A Devoted Son
 |
| Anita Desai (1937 - ) |
Devoted – having great love for somebody/something and being loyal to them (Oxford Advanced Dictionary 9th Edition)
Devoted Son – the son who has great love to his parents, i. e. father and mother. A loving son. The one who sacrifices for sake of the parents. He is all-loving and caring, and affectionate to his parents.
Setting
A typical Indian house with Verandah and a garden in a village.
Shabby little colony (as they call it) / The small yellow house at the end of the road, at the edge of the city
Characters
Rakesh (Protagonist)
Rakesh is very talented Indian boy having exemplary filial behaviour. He is a devoted son of Varma and miraculously good-natured man. After checking the result in the morning papers, he went to his father, bowed down and touched his feet. He stood first in the country. It was greater achievement than his father had expected. The result brought fame and glory in the family. It opened the door to fortune. The thesis he wrote for his M.D. brought him still greater glory. He won a scholarship and went to the USA where he pursued his career in the most prestigious of all hospitals and won encomiums for his American colleagues. He returned to his yellow shabby house. His parents were happy to learn that he hadn’t married in America. He married his mother’s childhood friend’s daughter, a plump and uneducated girl. Rakesh worked in the city hospital and soon rose to the top of the administrative organization and was made a director he left to set up his own clinic. Soon after opening his own clinic, he became the richest doctor in the city. Despite his busy schedule, he manages time for old father and also for the family. Having retired from work and having lost his wife, there had been terrible change in Varma’s attitude towards his son. He started making frequent complains about his son and his family. But Rakesh’s love towards his father didn’t decrease. He is an epitome of loving and caring son who is deserving for the title ‘A Devoted Son’.
Varma
Rakesh’s father who sacrifices entire life for his son’s education and now very of proud of his son. He worked at the kerosene dealer’s depot for forty years. In the beginning of the story, he appears at the Veranda sipping his morning tea. His expectation becomes obvious when he says “At first division, son?” but his son’s result was better than his expectation. He proudly talked to the people gathered in the celebration about his son’s act of touching his feet after checking the result. Varma’s satisfaction and glory earned by Rakesh’s success and admirable attitude primarily towards parents didn’t sustain until his last breath. Having retired from work and having lost his wife, he started misunderstanding his son and the family. He frequently developed complaints and expressed his dissatisfaction even in front of the outsiders, despite his son’s unconditional love. He fell ill so frequently with mysterious diseases. He sat huddled on his string bed most of the day and developed an extremely annoying habit. He didn’t like being banned food that he liked most but worse for his health.
Dealing with the plot
· Rakesh received the result in the morning papers and went up the steps to the Verandah where his father sat sipping his morning tea and bowed down to touch his feet.
· His name was at the top of the list. It means he became first in the country. It was higher than his father’s expectation, i. e. first division. The fruits of their sacrifice had arrived golden and glorious.
· There had been a huge celebration in the presence of whole community. Rakesh’s success/achievement was glorified. He was admired. Parents were congratulated. Singing, dancing, eating, people in party clothes and gifts and garlands and colour reflect the atmosphere of happiness, proud and nerves and temper.
· Leaving the house after attending party some women expressed their dissatisfaction about not serving proper food. From their talk, readers came to know that Varma’s father used to sell vegetables in the market.
· His M. D. thesis brought Rakesh still greater glory. He won scholarship and went to the USA where he pursued his career in the most prestigious of all hospitals.
· He returned to that small yellow house (they call it a shabby colony), right at the end of the road. He first bowed down and touched his father’s feet (beautiful portrayal of typical eastern culture)
· Married a pretty and an uneducated village girl, his mother’s childhood friend’s daughter.
· Rakesh worked in the city hospital, quickly becoming a director.
· He opened his own clinic. He became the best and the richest doctor in the city.
· At the time he set up his clinic his father grown into an old man and retired from his post at the kerosene dealer’s depot at which he worked for forty years. He ministered his mother’s last illness; he took care of her but she died.
· His mother’s death left a terrible impact on his father’s health. He developed irritable habits, started complaining his son and fell ill frequently. He turned into a disabled, annoying old man.
· There had been a big party, a birthday party for the youngest son but the celebration had to be hushed, covered up and hustled out of the way when the daughter-in-law discovered that the old man stretched out from end to end of his string bed had lost his pulse – the party dissolved.
· Rakesh brought him morning tea in the old man’s favourite tumbler. He sat at the edge of his bed, helped his father wear clothes comfortably. He talked to his father, read out newspaper to him, though the old man did not care it. All he has done was to make his father feel comfortable.
· Having returned from the clinic, Rakesh persuaded his father come out of his room and helped him step down to the open garden for fresh evening air.
· Rakesh was strict in his father’s diet, he banned haluwa, fried fish and the food (such as jalebis) that was risky to the old man’s poor health.
· Rakesh could not make his father trust him for he was doing everything for his father’s comfortable old age and long life.
· The old man tried to bribe his grandchildren into buying him sweets. For this, he asks his grandson to run to the shop and buy him thirty paisa worth of jalebis and remaining twenty paisa to be spent for himself.
· Having been annoyed by his father’s deed, Rakesh shouted at him and blamed him making his son a liar. He explained why he banned sweets from markets – it was because such food is prone to diseases like typhoid, gastroenteritis, cholera and so on.
· A next-door elderly man, Bhatia was still energetic and lively occasionally, visited him. His other contemporaries were too old to visit him.
· One day Bhatia comes and expresses his belief that Varma, at least, has a doctor to look after him but Varma discloses his dissatisfaction. He says that Rakesh does not even give him enough food to eat. He shares with Bhatia everything what he is not satisfied with.
· Varma keeps lying like a corpse; making complaints and expressing his dissatisfaction. He even rejected the tonic that his son had brought to make him feel better.
· The end of the story presents him lying on his back with eyes closed and his chin pointed at the ceiling, groaning “God is calling me – now let me go”.
Understanding the text
a. How did the morning papers bring ambiance of celebration in the Verma family?
The morning papers brought the ambiance of celebration in the Verma family for it contained the result that showed Rakesh was the first in the country. After checking the result, Rakesh went up to the steps to the Verandah where his father sat sipping his morning tea and bowed down to touch his feet. He handed over the papers to his father. Cheering the success, there has been a huge celebration accompanied by singing, dancing, eating, congratulating, and so on. This moment is foreshadowed with the mention of the morning papers in the very beginning.
b. How did the community celebrate Rakesh’s success?
Everyone in the community gathered at Verma’s small yellow house to congratulate the parents. The house and garden filled with the sounds and colours of a festival. They came with garlands and slapped Rakesh on his back to cheer his success. The abundance of ‘halwa’, people in party clothes and with gifts created the atmosphere of a huge celebration. One could read nerves and temper, and joy and excitement at their faces. Rakesh was glorified and most admired.
c. Why was Rakesh’s success a special matter of discussion in the neighbourhood?
Rakesh’ success was a special matter of discussion in the neighbourhood because he was not only a boy of outstanding quality regarding his education but also an epitome of the son as every parent expects. His parents’ sacrifice is well understood when he bowed down and touched his father’s feet after he checked his result in the morning papers. Verma’s neighbours were moved and dazzled by Rakesh’s correct and polite behaviour in the family and also in the society. He didn’t only kiss the success but also offered his father the credit of his glorious achievement.
d. How does the author make fun with the words ‘America’ and ‘the USA’?
The author makes fun with the words ‘America’ and ‘the USA’ by implying Verma’s ignorance about these words. What Verma thinks is that USA is more prestigious and familiar than America. For him, ‘America’ is the word used only by the ignorant neighbours. To that end, he taught the whole family to call ‘the USA’.
e. How does the author characterize Rakesh’s wife?
The author characterized Rakesh’s wife as really pretty, a plump and uneducated girl. She is presented as so old-fashioned, so placid (not easily excited and irritated), so complaisant the she slips into the household and settles like a charm, seemingly too lazy and too good-natured to even make Rakesh leave home and settles independently. She is characterized as a perfect village girl who is not dynamic enough for a modern man.
f. Describe how Rakesh rises in his career.
He perused his career in the most prestigious of all hospitals in America. He received great appreciation from his American colleagues. Returning his own homeland, Rakesh worked in the city hospital, quickly rising to the top of the administrative organization. He was appointed as a director before he left to set up his own clinic. Working hard and honestly in his own clinic, he became the best and the richest doctor in the town.
g. How does the author describe Rakesh’s family background?
The author shows Rakesh’s poor family background in the story. He was born to an illiterate middle-class Indian family in an Indian village. His grandfather was a vegetable seller and his father worked at a kerosene dealer’s depot for forty years. And his mother spent her entire life doing household works. Rakesh was the first to receive education in his family. Although his parents well not well-educated, they were good cultured. Rakesh seemed to have learnt perfect culture of a middle class family.
h. What is impact of Rakesh’s mother’s death on his father?
The impact of Rakesh’s mother’s death on his father appears to be devastating. He suffered a peevish whim which turned him into an irritable and a sickly old man. He developed so many complaints against his loving son and fell ill so frequently. He became a victim of such mysterious diseases that even his son couldn’t diagnose and offer proper treatment. His wife’s death and his retirement from work together snatched his entire satisfaction.
i. What did Rakesh do to make his father’s old age more comfortable?
Rakesh did everything he could to make his father’s old age more comfortable. Despite his busy schedule he managed enough time to relax and take care of his father. He brought morning tea for his father in the brass tumbler. He supported his father to wear his clothes comfortably. He talked to his father and read news to him though the father did not respond. On returning from the clinic in the evening, Rakesh helped his father down the steps to the garden for open air and onto the bed, soothing him and settling him down for a night under the stars.
j. Why did the old man try to bribe his grandchildren?
The old man tried to bribe his grandchildren to get prohibited food by his son for it was harmful to his health. He bribed his grandson to get jalebis asking the little boy to run down to the shop to buy him thirty paisa worth of jalebis and offering the child remaining twenty paisa. Rakesh banned jalebis from the bazaar for it was not safe, but it was risky to his father’s poor health condition. Such food is not hygienic, but the old man liked it. Knowing that he was not allowed to have this food, he tried to bribe his own grandchildren.
k. Are Mr. Verma’s complaints about his diet reasonable? How?
Yes, Mr. Verma’s complaints about his diet reasonable to some extent. Mr. Verma is in his second childhood when one becomes more emotional than rational and also loses some sort of sense. Old people’s body often demands food which he/she can’t digest. So is the case of Verma in this story. Rakesh banned him eating haluwa, fried fish and sweets such as jalebis for his comfortable old age and long life. But he misunderstands his son as not becoming generous enough to him. His misunderstanding is not the result of his ill motive but it is merely the result of his ignorance. Such traits of old people must be justified in the sensible world of the youths.
Reference to the context
a. How did Varma couple make sacrifices for their son’s higher education?
Varma couple worked hard throughout their life for their son’ education. Varma worked at the kerosene dealer’s depot for forty years and his wife spent her entire life in a kitchen being trapped into the boundary of a traditional housewife. Their struggle was to brighten their son’s future. Growing up as a son of vegetable seller, Varma never experienced school education. His son, Rakesh was the first to receive an education, so much had been sacrificed in order to send him to school and then medical college. Ultimately, the fruits of their sacrifice had arrived, golden and glorious. The couple never enjoyed a carefree life for they were committed themselves to educate their son. They entertained sweating for their son’s education. Only aim of that illiterate couple was to find satisfaction within the fame and fortune resided in the success of their son. Thus, their sacrifice for their son’s higher education is remarkable.
b. Mr. Varma suffers from diseases one after another after his wife’s death. Would he have enjoyed better health if she had not died before him? Give reasons.
Human’s fortune is not predictable. No one can make sure what happens when, but from the description of grief-stricken Varma after his wife’s death has an apparent indication that shows her demise left a terrible impact on him. He might have enjoyed better health if she was alive and accompanied him. Having retired from job and having lost his wife, old Varma very quickly went into a turmoil and developed an irritable habit which did not allow him to enjoy his son’s remarkable care and unconditional love. He frequently fell ill and became victim of such mysterious diseases that even his son could no longer make out when it was something of significance and when it was merely a peevish whim. Days passed, his health and his habit got worse in the same proportion. Whatever Rakesh did for the improvement was all in vain. His most annoying habits worsened his poor health which needed special care, love and affection and satisfaction and happiness. It is true that wife is the nearest one with whom a husband can share his every type of inner feeling. Accompaniment of his wife might work as a soothing capsule in his old age.
c. Dr. Rakesh is divided between a doctor and a son. As a son, he loves his father and worries about his weakening health but as a doctor he is strict on his father’s diet and medicine. In your view, what else could Rakesh have done to make his father’s final years more comfortable?
Sure, he is divided between a doctor and a son by his role but his mind never gets divided regarding his love towards his father. What he could have done for his father’s comfort was that he could treat him psychologically too. Medical treatment and psychological treatment should go side by side for the long life of a patient. His style of being strict must have been different from it is described in the story. The old man lived in the midst of medical abundance but his spiritual illness remained untouched and unchecked. When Varma tried to bribe his grandson, Rakesh shouted at him. It wasn’t because of his hatred to his father but it was due to irritation caused by his father’s habit. He restricted his father only to a reasonable diet. Prohibition of his father’s favourite food and the way he tried to control him had negative impact on his father. This unintended impact of Rakesh’s act made elderly Varma’s olde age even worse. To conclude, Rakesh got failure for choosing appropriate method to treat his elderly father. He couldn’t sustain spiritual relation that they had in the past.
d. What does the story say about the relationship between grandfather and grand children?
The relation between grandfather and grandchildren is very close and intimate. It is friendly and also like the mere relation between children. Varma’s act of bribing his grandson is an exact example of childish behaviour. This proves that old age is the second childhood; free of responsibility, making a lie, having feelings of being controlled, unaware of risks regarding food and also not sensible enough. The relation between the elderly man and the children is closer than that is between son and daughter in-law. This best exemplifies the relation between members in a joint family in the eastern world. This is because members who live in the house in such are either children or elderly people or both. Adults normally leave home for their job and some sort of outdoor work.
The relation between grandfather and grandchildren in this story is a beautiful portrayal of typical lifestyle entertaining joint family in the eastern culture. Elderly people, when become weak and free of responsibility seem somehow cunning and the children are, by nature, innocent who can even be misused. In fact, the relation between grandfather and grandchildren is beautiful blend of real childhood and second childhood that everyone goes through in the journey of life.
e. Do you call Rakesh a devoted son?
Rakesh is an epitome of a devoted son for he presents unconditional love to his parents. Despite his busy schedule he manages enough time for his elderly parents. He kept pressing his mother’s leg until her last breath. He is so lucky that he gets an opportunity to take care his parents and minister their last illness. He tries his best to make his father’s old age comfortable. He does everything for his father’s comfort and long life. He is not only loving and caring but also obedient and sensible enough to their parents’ spirit. This is evident when he returned home unmarried from America and married an uneducated village girl chosen by his mother. By his act of touching his father’s feet after he gets result in the morning papers one, can easily notice that he offers his father the credit of his success.
Rakesh is an exact representation of a devoted son for he is an affectionate and a caring son. He is in the role of a doctor and also in the role of a son. This obligatory dual role invites some sort cloud in between the father-son relation. Though there is misunderstanding between son and father in the final years of Varma, there is not any indication of selfishness and ill motive on the part of the son. The misunderstanding was only due to the failure of getting his son’s actual intention by weakening mind of elderly Varma and the way Rakesh tried to manage appropriate diet for his poor health. Despite his father’s rejection, Rakesh continued offering him proper treatment until his last his breath.
Moral of the story
Son or daughter must be devoted to his/her parents. Showing great love and proper care to the parents, one can achieve the title of a devoted son/daughter. Elderly people can be more irritating because old age is the second childhood. Only a devoted son/daughter poses power to understand parents in their old age. Despite being complained, one has to continue caring his/her parents. Whatever public guesses and makes gossip, one has to be busy caring his/her old and weak parents who are like the setting sun.
