Hello Readers !!!
Greetings, this blog is based on an Assignment writing of Paper No. 201 22406 Indian English Literature - Pre Independence :- And I have choose topic is,
(The Ordinary as Extraordinary: R.K. Narayan’s Humanism in An Astrologer’s Day)
🔷 Details of Assignment :
Topic :- The Ordinary as Extraordinary: R.K. Narayan’s Humanism in An Astrologer’s Day
Paper :- Paper No. 201 : 22406 Indian English Literature - Pre Independence
Submitted to :- Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar.
Submission date :- November, 8, 2025
🔷 Table of Contents :
Introduction
Humanism in R. K. Narayan’s Worldview
The Depiction of the Ordinary in An Astrologer’s Day
Moral Irony and Human Frailty: Narayan’s Realism
The Ordinary as Extraordinary: Philosophical Underpinnings
Symbolism and Irony in Narayan’s Storytelling
Cultural Context and Indian Ethos
Narayan’s Humanism Compared to Other Indian Writers
Conclusion
Abstract :
R. K. Narayan, one of the foundational figures of Indian English fiction, turns the ordinary lives of common Indians into extraordinary reflections of human truth. An Astrologer’s Day epitomizes this vision of humanism, where simple individuals become vehicles for profound moral insight. This paper examines how Narayan, through irony, realism, and moral subtlety, transforms everyday existence into a site of revelation. The story’s protagonist, an unnamed astrologer, is not a hero in the conventional sense but represents the fragile complexity of human nature. This essay analyzes Narayan’s narrative technique, his portrayal of Indian ethos, and his humanistic philosophy that finds beauty and significance in the mundane. It further argues that Narayan’s art lies in his ability to evoke empathy for the ordinary and to present the trivial as a reflection of universal human experience.
Keywords :
R. K. Narayan, Indian English Literature, Humanism, Ordinary Life, Irony, Realism, Morality, An Astrologer’s Day, Indian Ethos, Common Man
Aim of Study :
The aim of study this topic is to explore R. K. Narayan’s unique literary vision of elevating the ordinary into the extraordinary through his deep sense of humanism. An Astrologer’s Day provides a perfect lens to understand how Narayan uses simplicity of setting and characters to convey universal truths about guilt, destiny, and forgiveness. The topic also helps in understanding the larger pre-independence cultural landscape of India, where moral and social tensions coexisted with deep-rooted spiritual traditions. This paper intends to demonstrate that Narayan’s humanism does not depend on grandeur but on moral insight, irony, and empathy—qualities that make him one of the most humane storytellers of Indian fiction.
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1. Introduction :
What makes Narayan distinct from other Indian English writers such as Mulk Raj Anand or Raja Rao is his gentle irony and psychological depth. While Anand writes about social injustice and Raja Rao about spiritual metaphysics, Narayan situates truth in the middle of life’s ordinariness. His strength lies not in revolution but in revelation—finding the extraordinary in the routine.
2. Humanism in R. K. Narayan’s Worldview :
In An Astrologer’s Day, the protagonist symbolizes this human complexity. His deception as an astrologer reflects a survival instinct rather than evil intent. When he meets Guru Nayak, his anxiety and relief demonstrate the tension between guilt and redemption. Through such characters, Narayan reflects his belief that human imperfection itself carries dignity.
His humanism echoes the broader Indian philosophical notion of karuna (compassion). The story’s ending—where the astrologer returns home with a sense of peace after deceiving Guru Nayak—is not tragic but profoundly human. It acknowledges that moral truth often resides in compromise rather than perfection.
3. The Depiction of the Ordinary in An Astrologer’s Day :
The story’s charm lies in its ordinariness. Narayan sets the tale in a typical Indian marketplace—no kings, no warriors, no saints. The astrologer’s world is filled with dust, noise, and human chatter. Yet within this humble environment, Narayan unfolds a moral drama.
Through vivid sensory imagery—the “flare of the gas light,” the “crowd moving up and down”—Narayan transforms the mundane into the mythic. The astrologer becomes a modern seer who deals not with cosmic prophecy but with the everyday anxieties of his clients.
As critic P. S. Sundaram observes, “Narayan’s magic is domestic; he shows that the spiritual and the comic coexist in daily life” (The Comic Element in R. K. Narayan’s Fiction, 1979). By doing so, Narayan democratizes literature: he turns common lives into moral fables, giving voice to those who live outside history books.
4. Moral Irony and Human Frailty: Narayan’s Realism :
Narayan’s realism is both ethical and psychological. He often presents irony not as ridicule but as a mode of compassion. The astrologer’s occupation itself is ironic—he claims to read others’ fates but is blind to his own. This situational irony mirrors the human condition: our tendency to interpret life without truly understanding ourselves.
The revelation scene with Guru Nayak encapsulates Narayan’s subtle moral irony. The astrologer’s confession is disguised as prediction, and truth arrives through falsehood. Yet this deception results not in guilt but liberation. Such irony reveals Narayan’s understanding that morality is not always linear—it is a dialogue between conscience and circumstance.
Scholar Shyam Asnani (1988) remarks that “Narayan’s art lies in exposing the comedy of moral weakness without cruelty.” An Astrologer’s Day embodies this ethos—an act of deceit becomes a moment of grace.
5. The Ordinary as Extraordinary: Philosophical Underpinnings :
Narayan’s art is built upon the principle that ordinary life can express profound truth. In Indian aesthetics, the rasa of “shanta” (peace) and “karuna” (compassion) arises not from grandeur but from simplicity. The astrologer’s ordinary routine becomes extraordinary because it encapsulates universal emotions—fear, guilt, and the longing for peace.
This philosophical stance aligns with Gandhian ideals of simplicity and moral introspection that dominated pre-independence India. Narayan’s characters, like Gandhi’s philosophy, reveal that true heroism lies in inner transformation rather than external power.
Critic K. R. Srinivasa Iyengar, in Indian Writing in English (1984), affirms that Narayan’s humanism “elevates the ordinary to the level of the universal; his characters are rooted in Malgudi but resonate with humanity everywhere.” Thus, An Astrologer’s Day becomes a philosophical allegory about self-knowledge disguised as coincidence.
6. Symbolism and Irony in Narayan’s Storytelling :
Narayan’s simplicity conceals a network of symbols. The astrologer’s lamp, the smoke, and the marketplace serve as metaphors for illusion and truth. The dim light symbolizes half-knowledge—neither ignorance nor enlightenment. His costume, with saffron robe and sacred ash, represents the human tendency to hide truth under social roles.
The story’s title itself, “An Astrologer’s Day,” suggests a cycle of deception and revelation compressed within twenty-four hours. This temporal symbol reinforces the transience of moral experience—how one day can transform a life.
The use of irony deepens this symbolism. Guru Nayak, seeking revenge, unknowingly finds closure; the astrologer, living a lie, attains peace. Narayan’s universe thus mirrors the Upanishadic paradox—ignorance can be a form of wisdom when tempered by humility.
7. Cultural Context and Indian Ethos :
Narayan’s fiction reflects a quintessentially Indian worldview. His characters are shaped by the rhythms of tradition, family, and social duty. The astrologer’s profession connects to India’s long tradition of divination and faith in destiny. Yet Narayan presents it with humor and realism, showing how ancient beliefs coexist with modern uncertainties.
Pre-independence India was a time of moral questioning—colonial modernity challenged traditional structures. Narayan captures this tension subtly: the astrologer is a self-made man in a colonial town, surviving by adapting old customs to new realities. This reflects what Meenakshi Mukherjee calls “the middle path of Indian modernity”—neither blind tradition nor radical rebellion (The Twice Born Fiction, 1971).
By locating his story in this cultural middle ground, Narayan humanizes both the oppressor and the oppressed. His India is not political but spiritual—a nation of moral seekers disguised as ordinary citizens.
8. Narayan’s Humanism Compared to Other Indian Writers :
Narayan’s humanism differs from the social radicalism of Mulk Raj Anand and the metaphysical concerns of Raja Rao. Anand’s Untouchable fights for social justice, while Rao’s The Serpent and the Rope explores spiritual quest. Narayan, however, occupies a humane middle ground. He neither preaches nor condemns but observes.
As Graham Greene, his admirer, once said, “Narayan writes of ordinary people who rarely raise their voices but in whom we recognize ourselves.” His restraint makes his work universal.
In An Astrologer’s Day, Narayan neither punishes nor redeems his protagonist fully; he merely allows him to live with his truth. This gentle realism anticipates later Indian English writers such as R. K. Laxman and Ruskin Bond, who also celebrate the smallness of life as its strength.
Thus, Narayan’s contribution to Indian English literature lies in establishing a native idiom of moral subtlety—one that fuses humor with empathy and realism with transcendence.
9. Conclusion :
R. K. Narayan’s An Astrologer’s Day stands as a testament to the power of simplicity. In a few pages, he reveals that the human spirit, despite guilt and deception, seeks peace and meaning. His vision transforms the ordinary life of a street astrologer into a reflection of universal human struggle.
Narayan’s humanism lies not in reform or revolution but in understanding. He teaches us that to be human is to err, to endure, and to hope. His stories remain relevant because they remind us that extraordinary truths are often hidden within ordinary experiences. In an age obsessed with spectacle, Narayan’s quiet storytelling restores faith in the moral depth of everyday life.
References :
An Astrologers Day : R K Narayan : Free download, borrow, and streaming : Internet Archive. (1947b). Internet Archive. Retrieved October 30, 2025, from https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.76639/page/n3/mode/1up
Gadge, N. L. & Smt. Rajkamal B. Tidke Mahavidyalaya, Mouda Dist. Nagpur. (2022). Humanism in the short stories of R. K. Narayan. Retrieved October 30, 2025, from https://ymerdigital.com/uploads/YMER210158.pdf
Narayan, R. K. (n.d.). An Astrologer’s Day. In An Astrologer’s Day and Other stories. https://www.tmv.edu.in/pdf/Distance_education/MA(English)/Indian%20Literature%20in%20English/Ch-8.pdf
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Patel, R. B. & M. A. Parikh Fine Arts & Arts College. (2015). THE DICHOTOMY OF INDIAN ASTROLOGY IN LIGHT OF R.K. NARAYAN’S ‘AN ASTROLOGER’S DAY.’ In Research Scholar. Retrieved October 30, 2025, from https://researchscholar.co.in/downloads/64-ramesh-b.patel.pdf
Srivastava, Avadhesh K., and Sumita Sinha. “THE SHORT FICTION OF R. K. NARAYAN.” Journal of South Asian Literature, vol. 10, no. 1, 1974, pp. 113–19. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40871725. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Umakiran, K. (2020). An Astrologer’s Day -Re-Visited (A Critical Analysis from 21st Century Perspective). In International Journal of Research, International Journal of Research.
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