Another one by RK Narayan. The more I read the more I love his compositions. The English Teacher is a classic that talks about the the life of Krishna, who is an English Teacher at Albert Mission College in Malgudi village. Part of the book also talks about a less prominent topic within the realm of literature, the life after death. Although I don’t support or believe in any such things but the way he has described and envisaged the continuation of life after death is claimed to be inspired by his own experiences that he went through after his wife’s death and beyond. The immutable joy and happiness one can attain, sometimes, goes beyond the mortal limits.
Krishna is quite simple, satisfied and undemanding Teacher who does his job sincerely and honestly. He loves to write poetry in his spare time. After staying few years in college hostel alone, he shifts into a rental house where he is accompanied by his wife Susila and daughter Leela, who were staying away with his parents in law until now. Krishna exhibits all the signs of a responsible husband and father when it comes to run a family. He takes good care of his wife and child both. Krishna and his wife start enjoying their married life together but their bliss was transient. Susila gets typhoid and after several weeks of treatment on one fateful day she passes away. This comes as a shock for Krishna but with each passing day he tries to recover. Yet her belongings and knick knack haunt him in his thought and keep reminding him of her. And then something unusual happens. Krishna’s unspoken love and yearn for his wife, with the help of a holy man, makes him connect and talk to the spirit of his dead wife . This gives him great pleasure and later a sense of satisfaction and achievement too. After few meetings, Subsequently on one fine evening he feels her presence that was quite comforting and reassuring. They meet once again and their joy sees no boundary. Their eternal love goes beyond the boundaries of mortality and a surreal journey begins. The whole plot is quite engaging and entertaining till the end. However the title of book doesn’t justify its content and intent of the author fully, the ability to define the undefined is extra ordinary. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
