A Devoted Son by Anita Desai_Summary, Analysis and Question Answers | Grade 12: English_Section II: Literature | Unit 1 Short Stories

Grade 12: English

Section Two: Literature

Unit 1: Short stories

Lesson 3. A Devoted Son by Anita Desai.

Introduction

Anita Desai, original name Anita Mazumdar, (b. 1937- ) is an Indian novelist, short story writer and the writer of children’s books. As a biracial child born to a German mother and Indian father, Desai was exposed to German, Hindi and English language from her childhood. After completing her B. A. from University of Delhi, Desai began to publish her stories and novels. Her novels Cry, The Peacock (1963), Where Shall We Go this Summer (1975), Fire on the Mountain (1977), Clear Light of the Day (1980), In Custody (1984) Baumgartner’s Bombay (1988), Journey to Ithaca (1995), Feasting, Feasting (1999) and Zigzag Way (2004) received mixed response from the readers. She received Shahitya Academy Award for her novel Fire on the Mountain. Her novel In Custody was adapted into a film in 1993. She published several volumes of short stories including Games at Twilight and Other Stories (1978), Diamond Dust and Other Stories (2000). Two of her Children’s Books The Village and the Sea (1982) and The Artist of Disappearance (2011) became popular among Indian children. ‘The Devoted Son’ is extracted from her collection of stories, The Complete Short Stories.

‘A Devoted Son’ is a realistic story set in a middle-class Indian family in an Indian village. The story shows how parents cherish their ambition towards their children and how a son should fulfill his duty towards the parents.

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Characters

1. Varma: the father works at the kerosene dealer’s depot
2. His wife
3. Rakesh: Varma’s son who becomes a reputed and prosperous surgeon
4. Veena: Rakesh’s wife, a plump and uneducated girl from a village
5. Rakesh’s children

Summary of "A Devoted Son" by Anita Desai:

Anita Desai’s story ‘A Devoted Son’ is a realistic story set in a middle-class Indian family in an Indian village. The story shows how parents cherish their ambition towards their children and how a son should fulfill his duty towards the parents. It is all about the hardship of the parents to materialize their dreams of making their children successful in their life and the duty and devotion that is needed on the part of the children to look after their parents in their old age. It draws a picture of the life of a son, named Rakesh. The son is brought up by his father, starts earning his livelihood and then, dutifully looks after his father. However, crisis develops as his father, whimsical due to age, starts misinterpreting his son’s treatment. The question that the story poses is that how long should a son take care of his father? What should be the extent of his dutifulness and obedience? This is a problem of the modern world caused by the busy life. It becomes difficult to attend to the whims of the elderly people after a days’ hard work. But should the duty and the toleration end? Or should a person remain ever dutiful? Should sacrifices be made on our part or should we continue to be self-centered and move and move our own way. The world has both instances but which is more acceptable?

Rakesh was a son born to illiterate parents. He was the first to receive education in his generation and how well he utilized it. He made his parents proud by publishing his name in the first position for his graduation from a medical college. The neighbours too felt proud as Rakesh stood first though the jealousy factor didn’t cease to exist. Again, he won a scholarship for his further education and it took him to the United States of America. Rakesh spent a lot of time in America finishing his degree. He completed it with ease and had job offers at prestigious US hospitals. Awards he won were sent back to his family for them to keep and admire. It’s Rakesh’s way of keeping in touch with them until he can return home. Although Rakesh loved America and was admired by his colleagues for his aptitude, he loved his family more. He always planned on returning home, and this hadn’t changed. As soon as he had enough experience and money behind him, he returned home with the intention of working in his hometown.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, he married an Indian removing all doubts to marry a foreigner. His devotion towards his parents was proved when he married an uneducated girl of their choice. The girl too was good natured and they were soon blessed with a son. Rakesh’s rise continued and he soon went to the top of the administrative organization, bought a car and thus it was the beginning of his fortune. However, he did not forget his parents and he did take them out in his brand new car. Rakesh was not only devoted but was also good natured. He obeyed his parents, humoured his wife, hosted his friends, and in addition, was an excellent doctor. However, Rakesh’s joyride was short-lived. His mother passed away which also ensured his father’s breakdown. Old age caught up with his father and it was difficult to distinguish between his peevish whims and matters of significance. A birthday party for the youngest son had to be broken up at once, when they discovered that the old man was on the verge of death. The old man, however continued to live much longer thereafter.

Rakesh however, accepted his fate and its twist. He brought his father’s morning tea, read the newspapers and visited his father after returning home from the clinic. All these couldn’t make the father happy and the situation worsened when Rakesh as a father began to supervise his diet. The supervision which included the cutting down on oily, fried stuff, sweets and beetle nut was seen as a sort of disrespect and mal-treatment by his father. The matter was so serious that the old man even went to the extent of complaining to his neighbours. Rakesh couldn’t help but be sterner. He as a doctor believed that strictness was better where his father’s health was concerned. The old man even tried to bribe his grandchildren in order to buy sweets for him which were met with strong reproach (rebuke) from Rakesh.

The father-son relationship began to go haywire (become out of control). The old man began to hate his son and his daughter-in-law. The wife of Rakesh stayed out of trouble tactfully and Rakesh, able to feel every pulse, neglected nothing about his father. He made constant and repeated attempts to make improvement in his father’s mental and physical health. His efforts went in vain. Finally, the situation reaches the final straw. One day when Rakesh offered Varma, the father a new bottle of medicine, he snapped. He snatched the medicine and smashed it to the ground. He yelled at his son and asked him to leave him to suffer alone and in peace.

This is the poignant question that we face, that is, to continue or discontinue the service of a son to his father. This is a matter of both culture and tradition. Old age is also called the second childhood. We are always tender to a child in spite of their naughtiness and undue demands. Similarly, we should treat elderly people the same way. We don’t discard children even if they disturb us. Life is hard and difficult and all of us have our own share of problems. However, the ability to rise above limitation and the skills to tackle our household problems make us better human beings. Patience and sacrifice shape our hallmark. We must make sure that our own maturity and wisdom are not lost and this would help us to be kinder to them. Old age is cyclic and all of us would step into its shoes one day. The remembrance of this fact can wake us up to the reality of this life. Rakesh, in spite of everything else, understood this, which made him stand apart and above from the rest.

Themes of "A Devoted Son" by Anita Desai:

1. Parents ambition towards their children.
2. Duty and responsibility of children towards their parents.
3. Clashes and conflicts in a family because of generation gap.
4. Hardship, dedication, determination, devotion and discipline-the mantra of success.
5. The theme of gratitude, desire, change, longing, choice, freedom, defiance, loyalty, powerlessness and reliance can also be explored in the text.
6. The issue of transfer of roles and responsibilities in a family.

Exercises

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a. How did the morning papers bring ambiance of celebration in the Varma family?

Answer: Rakesh went through the morning paper and found that he stood first in the country just to be graduated from a medical college and it brought ambiance of celebration in the Varma family.

b. How did the community celebrate Rakesh’s success?

Answer: 

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A Devoted Son | Summary, Analysis and Question Answers | Grade 12