Summary of “Father’s Help”

About the author (RK Narayan)

RK Narayan is a prominent Indian writer known for his early works in English literature, including “Malgudi Days” and “The Guide.” He was awarded the Sahitya Academy Award in 1958 for “The Guide”. The story “Malgudi Days” focuses on a young boy named Swaminathan who initially does not want to attend school, but his father forces him to do so. Through a series of events, Swami’s opinions about his teacher, Samuel, change significantly.

(70 Words)

Introduction of the story (Father’s Help)

In the story “Father’s Help” by R.K. Narayan, a young boy named Swaminathan tries to avoid going to school, but his father forces him to go. Swami is unhappy with his strict teacher Samuel, and his father decides to write a letter to the headmaster about him. Swami is left feeling guilty and conflicted about his negative feelings towards Samuel.

(50 Words)

Summary of the story Unitwise

Unit 1: Swami, lying in bed on Monday morning, wishes he didn’t have to go to school. He pretends to have a headache, and his mother suggests he stay home. However, his strict father insists that he goes to school. Swami tries to avoid going by saying it’s too late to attend class and that his teacher, Samuel, is very strict and angry, especially with latecomers. Despite his excuses, Swami’s father remains firm, telling him to go to school anyway.

(80 words)

Unit 2: Swami hopes his father will let him stay home, but instead, his father writes a letter for Swami to give to the headmaster, complaining about Samuel. Swami feels guilty as he goes to school, worried that he might have exaggerated about Samuel. He recalls how Samuel has been friendly and kind to him in the past. This makes Swami feel even more confused and sad, unsure if Samuel truly deserves the complaints written in the letter by his father.

(80 words)

Unit 3: Swami decides to give the letter to the headmaster at the end of the day, hoping Samuel might do something to justify the complaints. However, Samuel is surprisingly kind and gentle during class, which makes Swami feel worse. When Swami finally goes to deliver the letter, he finds out the headmaster is on leave. He returns home with the letter, and his father, realizing Swami didn’t deliver it, tears it up. Father warns Swami not to ask for help again if Samuel scolds him.

(80 words)

Summary of the story (Father’s Help)

Swami did not want to go to school on Monday and pretended to have a headache. His mother allowed him to stay home, but his father did not believe him. When Swami mentioned that his teacher, Samuel, was very strict, his father wrote a complaint letter to the headmaster and told Swami to give it to him.

When he reached class, Samuel was kind and did not scold him, even though he was late and had not done his homework. This made Swami feel even worse about the letter. Swami felt guilty. He started thinking that Samuel was not a bad teacher.

After school, Swami went to the headmaster’s office, but it was locked because the headmaster was on leave. He returned home, and his father got angry, tore up the letter, and told Swami never to ask for help again. Swami was relieved that he did not have to give the letter but also felt ashamed for what he had done.

(180 Words)

Characters of the story (Father’s Help)

1. Swami (Swaminathan): Swami is a schoolboy who tries to avoid going to school by pretending to have a headache. He tells lies about his teacher Samuel being very strict. Later, he feels guilty because Samuel is actually kind to him. Swami learns that lying can cause problems and regret.
2. Mother: Swami’s mother is kind and caring. She believes Swami when he says he has a headache and allows him to stay at home. Unlike Swami’s father, she is more gentle and does not force him to go to school. Her role is small in the story, but she shows a softer, more understanding side of parenting.
3. Father: Swami’s father is a strict and disciplined man. He does not believe Swami’s excuses and insists that he must go to school. When Swami complains about his teacher, he immediately writes a letter to the headmaster, showing his serious and firm nature. However, he also gets angry when Swami fails to deliver the letter and punishes him by tearing it up.
4. Samuel: Samuel is a teacher at Swami’s school. Swami describes him as a strict and angry man, but in reality, Samuel is calm and patient. Even when Swami comes late to class and does not complete his homework, he does not get angry. This shows that Samuel is actually a kind and understanding teacher, making Swami regret his lies.
5. Headmaster: The headmaster is mentioned briefly, as Swami contemplates delivering the letter to him, but Swami later discovers that the headmaster is on leave.

Theme of the story (Father’s Help)

The main theme of “Father’s Help” is honesty and its consequences. Swami lies about having a headache to avoid school and falsely accuses his teacher, Samuel, of being harsh. However, when he meets Samuel, he realizes his mistake and feels guilty. The story teaches that dishonesty can lead to unnecessary problems and regret. It also highlights how assumptions about others can be wrong. Swami learns that telling lies can create trouble, and honesty is always the best policy.

(80 Words)

Word Nest (Father’s Help)