astrologer also packed his belongings and went home. The astrologer reached home quite late. His wife was worried about him. The astrologer flung the coins at his wife to count. There were altogether twelve and a half annas. She was so happy to see that amount. She planned to buy jaggery and coconut for their child, who had been demanding sweets for a long time. However, the astrologer looked worried and was not happy, like his wife. He was angry with Guru Nayak, who promised to give him a rupee but provided him only twelve and a half annas. After dinner, he shared the secret of his life with his wife. He said that the great burden of his life was gone that day. He always felt that he had killed Guru Nayak. So the astrologer had run away from his native village due to the fear of being accused of murder. He settled in Malgudi, married, and decided that he would never return to his native village. The man who tried to kill Guru Nayak was the astrologer himself. So he was able to make accurate predictions about him, though he hardly knew astrology. The astrologer confessed to his wife that, in his youth, he was in bad company with Guru Nayak. He drank, gambled, and quarrelled badly one day. In that fight, he almost killed Guru Nayak.

MAIN SUMMARY 

An Astrologer's Day by R. K. Narayan

Astrologers and Their Daily Business Details:

 

According to the author, an astrologer always opened his business of astrology in the afternoon hours. He used to run his business while sitting under a tamarind tree on Town Hall Road. The road led to Town Hall Park, which was good enough for his business to entice his customers. The street was quite crowded with people from different trades and professions. There was also a groundnut seller sitting next to him. The groundnut seller's gaslight enabled the astrologer to run his business even after sunset. The astrologer was quite skilled in analysing human nature and psychology.  

 

When he started his business in the afternoon, he decorated his astrology business by making various preparations. He took out of his bag his professional tools, like a square piece of cloth, cowries shells, charts, palmyra writing, etc. He usually dresses like an astrologer to attract customers. He applied holy ash and vermilion on his forehead. Due to his makeup, his forehead looked very bright. He put a saffron turban on his head. Thus, the astrologer presented himself perfectly to attract his clients.

The astrologer was a clever man who had hardly any knowledge of astrology. He just guessed to satisfy his customers. According to him, he left his village because he did not want to continue the traditional occupation of his ancestors, i.e., farming. He never planned to return to his native village. He had to work so hard to earn his wages by using his smart mind. He gave his day's earnings to his wife in the evening.

 

 

Main Event in the Story:

 

One day, when the groundnut seller turned off his gas light, the astrologer also started closing his shop. While packing his professional tools, he saw a man standing in front of him. He considered the man his potential customer. When the astrologer invited him, the man challenged the astrologer and his related astrology. The man made a bet with the astrologer. He offered one anna to the astrologer and asked for a satisfactory answer to his question. He also said that if he did not give a satisfactory answer, he would have to return his anna along with interest. The astrologer denied it, saying that he charged three pies per question answered. He demanded Rs. 5 for a satisfactory reply. But, eventually, he demanded that eight annas come for a satisfactory answer. The man agreed to pay. But he placed a condition in front of an astrologer. According to him, if the astrologer gave a satisfactory answer to his question, he would give him eight annas. But if he failed to satisfy him with his answer, he would have to return him double the amount, i.e., sixteen annas. The astrologer started praying for heaven. After a while, when the man lit his candle, the astrologer caught a glimpse of his face. He refused the challenge and asked the man to let him go. But the man held him tightly to his wrist. The astrologer started trembling with fear.

 

He reluctantly accepted the challenge. The astrologer started telling him something about a woman, but the man stopped him. He seemed dissatisfied. The man had only one question: whether he would find what he was looking for. The man promised to give one rupee to the astrologer on getting a satisfactory answer. The astrologer again prayed a few mantras before answering. The astrologer revealed an incident involving a person in the past. According to him, the man was attacked by some unknown person with a knife to his chest. The man got excited after hearing the words of the astrologer. In the past, he had been attacked with a knife in his chest. After being injured, he was thrown into a nearby well to die. A passerby saw him and saved his life.

 

The man wanted to know in detail about the culprit from the astrologer so that he could take revenge. But the astrologer informed him about the death of the criminal in a distant town four months ago. Hearing this, the man was disappointed. The astrologer also identified the man's name as Guru Nayak. He told the man that his village was located in the north, and it took him two days to reach there. He warned him to go back home immediately and never try to travel south again. He asked him to return to his hometown as soon as possible. He told the man that he might be in trouble if he left the house again.

 

The man wanted to know the reason behind the death of the culprit. The astrologer satisfied him by telling him that the culprit came under a truck. The man left after giving a handful of coins to the astrologer. The astrologer also packed his belongings quickly and went home. The astrologer reached his home quite late. His wife was quite worried about him. The astrologer threw coins at his wife to count. In total, there were twelve and a half annas. She was very happy to see this amount. He decided to buy jaggery and coconut for their child, who had been demanding sweets for a long time. However, the astrologer seemed worried and was not as happy as his wife. He was angry with Guru Nayak, who had promised him to pay one rupee but allowed him only twelve and a half annas.

 

After dinner, the astrologer shared the secret of his life with his wife. He said that the great burden of his life had been removed that day. He always thought that he had killed Guru Nayak. So the astrologer fled from his native village for fear of being accused of being the murderer. He settled in Malgudi, got married, and decided that he would never return to his native village. The man who stabbed the knife into Guru Nayak's chest was the astrologer himself. So he was able to make the right predictions about him, though he hardly knew astrology. The astrologer confessed to his wife that during his youth, he was in bad company with Guru Nayak. One day, he drank, gambled, and quarrelled badly. In that fight, he almost killed Guru Nayak with a knife.

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