Teaching the novel of The Vendor of Sweets MOE Lit.

The Vendor of Sweets MOE Lit.pdf

1. The Vendor of Sweets

2. Importance of the Novel to the Exam…

7. NARAYAN
•Born in 1906
•In Colonial India
•A born story teller
•Excellent in presenting tragi-comic aspects of human life.
•Indian flavor of writing
•Indian | Hindu way of life and Culture
•Nationalist Movement
•How culture changes
•Travel and Global Exposure
•Literary Exposure
Nationalist Movement:
India was under British colonial
rule.
The nationalist movement in India
aimed at gaining independence
from British rule.

8. Gandhian Principles

•Non-Violence (Ahimsa):
•Truthfulness (Satya):
•Self-Reliance (Swaraj):
•Simple Living and sharing with others (Sarvodaya):
•Non-Attachment to Material Possessions:
•Swadeshi (Self-Sufficiency):
•Tolerance and Respect for All Religions:
•Constructive Program: (promoting education, sanitation, and economic self-
reliance at the grassroots level.)
•Equality and Social Justice

9. The Vendor of Sweets

10. The Topic of the Novel
1.The topic "The Vendor of Sweets" can indeed imply distributing
happiness. When you consider a vendor selling sweets, it often goes
beyond the simple exchange of goods; it becomes a symbolic act
associated with spreading joy, delight, and happiness.


2.The topic "The Vendor of Sweets" can indeed imply selling the
sweetness of life.

11. About the novel …
•Written in 1967 ( Post Colonial India)
•The setting is fictional—Malgudi
•In a time that India faces serious tendency of transformation.
•A life of a fictional character named Jagan a sweet meat seller.
•About a single father and a growing son.
•Ultimately Jagan leaves the sheer pressure and monotony of life.
•Colony | Colonizers | Colonization
•Capitalism | Modernization .

12. Malgudi-The fictional Universe

13. Studying
a Novel
•Social Aspects.
•Economic Aspects
•Political Aspects
•Interpersonal Relationships
•Intrapersonal Aspects

14. Chapter
Summaries

15. Chapter 01
•Setting is introduced.
•Jagan and Cousin are introduced.
•Discussion on Gandhian Principles.
•Non- Violence
•Perfect living | Food habits are introduced.
•A shrewd businessman | hypocrisy
•Bhaghavad Geetha | Hinduism
•Inconsistency of the mind of the protagonist.
•First chapter- how Jagan spends his day.

16. Chapter 02
•Jagan’s and Mali’s relationship is revealed.
•Life of a single parent
•Culture clash
•Peculiar day today practices
•Western vs. Eastern Medicine.
•Jagan father vs. Jagan
•Ambika’s death
•Mali as a peculiar boy.
•Maternal obsession of Mali.

17. Chapter 03.
•The conflict between Father and Son.
•Mali’s yearning for independence .
•Meals
•Mali needs to be a writer | Mali’s change of education policy.
•Mali’s shows certain tendencies of going away from father philosophies.
•Jagan—submissive and cowardly at times
•Jagan is flexible in son’s affairs.
•Lack of communication.
•Cousin becomes the mediator.

18. Chapter 04
•Mali to America
•Father is unaware of the son’s plans.
•Mali robs money and do all the arrangements secretly.
•Jagan gets to know about the plans through Cousin.
•Growing importance of Cousin’s character. .

19. Chapter 05
•Receives a letter from Mali.
•Letter—no personal details | It is about America.
•His personality is transformed.
•He undermines his own culture.
•Mali brings Grace.
•Jagan’s reaction to Mali’s relationship.
•Grace attempts to be resilient.

Mono culture | multi- culture | resilient | identity crisis| paradigm shilft.

20. Chapter 06
•Story Telling Machine
•Jagan’s love and affection are not felt by Mali
•Jagan gradually loses his position in his own house.
•Mali needs money from Jagan to develop his business.
•Jagan avoids Mali and Grace.
•Jagan realizes Money is evil.

21. Chapter 07
•Jagan shows different tendency of his life.
•He reduces price of sweets.
•The other vendors are disturbed.
•Their discussion reveals the hypocrisy in the business world.
•Jagan meets Bearded Man.( turning point)
•Goes to retreat as his age needs one.

22. Chapter 08
•Jagan realizes the serenity of locality.
•He feels that he has found what he needed.
•He loves the detached life from the rest of the world.

23. Chapter 09
•Jagan reacts to Mali and his expectations with a new strength.
•New Janma
•He shows reluctance to fund Mali’s business.
•Mali makes a revelation that Grace will have to leave India if the
business is not going to develop.
•There is a hint that Mali’s and Grace’s relationship has something
peculiar.

24. Chapter 10
•Jagan meets Grace and gets to know that Mali and Grace
are nor married.

•Mali makes Jagan confused again.

•Cousin intervenes.

25. Chapter 11
•Jagan feels depressed in his own house.
•He talks to Mali and but Mali shows reluctance to marry Grace.
•Mali has several complaints about Grace.

26. Chapter 12
•A flashback of Jagan’s wedding.
•Marriage customs.
•Didactic nature of the novel.
•This chapter contrasts Mali’s and Grace’s relationship.
•Patriarchal Indian society.
•Grace is also victimized.
•Grace vs. Ambika

27. Chapter 13
•Jagan goes to the retreat.
•Mali is arrested—Cousin brings the news.
•Tension is created.
•Jagan is firm and not going to turn back.
•He believes punishment would correct Mali’s life.
•He assigns cousin to check his business.
•He feels sorry for Grace and he offers to buy the tickets for her to go to America.

28. Social
aspects
Political
aspects

Economic
aspects

Inter
Personal
aspects

Intra
Personal
Aspects

29. Conflict of the Novel

30. External
OR
Internal

31. 1.Generational Conflict
2.Traditional vs. Modern Values
3.Personal Aspirations vs. Family Expectations
4.Cultural Identity
5.Conflict in Marital Relationships
6.Financial Struggles
Conflicts

32. Inner Conflict within Jagan

•Fear of Change
•Dilemma
•Psychological Paralysis
•Superiority and inferiority complex
•Personal Identity Crisis
•Spirituality vs. Materialism
•Paternal and maternal obsession
•Uncertainty towards Western Education
•Regret and Nostalgia

33. The Vendor of Sweets

34. Themes
•Generation gap & Conflict
•Traditional vs. Modern Values
•Growing industrialization
•Mono and Multi culturalism.
•Communication and Miscommunication | Drop
of Communication.
•Identity and Self-Discovery
•Business Ethics and Values
•Human Hypocrisy
•Appearance vs. Reality
•Humor and Irony
•Individual vs. Society
•Change and Adaptation

35. Important tips for a good answer…

36. tense
When writing literary criticism, the use of the universal present tense is a common stylistic
choice. This tense is used to discuss the actions, events, or ideas presented in a literary work
as if they are happening in the present, regardless of when the work was written. This creates a
sense of immediacy and can enhance the engagement of the reader. Here are some examples:

Original Past Tense:
"In Shakespeare's 'Hamlet,' the protagonist reflected on the nature of life and death."
Universal Present Tense:
"In 'Hamlet,' Shakespeare's protagonist reflects on the nature of life and death."
Original Past Tense:
"Jane Austen explored the societal norms of her time in 'Pride and Prejudice.'"
Universal Present Tense:
"In 'Pride and Prejudice,' Jane Austen explores the societal norms of her time."

37. •Narayan wrote ‘The Vendor of Sweets’ highlighting the conflict between a father and a son.
•Narayan writes ‘The Vendor of Sweets’ highlighting the conflict between a father and a son.

•Jagan visited Ambika’s village with great enthusiasm to see her.
•Jagan visits Ambika’s village with great enthusiasm to see her.

38. Having set introductions…
Explore the importance of Cousin’s character in The Vendor of Sweets. Closely refer to
the text.
The Vendor of Sweets is written by RK Narayan an Indian novelist. The story revolves
around a father and a son and their internal conflict. The setting is the post-colonial India
which is subjected to transformation. The novelist presents us Jagan as the protagonist.
His son is Mali. There is a character called Cousin in the novel. He is given much
importance by the novelist.

39. In the story "The Vendor of Sweets" by R.K. Narayan, the Cousin’s character is crucial for
the plot and how the main character, Jagan, experiences his journey. The Cousin isn't just
someone who shares information; he acts like a messenger, bringing news that shakes up
Jagan's peaceful life as a sweet vendor. By looking closely at the text, we can see that the
Cousin goes beyond being a simple informant. Instead, he becomes a trigger for change,
setting off a series of events that drive the story's development.

40. What are the problems you identify in tbis
introduction?
Explore the importance of Cousin’s character in The Vendor of Sweets. Closely refer to
the text.
The Vendor of Sweets was written by RK Narayan an Indian novelist. The story revolves
around a father and a son and their internal conflict. The setting is the post-colonial India
which was subjected to transformation. The novelist presents us Jagan as the
protagonist. His son is Mali. There is a character called Cousin in the novel. He was given
much importance by the novelist.

41. Hedging

42. It is crystal clear that Jagan is a traditional and rigid person.

43. Observe these sentences
•Jagan is entirely unsympathetic and rigid in his refusal to accept Mali's relationship with Grace.
•The author clearly portrays Jagan as an outdated and narrow-minded character.
•Jagan's stubborn adherence to traditional values is evident throughout the narrative.
•There is no doubt ; Jagan's weaknesses significantly contribute to family conflicts.

44. Hedged
•Jagan appears unsympathetic and rigid in his refusal to accept Mali's relationship with Grace.
•The author attempts to portray Jagan’s certain behaviours are outdated and narrow-minded.
•Jagan's tendency to appear as a man with traditional values is presented in the narrative.
•Jagan's weaknesses maybe the reasons to rise family conflicts.

45. Some phrases for you…
•Hedged: "It could be suggested that Jagan's actions may be influenced by..."
•Hedged: "One possible way to understand the situation is that..."
•Hedged: "It appears that Jagan's decisions may have had an effect on..."
•Hedged: "One interpretation of the theme suggests that..."
•Hedged: "It might be inferred from the text that Narayan could be implying..."

46. Hedging
"In the novel, Jagan's actions clearly indicate a lack of understanding and empathy towards
his son Mali. His decisions, particularly in the later chapters, showcase a stubborn and
narrow-minded approach. Jagan's refusal to accept Mali's relationship with Grace and his
insistence on traditional values appear as rigid and outdated. The author portrays Jagan as
an unsympathetic character, unyielding to societal changes and resistant to embracing a
more progressive viewpoint. It is evident that Jagan's flaws significantly contribute to the
family conflicts and tensions depicted in the narrative."

47. "In the novel, Jagan's actions may suggest a lack of understanding and empathy towards his
son Mali. His decisions, particularly in the later chapters, can be interpreted as showcasing a
stubborn and narrow-minded approach. Jagan's possible refusal to fully accept Mali's
relationship with Grace and his apparent insistence on traditional values might come across as
rigid and outdated to some readers. The author seems to portray Jagan in a way that might be
seen as unsympathetic, unyielding to societal changes, and resistant to embracing a more
progressive viewpoint. It could be argued that Jagan's perceived flaws contribute to the family
conflicts and tensions depicted in the narrative."

48. Conclusive
paragraph

49. Considering the above facts, Cousin character
can be taken as an important character.

50. In summary, Cousin in "The Vendor of Sweets" plays a crucial role by
bringing important news that sets off key events in Jagan's life. Cousin is
not just a bearer of information; he sparks transformation in Jagan's world.
By bridging communication, he becomes the mouth piece to father and son
often . Overall, the Cousin significantly shapes the story and influences how
the main character's journey unfolds.

52. Let’s Meet again…