R. K. Narayan
A Tiger for Malgudi by R.K. Narayan is a delightful tale told in the first person of Raja, the tiger. Raja looks back on his life, beginning as a cub in the jungle. He roams freely, striking fear in beast and human alike. But his life changes when he is captured. Incarcerated, bullied, cajoled, and starved into submission, he becomes an obedient circus star, Raja the Magnificent.
While on short-term loan to a movie producer to co-star with a muscular Tarzan-type, Raja decides to make a run for it. He finds temporary refuge under the desk in the headmaster’s office of a local school. Crowds gather in panic. There is talk of shooting the tiger when a sannyasi (someone who has renounced everything in life) enters into the fray and quietly walks out of the building with a docile tiger in tow. Raja and his master lead a quiet, solitary life in the mountains where his master teaches him some of the principles of Hindu mysticism. They grow old together until a now aging, toothless Raja is sent to a humane zoo to live out the rest of his days in peace and comfort.
Threading throughout the story are Raja’s contemplations about life and human nature, all of which are imparted to him by his master. Raja observes our foibles with humor and depth.
Seeing the world through the eyes of a tiger brings into focus just how foolish and short-sighted people can be.
The accessible and simple language couches some profound insights about human behavior, the arrogance of human beings, and their exploitation of animals. Laced with humor, irony, and satire, the novel gently offers some profound philosophical precepts on opening the door to a meaningful life by ridding oneself of superficial distractions.
Recommended.