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75th out of 375 books
—
881 voters
The Painter of Signs
For Raman the sign painter, life is a familiar and satisfying routine. A man of simple, rational ways, he lives with his pious aunt and prides himself on his creative work. But all that changes when he meets Daisy, a thrillingly independent young woman who wishes to bring birth control to the area. Hired to create signs for her clinics, Raman finds himself smitten by a lov...more
Paperback, 160 pages
Published
August 29th 2006
by Penguin Classics
(first published 1976)
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The story of a fairly pathetic man, and his journey from thinking relationships are beneath him, to desperately avoiding eye contact with one of his clients, to fantasizing about how easy it would be to rape her as soon as she warms up a bit to him, to groveling at her feet in total dependency. Basically the story is one long E/N post set in 1970s India. If you were to read it the same way you read, say, Lolita, where you are aware of the character's status as a miserable shell of a man, it is a...more
What a pleasure it is to return to Malgudi, amidst Kabir Street and the Mempi Hills and the river with its stone steps leading down to the water. But this time, Malgudi is changing. It is busier and more commercial, but still retains its wonderful busybodies and small-townishness.
Raman is the titular character--he paints signs for businesses and other commercial enterprises, leaving a stamp of some sort of permanence on the rapidly changing surroundings. He lives with his widowed aunt--a devote...more
Raman is the titular character--he paints signs for businesses and other commercial enterprises, leaving a stamp of some sort of permanence on the rapidly changing surroundings. He lives with his widowed aunt--a devote...more
I'll just sum up Narayan's writing in one fragment, from the climax of this novel.
"...The Boardless - that solid, real world of sublime souls who minded their own business."
To many, Narayan's prose is flat and lacks substance. Maybe that is true, but it must be understood that despite his simple style and fairly straight-forward story telling, he imparts a strong "South-Indianness" to a lot of his works. This makes many of his characters seem obtuse.
But the truth is that his characters are reali...more
"...The Boardless - that solid, real world of sublime souls who minded their own business."
To many, Narayan's prose is flat and lacks substance. Maybe that is true, but it must be understood that despite his simple style and fairly straight-forward story telling, he imparts a strong "South-Indianness" to a lot of his works. This makes many of his characters seem obtuse.
But the truth is that his characters are reali...more
R.K.Narayan surprised me with this novel. Set during the period when the Family Control propagation came into focus, this novel can shock a person as well as realize the depth of the Indian soul. Narayan in this novel tries to go with the times & is very bold in his writing. Infact, the novel involves many themes of the 1970's Indian scenario like birth control, Bollywood, dare devil women etc. Narayan also breaks his initial way of presenting his characters & uses a new technique which...more
Every story of RK Narayan's has got it's variety. The character Daisy can be interpreted in multi folded ways. The protagonist Raman is mad about Daisy. There are some glitches in the rational thoughts of Daisy. But to no avail, with the nick of the time passing every second, she was so keen in comparing herself with the millions of impoverished poor. At one point I felt she was very monotonous in her thoughts. A person can align all his activities relating to one common cause. Tossing the huma...more
May 02, 2011
La Stamberga dei Lettori
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
livia-medullina
Nella sua casa-laboratorio di Ellaman Street, nella (immaginaria) cittadina indiana di Malgudi, Raman dipinge insegne seguendo una sua personale filosofia sulla scrittura e sui colori che non sempre coincide con le richieste dei clienti. Ma Raman non vi bada, le loro scelte sono illogiche o, ancor peggio, "fatte in ossequio alle stelle" o ad altri precetti da lui giudicati superstiziosi. Raman si è assuntoil compito di "affermare nel mondo l'Età della Ragione", non crede agli oroscopi, non consu...more
I thought this book was really lacking in substance. Maybe I'm not bright enough to find the substance and it was an easy enough read, but I got done with it and just thought, "Well, nothing happened in that story." The other thing I thought was that the main character was really a jerk. And not Steve Martin jerk, but really just a self-centered jerk.
There was hardly any character development, so I didn't feel like I understood any of the characters. The book was mildly funny at times, like man...more
There was hardly any character development, so I didn't feel like I understood any of the characters. The book was mildly funny at times, like man...more
This book was very well written and was a breeze to read. I really appreciated how well the author wrote in stream of consciousness without it being too distracting and messy. However, the book was really ruined for me when the main character, Raman, completely changed from the modest character the author had depicted to a rapist who would stop at nothing to bed his love interest, Daisy. The novel was definitely worth my time because the writing style was so unique--but the storyline was disappo...more
Ya know, Narayan is a helluva writer, but I just don't find him funny. He occasionally gets me to chuckle, and I often smile, but his dark, dark humor is even more painful than TV's The Office or Curb Your Enthusiasm - it causes my hackles to rise and is the written equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. His characters are so damn obtuse.
This book is about, well, "the painter of signs," an annoyingly pretentious twit named Raman. Raman is a spoiled, routine driven, and milquetoast mama's boy who l...more
This book is about, well, "the painter of signs," an annoyingly pretentious twit named Raman. Raman is a spoiled, routine driven, and milquetoast mama's boy who l...more
I could be one among very few who loved this so much.
After seeing me being so enthusiastic about it, a friend of mine got curious and read this. He hated it so much and thought it was a drag.
It is quite slow moving, it could give similar feelings to a lot of people. but what moved me in this book is the strength of the heroine and her determination to stick to her purpose, going beyond culturally established norms, especially in the time and context it is set in!
After seeing me being so enthusiastic about it, a friend of mine got curious and read this. He hated it so much and thought it was a drag.
It is quite slow moving, it could give similar feelings to a lot of people. but what moved me in this book is the strength of the heroine and her determination to stick to her purpose, going beyond culturally established norms, especially in the time and context it is set in!
Bought it in my high school. did not like then. did not like it now. no character development. tried to remind of the sad plight of King Shantana(which is also mentioned in the book) but could give only an insight of how the king must have felt in his relationship with Ganga. The story is very feeble. Hated Raman after his attempt at Daisy. The portrayal of Indian population explosion with the then culture was good.
I read on one of those a day long train journeys and finished it before I reached my destination. I did not notice time all along my travel.
A classic Chekhovian style Novel is what all I can say. As always Mr. Narayan will take you to his very own Malgudi and gives you an experience of the wonderful old Indian Town.
A must read if you like novels with Chekhovian style of ending...
A classic Chekhovian style Novel is what all I can say. As always Mr. Narayan will take you to his very own Malgudi and gives you an experience of the wonderful old Indian Town.
A must read if you like novels with Chekhovian style of ending...
How much you know about the people who love you? There are people who are living just for you!!
How many times you have thought that you are taking care of your aunt, mother etc, but in reality they would be taking care of you!!!
Have you ever noticed how much your mother does for you so that you are not bothered about simple things!!!
R. K. Narayan touches all these things in this Novel. The comparison between 2 generations, 2 kinds of people. One is Protagonist Raman's aunt and his lover Daisy.
A...more
How many times you have thought that you are taking care of your aunt, mother etc, but in reality they would be taking care of you!!!
Have you ever noticed how much your mother does for you so that you are not bothered about simple things!!!
R. K. Narayan touches all these things in this Novel. The comparison between 2 generations, 2 kinds of people. One is Protagonist Raman's aunt and his lover Daisy.
A...more
"R. K. Narayan" did take me in a tour to India, it was my first story to read about India .. more amusing than I thought when I bought it .. was a bit hard for me, some what above my English but I enjoyed it so much. Poor "Ram" fell for "Daisy" knowing what is he going at but he kept going any way .. I guess it's a clear indication of the "love is blind" theory ..
Jun 15, 2008
Spiros
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
those who like to ponder the vagaries of life
Shelves:
citylights
Raman is a sign painter who can't quite summon up the audacity to refer to himself as an "artist in lettering", no matter how vital he regards his vocation to the wellbeing of his community. He leads a life of unvarying routine, divided between his work, his cronies at the "Boardless" cafe, and the Aunt who has devoted her temporal existence to taking care of his domestic comforts. Despite the fact that the phrase "bloody number one most stupid duffer" frequently crossed my consciousness whilst...more
Whenever you pick up to read one of RK Narayan's fictional novels it is hard to put it down. That is what happened to me when I was reading this novel. Narayan's characters, Raman and Daisy, are people we can definitely relate to. A very simple book with complex characters which are very well established by Narayan's writing.
This one is a lovely little book that follows the rather unusual courtship of a proud sign painter in an ordinary Indian town and Daisy, a career-oriented feminist fanatical in her mission to make family planning available to all of India.
Narayan has a keen sense of capturing the subtitles of human relationships and the rhythms and sounds of the city, the taste and smells of food, the colour and movement of the crowds. It’s clear that the city is growing and changing as the locals try to find s...more
Narayan has a keen sense of capturing the subtitles of human relationships and the rhythms and sounds of the city, the taste and smells of food, the colour and movement of the crowds. It’s clear that the city is growing and changing as the locals try to find s...more
A book that seemed to reveal to me for a couple of hours life itself, presented in highly specific detail yet definitely universal, -- intensely beautiful, funny and bittersweet all at the same time. This is really, really good writing. This is what realism should be like.
This book is another delight by Narayan. It dwells on the strong emotions and the intricacies of the human mind.
I have been trying to pin point the reason I love Narayan's writings and just the simplicity and understanding of the mango people is enough to make him one the best Indian writers.
I have been trying to pin point the reason I love Narayan's writings and just the simplicity and understanding of the mango people is enough to make him one the best Indian writers.
Not as much interesting as his other books were. really i felt so depressed after reading this book. his earlier books like "The Dark Room", "Swami and Friends" and the like were so interesting. anyways this is what i felt.
Being my first R.K.Narayan, I was really curious to know his writing style. The character Daisy was confusing. May be its just me. Otherwise, I enjoyed the nuances and idiosyncracies of Raaman and the way they've been written.
The book carried me through the emotions of someone who reminded me somewhat of myself, with a few differences. There was a bit of a slump in the middle but the last few pages floored me. It was quite a book.
Tho others didn't seem to find it funny, I did. Maybe because I feel I can relate to Raman's stream of thoughts in a given situation, how one has myriad thoughts in a split moment yet typically isn't given the chance to walk through all the thoughts and progression of thoughts they had in that moment... he does, and I found that funny. I appreciated the humor, i.e. his sarcasm surrounding the birth control theme. And yes, he comes across as a spoiled dimwit, kind of naive, desperately in love, b...more
Dear Narayan,
You can call it 'insistent passion' all you like on the blurb, attempted rape is attempted rape, no matter what delusions of romance the attacker has.
Yours, Society.
You can call it 'insistent passion' all you like on the blurb, attempted rape is attempted rape, no matter what delusions of romance the attacker has.
Yours, Society.
A beautifully written story of love found and lost, by a great mid-century Indian novelist. His characters are described with frankness and clarity but also great sympathy.
It's been a long time since I've read any R K Narayan - one of the superb authors I came across during my favourite uni unit, Post-Colonial Lit. I'd forgotten how good he is. A really enjoyable read - both moving and funny.
Possibly and probably the best Indian ( implying the story born, bred, buttered and jammed in India) love story in English (not including translations) that I have read.
Raman and Daisy are very potently representative of today's run-of-the-mill, urban Indians in a relationship brought to attention in the 70s, WAY 'before it was cool'.
Raman and Daisy are very potently representative of today's run-of-the-mill, urban Indians in a relationship brought to attention in the 70s, WAY 'before it was cool'.
Very original and interesting way of story telling. Narayan etches out character of Raman with great details and care.
The Painter of Signs (Penguin Twentieth Century Classics S.) by R. K. Narayan (1993)
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R. K. Narayan is among the best known and most widely read Indian novelists writing in English.
R.K. Narayan was born in Madras, South India, in 1906, and educated there and at Maharaja's College in Mysore. His first novel, Swami and Friends and its successor, The Bachelor of Arts, are both set in the enchanting fictional territory of Malgudi and are only two out of the twelve novels he based there...more
More about R.K. Narayan...
R.K. Narayan was born in Madras, South India, in 1906, and educated there and at Maharaja's College in Mysore. His first novel, Swami and Friends and its successor, The Bachelor of Arts, are both set in the enchanting fictional territory of Malgudi and are only two out of the twelve novels he based there...more
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