A Devoted Son – By Anita Desai

Read Time:14 Minute, 15 Second

About Author

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) adding these Baumgartner’s Bombay (1988), Journey to Ithaca Gouvernail (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.

Main Characters

1. Rakesh: Main character, devoted son, responsible doctor

2. Veena: Rakesh’s wife

3. Mr. Varma: Rakesh’s father, Kerosene seller

4. Varma’s wife

5. Mr. Bhatia: Next door neighbor and best friend of Mr. Varma

Summary

‘A Devoted Son’ is story written by Anita Desai. She is an Indian novelist, short story writer and the writer of children’s books. ‘A Devoted Son’ is a realistic story set in a middle-class Indian family in an Indian village. The story shows how parents cherish (love) their ambition towards their children and how a son should fulfill his duty towards the parents.

This story has been narrated by a third person narrator. This story is based on the life of a doctor whose name is Dr. Rakesh. He is the main character of the story. He belonged to poor family background. His grandparents were vegetable vendors (a trader in the street). His father spent forty years in a kerosene depot (store) working so hard. His mother was a house wife. She spent her entire time looking after her family members and kitchen tasks. They had a small yellow coloured house at the end of the road. Rakesh’s parents were uneducated so they wanted to make their son educated.

The story starts with news of his success in the medical examination which was published in the newspaper. Rakesh passed his medical exam with the highest marks in the country. He touched his father’s feet and informed to his father about his achievement. The neighbours came to Rakesh’s house and congratulated him with gifts. The result of Rakesh brought a kind of happiness to all. They all celebrated the occasion as a festival. Later on, Rakesh wrote a thesis for his MD and won a scholarship through his thesis and got a chance for his further study in the USA. Varma never said the country’s name America. He only learnt to say ‘The USA’. He also asked all his family members to say ‘The USA’.

Varma informed about his son’s achievement to everyone. Most of the neighbours congratulated Varma and wished ‘Good Luck’ to his son for his fürther study. Some of the neighbours were worried about rakesh thinking that he would forget his motherland. Rakesh successfully completed his medical degree in the USA and even got a reputed job in an American hospital. He used to send his awards o his home all the time. In this way, he was in touch with his family members. He was admired for his aptitude (a natural ability to do something) by his colleagues. He liked America so much and he was also offered a position at one of America’s most prestigious hospitals. But he refused that job because he wanted to serve his parents and his country. He planned to come back to his homeland because his family was his priority. He loved his family more than anything else. So after gaining much experience and money, he returned to his homeland hoping to work there.

Varma’s family was sad to find Rakesh at home in India because they wanted him to be settled in America. When Rakesh returned to India, he married a village uneducated girl. He married an uneducated girl against his parents’ will but they didn’t object him. Rakesh’s mother was surprised to find his son not marrying a foreign girl. After marriage, Rakesh started to work in city hospital. He tried his best to bring changes in the working hospital. Sooner, he got a promotion and got the position of director in that hospital. He also became the father of son. After working some years in city hospital, he left that hospital and started his own clinic. He became the richest doctor in town. He had always respect towards his family. His father grew old and got retirement from kerosene dealer’s depot. After some time, Rakesh’s mother died. Rakesh and his father became so sad. Varma was heavily affected by his wife’s death. Although Rakesh was so busy, he tried his best to take care of his father by providing him every need. But his father, Varma fell ill frequently. Varma was quite happy and satisfied when his wife was alive. But after wife’s death, he found himself alone suffered from depression. He started doing unusual activities. He felt broken into pieces. Once there was the birthday party of Rakesh’s youngest son. But he postponed that party and thought to organize only after his father’s health recover. He provided his father good medical treatment. In this way, Rakesh cared his father being a devoted son. As a good son, he used to provide his father morning tea. He used to read newspaper for his father. He suggested his father to come out of his room and take fresh air in the garden outside.

Once Varma ordered soojie halwa to his daughter-in-law Veena and ate. Then he became quite ill. After that Rakesh prohibited halwa, oily and unhealthy food items for his father. His favourite food items were gradually decreased. He was provided much boiled foodstuffs. Varma got irritated with his son because Rakesh prohibited his favourite food items. Varma started to eat sweet items with the help of his grandson. He used to give bribes to his grandchild for jalebis (an Indian sweet). Rakesh was worried due to his father’s such behaviour. In this way, tension aroused between son and father. Varma became quite fed up with both Rakesh and his wife because they banned his favourite food items. He blamed Rakesh and his wife. He directly said that he didn’t like them. He begged Rakesh to let him die. He further said that he didn’t like to be alive being dependent only on medicine. He cried loudly and broke the bottles of medicine. But Rakesh never forgot his devotion towards his father. After seeing the troubling behaviour of father, Rakesh reached a state of choosing options whether to stay devoted or leave his father on such condition. But Rakesh chose to care his father being a devoted son. Although he couldn’t make his father completely fine, he kept on caring his father being a devoted son. He didn’t leave his devotion towards his father till the end. Every time he thought about his father’s health. Finally, Varma closed his eyes and pointed his chin at the ceiling like some prophet (fortune teller) groaning “God is calling me – let me go.” The story ended when his father died. Here, the main message of the writer is that we may also have that situation like Rakesh; but in such condition we should forget to respect and care or elders. We should try to devote our service towards them as they cared for us once.

Understanding the Text

Answer the Following Questions

1) How did the morning papers bring ambiance (atmosphere) of celebration in the Varma family?

Ans: The morning papers showed the result of Rakesh who passed his medical exam with the highest marks in the country. So, the morning papers brought ambiance (atmosphere) of celebration in the Varma family.

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

Ans: The community people celebrated Rakesh’s success by congratulating Rakesh and his parents. They slapped Rakesh on the back and filled the house and garden with the sounds and colours of a festival. They also brought different types of gifts like clothes, watches, fountain pens etc.

3. Why was Rakesh’s success a special matter of discussion in the neighbourhood?

Ans: Rakesh had passed his medical exam with the highest marks in the country. In Verma’s family, no one was educated. He was the first in the family to receive an education. His parents had sacrificed much to send him to school. The fruits of his parents’ sacrifice had arrived because he had achieved success in the medical field and made his family proud of him. So, Rakesh’s success was a special matter of discussion in the neighbourhood.

4. How does the author make fun with the words ‘America’ and ‘the USA’?

Ans: According to Varma, “The USA’ is a prestigious word rather than America. He says that “The USA’ is a dream country and career developing country for many students. But America is just a common nation like Nepal, India. he said that America is the term to be called by his ignorant neighbours. So he also suggests to his family members to say ‘The USA’ instead of America. In this way, the author makes fun with the words ‘America’ and ‘the USA’ by connecting them with Varma’s nature.

5. How does the author characterize Rakesh’s wife?

Ans: The author characterizes Rakesh’s wife as an old-fashioned and uneducated rural woman. She is good-natured, pretty and silent woman who is devoted to her family.

6. Describe how Rakesh rises in his career.

Ans: When Rakesh returns to India, he marries a village uneducated girl. After marriage, Rakesh starts to work in city hospital. He tries his best to bring changes in the working hospital. Sooner, he is promoted and gets the position of director in that hospital. After working some years in city hospital, he leaves that hospital and starts his own clinic. He buys a car, and is well known as a best doctor everywhere. He also becomes the richest doctor in the town. In this way, Rakesh rises his career.

7. How does the author describe Rakesh’s family background?

Ans: The author describes Rakesh’s family background as a man born in poor and illiterate family. His father works in kerosene depot and his mother is a housewife. His grandparents are vegetable sellers.

8. What is the impact of Rakesh’s mother’s death on his father?

Ans: Rakesh’s father is heavily affected due to his wife’s death. He is very sad and depressed with the death of his wife. He is mournful. He becomes weak and ill with such mysterious disease named a peevish whim (sudden irritation in mind).

9. What did Rakesh do to make his father’s old age more comfortable?

Ans: Rakesh himself used to provide morning tea to his father in the old man’s favourite brass glass, and sat very near to him on his bed. He also read the morning news for his father. Similarly he helped his father to get out of bed and took him outside under the stars in the middle of the night. He also forbade some items of food or his father for long life and better health. In this way, Rakesh was making his father’s old age more comfortable.

11. Why did the old man try to bribe his grandchildren?

Ans: The old man was forbidden to eat his favourite sweets by his son, Rakesh since he was suffered from disease. So the old man bribed his grandchildren to buy sweets like jalebis for him.

12. Are Mr. Varma’s complaints about his diets reasonable? How?

I don’t think that the Mr. Varma’s complaints about his diets are reasonable. His son had made a diet plan for him so that he could live a healthy life. Rakesh being a responsible son and a doctor too, can’t allow his father to risk his life eating unnecessary foods and sweets. Rakesh did so because he didn’t what to lose his father as he had already lost his mother. Thus the Mr. Varma’s complaints about his diet aren’t reasonable.

Reference to the context

1. How did the Varma couple make sacrifices for their son’s higher education?

Ans: The Verma couple sacrificed a lot for their son’s higher education. They were from a poor economic background. They wanted to make their son educated and finally doctor since they were illiterate. Rakesh’s father, Mr. Varma, worked hard in a kerosene dealer and his mother in the kitchen. In this way, they made sacrifice by investing their life, time and money they earned for their son’s higher education and finally Rakesh became a renowned doctor.

2. 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.

Ans: Mr. Varma suffered from diseases one after another after his wife’s death. I think he might have suffered from diseases due to his wife’s death because his wife’s death heavily affected him. He found himself alone and suffered from depression. He felt broken into pieces. If his wife had not died, he might have enjoyed his life and might not have suffered from disease. He thought most of the time about his life partner which led him into the world of grief.

3. 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?

Ans: 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 spite of his duties and responsibilities as a doctor, Rakesh has devoted himself to take care of his father. In my views, he could have provided emotional support to his father. He wouldn’t have been so strict while providing food to his father. He used to speak loudly and said “no butter”, “no oil”, ” no more bread”. Instead of speaking loudly, he would have been more polite and respectful in his behaviour with his father in the final years. He could have convinced his father not to eat sweets. He should have given more time to his father.

4. What does the story say about the relationship between grandfather and grandchildren?

Ans: Desai’s story “A Devoted Son” shows loving companionship between grandfather and grandchildren. There is an unbreakable bond between them. Having a close relation, once the grandfather tried to bribe his grandchildren to bring Jalebis for him. He used the innocence and mean nature of a small kid for his own benefit. Though he loved his grandchildren very much but due to his meanness he tried to show his grandson the wrong path. For that reason, the relationship between grandfather and grandchildren was found to be innocent, tricky, trusty and bonding in the story

5. Do you call Rakesh a devoted son? Give reasons.

Ans: Yes, I call Rakesh a devoted son because in spite of his duties and responsibilities as a doctor, Rakesh has devoted himself to take care of his father until his father’s death. Rakesh was also offered a position at one of America’s most prestigious hospitals. But he refused that job and returned to India because he wanted to serve his parents. After mother’s death, his father was heavily affected and suffered from depression. His father used to do unusual activities. But he tried his best to take care of his father by providing him every need. As a devoted son, he used to provide his father morning tea. He used to read newspaper for his father. He suggested his father to come out of his room and take fresh air in the garden outside. When Rakesh banned his father’s favourite food items, he directly said that he didn’t like Rakesh and his wife. But Rakesh never went back from his duties and responsibilities as a devoted son. As a doctor, he was busy but he cared his father. He was very kind and lovable to his parents. He was conscious about father’s health. So, I call Rakesh a devoted son.