XII Prose 1.1 An Astrologer's Day by R.K.Narayan Ice Breakers and Brainstorming activities

PROSE 1.1. An Astrologer's Day by R. K. Narayan     Prepared by Mrs. Premjit Sunil Gatigante

Shriniwas Bagarka Junior College, Andheri East, Mumbai 400 059

List of Difficult Words:
cowrie shells: shells like conch usually used by children
mystic: having a spiritual or symbolic meaning not easy to understand
palmyra: palm leaf
equipment: tools, supplies
resplendent: glittering, shining brilliantly
obscure: mysterious, enigmatic
enhanced: improved
whiskers: hair growth on the sides of man‟s face
enchantment: powers of magic, conjuration
streamed: hung in a loose, flowing manner
halfwit: a stupid, foolish person
cosmos: plant with white, pink or purple flowers
flanked: beside, placed next to something
junk: useless or discarded material
vociferousness: noisiness, loud
dally: pass time in an idle or aimless manner
transact: conduct or carry out business
flare: bright blaze of fire used light
criss-cross- having many crossing lines, intersecting each other
tangles: complications, complexities
endeared: adored
perception: insight, exceptional power of understanding
disposed: inclined, willing
impetuous: acting quickly, usually with little thought, hasty or impulsive
regretfully: feeling sorry about, lament
forbidding: threatening, hostile, unfriendly
incantations: chanting, conjuration or spell
paraphernalia: articles needed for a particular activity, belongings
careworn: worried, burdened
piqued: hurt, offended
gasped: catch one‟s breath
bluff: lie, deceive
babble: confusion of sounds, talk nonsense
disgorge: surrender, pour out
haggle: bargain in a petty, quarrelsome manner
(to have the) blood of man on one’s hands: to kill/murder someone.

Brief Outline :-
An Astrologer‟s Day is an interesting story of a man who shrewdly tries to dupe people and 
escape from his guilt. The story not only exposes the fake astrologer but also highlights the 
gullible and superstitious people who approach him. 
 The surrounding darkness seems to offer a refuge to the astrologer. There is an unexpected 
twist in the tale with the arrival of Guru Nayak on the scene. Gradually the mystery that is 
hidden in the darkness is unveiled by his questions. Guru Nayak challenges the astrologer's 
knowledge. He refuses to go away without getting a satisfactory answer to his questions. 
However, the astrologer who is at his wit's end now decides to face the situation. He displays 
accurate knowledge about Guru Nayak's past and is successful in convincing him. In answering 
the question of Guru Nayak, the astrologer has not only deceived him but also saved himself from his own fate. The author superbly evokes the atmosphere of suspense and irony in the story. The story reveals how appearances are often deceptive. It shows the witty astrologer's encounter and escape from his former enemy. 

1.1 An Astrologer’s Day(Title)
 
THE TITLE CREATES CURIOSITY IN THE MIND OF THE READER ABOUT ASTROLOGY AND ASTROLOGER’S LIFE. IT ALSO CREATES INTEREST IN READING TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THAT PARTICULAR DAY OF THE ASTROLOGER IN THE STORY.THESE ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN ARTISTICALLY INTERWOVEN IN THE STORY BY THE AUTHOR, MAKING IT AN INTERESTING READ, THRILLER, SUSPENSE SHORT STORY .

Themes
THE THEME  OF  ASTROLOGY’S DAY ARE  FEAR, FREEDOM, APPEARANCE, DESPERATION, GUILT AND RELIEF. IRONY OF FATE , RELIGION AND BLIND FAITH,CRIME AND PUNISHMENT AND HUMAN GREED
•    Irony of fate: Since the Astrologer knows something that the client doesn’t when he is pretending to guess about his life.
•    Religion and blind faith: Because since the Indians believe in this acts of fate, they are drowned into hearing and believing what the Astrologers say even though they don’t know if it is real or fake.
•    Crime and guilt: This is theme is connected to the idea that the astrologer is his early times committed a crime and he felt guilty for all his life.
•    Human greed of revenge: This theme has to do with the fact that the client, Guru Nayak, had been stabbed long time ago but he is still looking for the person who did this and wanted to find him and kill him. Even though a lot of time had passed.
 
Ice Breakers:

Strengths	Why do you feel so?	Dream career
painting and drawing	can visualise, express	commercial artist, cartoonist
dancing	passion, expression	choreographer, artist
singing	voice modulation	Singer
music	passion for musical instruments or  to get peace and relaxation	music composer / Musician
acting	enacting as per situations	actor
making various kinds of dishes	love to make food	chef
ask questions	can raise critical issues	News anchor, Journalist
write stories	can arrange different ideas and events	Writer

 
2) The scene in a local market of a village/town/city is very attractive. People with different occupations sell their wares. Discuss with your partner the variety of activities at the local market.
 
1. selling flowers, selling grocery.      
 
2. selling sweets, namkeens, bangles, artificial jewelries, homemade medicines, fruits, vegetables, home utensils, beauty products, clothes etc.
 
3. bantering, bargaining, discussing, joking, shouting  etc.  
 
4. transport of goods and other products.
 
5. movement of persons and hand carts,
 
6. use of different dialects or languages. 
 
3) In a village /town /city it is quite a common sight to see an astrologer sitting by the roadside with his professional equipment.
Discuss with your partner and list the requirements for his trade.
 
1) parrot, cards etc.
2) cowrie shell, obscure things, clothes ,mala, beads, flowers etc
3) lemon, green chillies, sindoor, books, photos of deity, wand, etc.
4) Panchang, mystic charts, palmyra writing,  stick, mat, etc.
         
4) There are certain unreasonable beliefs among people living in our society. Certain common events are linked with superstitions.
List such events, discuss the superstitions linked with them and the means of their eradication.
 
1) A cat crossing your path
2) To cut the nails at night.
3) To see the women carrying empty pitchers.
4) To scratch the left hand.
5) To kill the cat.
6) To take salt on the palm.
7) To sit on the threshold.
8) To blow the burning oil lamp
9) To touch the trees at night.
10) To remove the foot wears in front of the door.
11) To hear the caws of crow.
12) To blink the left eye.
13) Howling of dog.
14) Boiled milk overflowing from vessel.
15) Belief in supernatural powers.
16) Sacrifice of animals toward of evil.
17) Hang lemon and chillies.
18) Painting black spot to the infant.
19) Hang black doll on the door.
20) Sweeping of home at night.
 
 
Means to eradicate the superstitions:
 
1. By keeping scientific attitude.
2. Finding rationale behind them.
3. By exposing their falsehood.
4. By creating social awareness drive.
5. Through literacy campaigns
6. Through stage shows, films, songs, plays and TV programmes.
7. Taking help of local NGOs.
8. Organising Workshops, seminars and scientific forums at school and 
colleges.
9. Scientific thinking
10. Practical analysis
11. Tie up with organisation that exposes the truth through analytical thinking. 
 
 
Guess the meaning:
 
1) pies - a former monetary unit of India and Pakistan equal to 1/12 of an anna
 
2) tilting - move or causing to move in sloping position
 
3) bluffing - trying to deceive someone as to someone's abilities or intentions
 
4) glimpse - a momentary or partial view
 
5) passer-by - a person who happens to be going past something, especially on foot
 
6) peep - look quickly and furtively at something especially through a narrow opening
 
7) overwhelmed - overpowered or have strong emotional effect on
 
8) groaned- made a deep, inarticulate sound conveying despair or pain
 
9) surging – (crowd) moving suddenly and powerfully forward
 
10) cosmos - coloured flowers and pinnate leaves (Mexican herb)
 
11) dahlia - name of a flower plant (a tuberous-rooted Mexican plant of the daisy family, which is cultivated for its brightly coloured single or double flowers.)
 
12) din - a loud,  unpleasant and prolonged noise
 
13) transacted - carried out  or conducted (business dealings)
 
14) careworn - tired or unhappy because of prolonged worry
 
15) gasped - panted, catch one's breath with an open mouth, owing to pain or astonishment.
 
Brainstorming activities:
 
(A1)
 
(i) Given below are some descriptions. Discuss them with your partner and find out one word for each of them. An example is given for you.
 
(a) The scientific study of the universe and the objects in it, including stars, planets, nebulae and galaxies
- Astronomy
 
(b) The study of the movements of the planets, Sun, Moon, and Stars in the belief that these movements can have an influence on people's lives
- Astrology or (Cosmology or Astrophysics)
 
(c) A prediction of what will happen in the future.
- Prophet or Foreteller or Oracle
 
(d) Scientific discipline that studies mental states and processes and behaviour in humans and other animals.
- Psychology
 
(ii) In the story we are told that the Town Hall Park was a remarkable place in many ways for an astrologer to build his business. Discuss it in a group and list the exceptional qualities of the place.
 
a) A surging crowd     
 
b) A variety of trades and occupations.
 
c) An auctioneer of cheap cloth created enough din to attract the whole town.
 
d) Vociferousness of a vendor of fried groundnut.
 
e) It does not have the benefit of municipal lighting.
 
f) The place was lit up by shop lights.
 
g) Bewildering crisscross of light rays and moving shadows.
 
h) The astrologer transacted his business by the light of a flare. 
 

(iii) The astrologer never opened his mouth till the other had spoken for at least ten minutes. Discuss the reasons behind his act.
 
(a) He is good at reading the people.
 
b) The information given by people provided him enough stuff for a dozen answers and advices        
 
c) He got a chance to analyze the troubles of his customer.            
 
d) He worked on the policy those who hear a lot learn a lot.
 
e) He won the confidence of the customer.
 
f) He got enough time for searching answers and giving advice.
 
(A2)
 
(i) The tactics used by the astrologer to earn his wages are...
 
a) Analysis of human troubles
 
b) A good presence of mind, experience and perception
 
c) Use of equipment and shrewdness. 
 
d) Comment on the customer's nature, affairs, efforts and fate.
 
e) Creation of fear in the mind of the customer.
 
f) Use of general statements to endear the customers and win their hearts.
 
 
 
(ii) An astrologer's appearance helps to create an impression on his clients.
Complete the following
 
a) The turban on his head
 
b) Sacred ash and vermilion on forehead
 
c) Dark whiskers, sparkling eyes, dark mustache etc.
 
d) Other equipment
 
(iii) Read the following sentences and choose the correct one .
 
(a) The astrologer says that if Nayak does not leave his village again, he would -
 
(1) return the money
(2) face danger
(3) go back home and stop looking for the man who tried to kill him
(4) not find the killer.
 
Answer: face danger
 
 
 
(b) According to the narrator the astrologer's success in his profession is primarily due to -
 
(1) luck
 
(2) the bargains he drives
 
(3) his appearance
 
(4) his understanding of people.
 
Answer: his understanding of people.
 
(c) The story suggests that the astrologer's comments and observations please people by -
 
(1) promising them success and good fortune
 
(2) proving, as time passes, to have been true
 
(3) flattering them or supporting their own views
 
(4) helping them to learn to solve their own problems.   
 
Answer: flattering them or supporting their own views  
 
(d) Guru Nayak consults the astrologer because he wants to -
 
(1) understand the past
 
(2) find out who the astrologer is
 
(3) make some money through a bet
 
(4) get the answer to a specific question
 
Answer: get the answer to a specific question
 
(e) Guru Nayak is looking for the man who tried to kill him -
 
(1) to take revenge
 
(2) to get an apology
 
(3) to demand an explanation
 
(4) to prove that the man was unsuccessful.
 
Answer: to take revenge
 
(f) The astrologer's remark makes Guru Nayak feel all of the following except-
 
(1) relieved
 
(2) suspicious
 
(3) impressed
 
(4) disappointed.
 
Answer: suspicious
 
(g) Reactions of the astrologer's wife to his news suggest that she -
 
(1) was unaware of his past
 
(2) has been worried about his safety
 
(3) has known him since he was young
 
(4) is concerned about her future with him.
 
Answer: was unaware of his past
 
(iv) Read the following sentences and find out True and False sentences. Correct the False sentences.
 
(a) The astrologer gave a correct prediction to the client about his past that he was stabbed, thrown into a well and left for dead.- True
 
(b) When the astrologer came to know that the man whom he killed is alive he felt that he was relieved of his guilt. - True
 
(c) The astrologer tried to back out of the deal and talked about the client's past. – False (The astrologer demanded more money to tell about the client’s past)
 
(d) The astrologer rescued himself from Guru Nayak's revenge. - True
 
(e) The moral of the story is that we must be responsible about what we have done and should not run away from our mistakes. - True
 
(v) The astrologer has changed his appearance and his persona when he arrived in the city. Give specific reasons.
 
Answer: When astrologer was a silly youngster, he quarreled with Guru Nayak and tried to kill him in wrath. He thought that he had murdered Guru Nayak. So he left the village and settled in the distant city where no one was familiar with him. He changed his attire and also changed the complete appearance and persona so that no one could recognise him and his offence of killing Guru Nayak would not be revealed.
 
(vi)'The darkness load that was inside the astrologer has disappeared'. Through this sentence, explain the significance of the title 'An Astrologer's Day'.
 
Answer: An astrologer was living under the burden of thought that he had the blood of man on his hands all those days. But one day he saw a stranger before him. He identified Guru Nayak. When he saw Guru Nayak was alive, he became tension free. The day on which he was relieved from that load, was a special day for him. So that day is called An Astrologer's Day.
 
(vii)   The astrologer feels relieved that Guru is not dead as it relieves a great burden from him. Critically justify the statement and explain it.
 
Answer: An astrologer was living under the load of thought that he had murdered Guru Nayak. So he felt himself guilty. But one day when he saw Guru Nayak before him alive, he felt relieved from the burden of that thought means he was not dead.
 
(viii) The astrologer wins/gets the sympathy of criticism of the reader in the end. Express your opinion with the support of the main story.
 
Answer: The Astrologer gets the sympathy of the readers because he was guilty of his deed and wanted to get away from it. His smartness and the tricks of his trade had saved him from his past crime. He had accepted his mistake and already started living a new life. Acceptance of mistake is a great quality which is difficult to find. His perception, presence of mind, self-confidence and shrewdness helped him to overcome the problem. He had learnt a lesson hence the astrologer got sympathy from the readers.
 
(ix) If we have to eradicate the superstitions and other ill practices from our society, what steps would you like to suggest?
 
Answer: I would like to suggest the following steps for eradicating the superstitions and other ill practices from our society.
 
a) I will make the people aware of the things which are good and which are bad for our development and also for the development of our society.
 
b) I will tell them about the ill effects of superstitions on our health.
 
c) I will try to develop the scientific views in the people.
 
d) I will also tell them how common persons are deceived under the names of blind beliefs by some so called Sadhus.
 
e) I will also tell the people not to believe in unknown persons who come 
to your doorstep and ask you to make double the money or ornaments.
 
f) I will take the help of the organizations who are working in the field of eradication of superstitions. These organizations will arrange programmes to show the ill impacts of superstitions.
 
g) I will try to develop scientific thinking within common people through practical experiences.
etc.
 
(x) In the story, astrologer has a great listening power. Listening helps in developing good relations with people. Express your opinion.
 
Answer: Yes, listening helps in developing good relations with people. a) If we listen carefully what the person before us telling, he / she will respect us.
 
b) If we listen someone's agony, we can console him / her. It helps us to build good relationship.
 
c) Listening also helps us to sort out the misunderstanding.
 
d) Listening is skill which helps one to communicate successfully.
 
e) If we don't listen others and speak to the people all the time, they get bored and try to avoid us which affects the relations.
 
 
f) A good listener is always alert and can judge things in correct perspective. Such person takes proper steps to maintain the relationship.
 
A3)
 
(i) In the story, the following characters reveal their qualities through words and actions. Pick out the words that describe them and write before the characters.

 

Astrologer	Guru Nayak	Astrologer's wife
(1) shrewd	manipulative	caring
(2)
(3)
(4)

Answer
 

Astrologer	Guru Nayak , quarrelsome	Astrologer's wife
(1) shrewd, intuitive	manipulative, arrogant	caring, demanding
(2) clever,smart	demanding, gullible	protective, rational
(3) mystical , worried	overconfident, skeptical	humanistic,
(4)	antagonistic, aggressive,

(ii) Match the suffixes with the words and make nouns. One is done for you.

Word	suffix		noun
auction	able		auctioneer
enchant	ure
know	ment
prepare	eer
proceed	ance
appear	ledge
remark	tion
Answer:-
Word	suffix	noun
auction	able	auctioneer
enchant	ure	enchantment
know	ment	knowledge
prepare	eer	preparation
proceed	ance	procedure
appear	ledge	appearance
remark	tion	remarkable

 
iii) Astrologer's Day' has ironic elements where the astrologer pretends to have 'supernatural knowledge' that coincidently turns out to be the truth.
Irony means a situation or statement characterized by a significant difference between what is expected and what actually happens, or between what is understood and what is meant.

Find out the examples of irony from the story and write them down. One has been done for you.
 
a) He knew no more of what was going to happen to others than he knew what was going to happen to himself the next minute.
b) He had a working analysis of mankind's troubles.
c) Within five minutes he understood what was wrong.
d) Guru Nayak came to the astrologer for help in finding the man who nearly killed him--and the astrologer himself was the very man he was looking for but he couldn’t recognize him.
e) His forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion, and 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.
f) Nayak learnt that his attacker was dead. The astrologer learnt that he did not commit murder.
g) The very fact that such pious and sanctimoniously sacrosanct activities are carried out in busy market lanes where day to day businesses are carried out makes quite a few eyebrows to get raised and worry about the real underpinnings of these businesses.
 
 
(iv) In the story, many Indian words are used.
'Cowrie shells'. This is an example of code-mixing.
Find out other such words from the story and write them down.
 
Examples of code – mixing:-
 
Raja's Delicacy, Bombay ice cream, Delhi Almond, three pies, eight annas, half annas, jutka drivers, lit a cheeroot etc.
 
1) 'An astrologer's Day' arouses curiosity as something might have taken place on a particular day. It attracts the readers to go through the text.
 
2) 'An astrologer's Day' - Here ‘a day’ is a specific day in life that can be a turning point of somebody's life. The title is very interesting and creates curiosity in the mind of the readers. The writer extended the word with a particular purpose as it was used by Churchill... 'Everyone has his day'.
 
3)  The title creates curiosity in the mind of the reader about astrology and astrologer’s life. It also creates interest in reading to find out what is that particular day of the astrologer in the story.
 
(ii)    There are some phrases where the word crown is used with different shades of meaning. Use the following phrases to complete the sentences meaningfully. One is done for you.

crowning achievement, To crown the effect, crown of thorns, crowning glory, to crown it all

e.g. To crown the effect, he wound a saffron-coloured turban around his head.

(a) The works of Shakespeare are the ------------- of English drama.

(b) Amitabh has given us awesome movies throughout five decades. But his --------------------- is his performance in the movie 'Black'.

(c) In her pursuit of success, Radha has distanced herself from her family. Her fame has become a real ------------------------------.

(d) They threw a wonderful party for me with costumes, games and ------------------------ my favourite kind of ice cream.

(e) Medical science has great inventions, but organ transplantation is definitely a ------------------- for human beings.

Answer:-

(a) The works of Shakespeare are the crowning glory of English drama.

(b) Amitabh has given us awesome movies throughout five decades. But his crowning achievement is his performance in the movie 'Black'.

(c) In her pursuit of success, Radha has distanced herself from her family. Her fame has become a real crown of thorns.

(d) They threw a wonderful party for me with costumes, games and to crown it all my favourite kind of ice cream.

(e) Medical science has great inventions, but organ transplantation is definitely a crowning achievement for human beings.

 
•   

(A4)  (i) Word  USAGE
Use  the  words  given  in  the  BRACKETS  AND  rewrite  the  sentences.
(a)    The power of his eyes WAS CONSIDERABLY ENHANCED. (ENHANCEMENT)
a)    The power of his eyes experienced  an enhancement . or 

There was a considerable enhancement in the power of his eyes.
 
(b)    He HAD A WORKING ANALYSIS of MANKIND’s troubles. (worked)
b)    He had worked on the  analysis of mankind's troubles
or   He had worked in mankind's troubles.
 
(c)    He knew WHAT WAS going to HAPPEN to himself next MINUTE.(HAPPENING)
c)    He knew what was happening to himself next minute 
 
(d)    If you find my ANSWERS SATISFACTORY, will you give me five rupees? (SATISFACTION)
 
d)   If my answer provides satisfaction to you , will you give me 5 rupees?
 
 
(e)    He shook his HEAD regretfully. (regret)
 
e) He shook his head in regret.
 
(f)    It WAS A bewildering crisscross of light RAYS. (bewildered)
 
f) Crisscross of light rays bewildered.
 
 
(g)    “I should HAVE been DEAD if some PASSER-by HAD not CHANCED to peep into the well,” EXCLAIMED the other, overwhelmed by ENTHUSIASM. (ENTHUSIASTICALLY)
 
g) The other overwhelmed enthusiastically,"I should have been dead if some passer by had not chanced to peep into the well."
 
(h)    You tried to kill him. (killing)
(h) You attempted of killing him.or 

       You tired of killing him
 
(j)    I will PREPARE some nice stuff for her. (PREPARATION)
 
(j)    i) Preparation will be done by me of some nice stuff for her.

(l)    The other GROANED on HEARING it. (HEARD)
 
(I) The other groaned when he heard that. or 

The other groaned when he had heard it.

Solve Online Test*

Test Set by: Prof. Mrs. Premjit Sunil Gatigante,  
Shriniwas Bagarka Junior College, Andheri East, Mumbai

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