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An Astrologer's Day

by R. K. Narayan

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Discussion Topic

The suitability of the title "An Astrologer's Day" for Narayan's story

Summary:

The title "An Astrologer's Day" is suitable for Narayan's story as it encapsulates a significant day in the life of the astrologer. This day not only highlights his daily routine but also brings an unexpected encounter that changes his life, emphasizing the theme of fate and destiny central to the narrative.

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Is the title "An Astrologer's Day" appropriate for the story? Why?

“An Astrologers’s Day” is an appropriate title for R. K. Narayan’s short story, especially because this is a man who lives from day to day. He never knows what is going to happen to him tomorrow, and he never knows how much money he will be able to earn. It seems like a precarious existence, but he may be better off than many of the people who live in India’s big cities. At least he has found a little niche in an incredibly poor environment. Though he sees throngs of people passing by on the path running through the Town Hall Park, and though curious spectators gather around to watch his performance, the people have few coins to spare.

…his eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers, but which his simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted.

On this particular day he starts work “punctually at midday” and doesn’t get home until nearly midnight. He has earned, at considerable risk, a little more than usual. His wife will be able to buy just a little more than the bare necessities to keep the family alive for another day. She tells him:

“I can buy some jiggery and coconut tomorrow. The child has been asking for sweets for so many days now. I will prepare some nice stuff for her.”

The astrologer is philosophical. He doesn’t concern himself with what he might earn tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.

"…why think of it now? Time to sleep,” he said, yawning, and stretched himself on the pyol.

The title is also a good one because the word "Astrologer's" piques our curiosity. People who represents themselves as "psychics," "fortune tellers," "palm readers," and such, are always a little intriguing, even though we are skeptical about them. We have lots of questions we would like to have answered. 

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Why is the title "An Astrologer's Day" suitable for Narayan's story?

One of the characteristics of R. K. Narayan's writing style is subtle and ironic humor. As we follow the astrologer through what he believes is just another day as an astrologer, we find, along with him, that this day is anything but just another day. The title "An Astrologer's Day" reflects both his expectation and the later reality in subtle irony while a "ho hum" day turns into a profound day: an ordinary day becomes his most liberating day. The title also marks him as just "an astrologer," one of no particular significance or import, which is a characterization of him that is critical to how the encounter with his customer works out: the astrologer's anonymity is what allows him to give and gain liberation.

Years earlier, the astrologer--before he adopted the identity of an astrologer--stabbed a man and threw him down a well while leaving him for dead. On this astrologer's day, the victim, who survived, approaches near the astrologer's booth and is recognized by the astrologer, who can't be recognized himself under his long whiskers and astrologers garments and religious markings: he is just an astrologer--just another astrologer. Protected by his anonymity, he tells the customer all the details of his misfortune, then reveals that the criminal who stabbed him is in fact dead himself. He urges the customer to return to his village and remain there to gain long life. Satisfied with word of the death of his assailant, the customer says he has no reason to leave: he is liberated from his desire for revenge and the astrologer is liberated from his guilt and his life-long need to hide.

These points are subtly and ironically foreshadowed in the title. First, the title indicates this is no particular astrologer; ironically, he is a very particular astrologer since he is hiding from the consequences of a murderous crime. Second, his ordinary day turns out to be the second most momentous day of his life: it is the day upon which he is freed from having "the blood of a man" on his hands. Third, this ordinary day is also the day on which he faces his victim and liberates him from his anger and revenge by telling the falsehood that his assailant died a punishing death by being "crushed by a lorry." "An Astrologer's Day" provides the umbrella of irony and subtle humor with which Narayan looks at the human condition in life making it a most suitable title for the story.

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Why do you think the story is called "An Astrologer's Day"?

There seem to be two stories taking place simultaneously in "An Astrologer's Day." One story is about the strange coincidence of the astrologer encountering the man he thought he had killed some years before. But the more important story is the implicit one about the incredibly hard lives of the poor in grossly overpopulated India. It concerns the modern phenomenon of country people moving into the big cities all over the world, and then having to survive from day to day with a few coins collected any way they can. The astrologer has a good day financially, but he really only brings home enough money for food and a little extra treat for his daughter. He is dealing in coins comparable to our pennies. The passers-by don't have any money. If they weren't so poor they wouldn't be passing their leisure time just walking in a public park and stopping to gape at any sideshow along the way. The astrologer's so-called "professional equipment" is paltry and tawdry. He may have acquired it from another astrologer who gave up the struggle--or died of starvation. The astrologer has plenty of onlookers, but these poor, simple people would stop and look at almost anything out of curiosity.

...and his eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers.

He is surrounded by men, women and children, and there is an endless stream of others passing by--yet he is continually searching for a single customer in the throng.

Narayan titled his story "An Astrologer's Day" in order to suggest that life was a continual struggle for this one man, just as it is for countless millions crowding into the big cities. Tonight and tomorrow the astrologer and his family will eat because he has managed to collect a few coins. But there will be other days in which the little family may go hungry. And what if it rains? He will worry about that tomorrow. The story ends on a note which shows that the protagonist is philosophical about existence. At least he has managed to find his own little exclusive niche in this cruel world.

"Time to sleep," he said, yawning, and stretched himself on the pyol.

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