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“A Devoted Son” is a short story written by Anita Desai. She is a well-known Indian author. The story is about a dutiful and obedient son who sacrifices many economic and career opportunities for the happiness of his parents. The story shows how parents cherish (hold in their mind) their ambition towards their children and how a son should fulfil his duty towards the parents. The story revolves around Dr Rakesh, who belongs to a lower class and uneducated family from India. His grandfather used to sell vegetables and father, Varma, worked as an oil seller at oil Depot. Mr. Varma had never stepped inside the school due to poor economic condition of his family. However, Varma couple wanted to provide their son with quality education. They made every sacrifice for Rakesh’s higher education by doing hard labour throughout their life. Varma worked for forty years in kerosene depot having a dream about son’s education and his mother devoted herself to household tasks. Rakesh was a brilliant and hardworking student since his childhood. He completed his medical degree with the highest marks in the country, which was a matter of celebration in Varma family. Later on, Rakesh wrote a thesis for his MD by which he won scholarship for his further study in the USA. He completed his study and worked at prestigious US hospitals. He worked there very sincerely and won many awards. Although Rakesh loved America, he loved his family more. As soon as he had enough experience and money, he returned home with the intention of working in his hometown. After returning to his own country, He got married to a simple village girl as his mother’s choice. Then he started a new job in city hospital. Due to his sincerity and dedication to job, he got promotion and eventually became the Director of the city hospital. After working in the city hospital for few years, he left it and started his own clinic. He also got immense success in his clinic. Thus, he was able to earn his name, fame and money. He was known not only as the best but also the richest doctor in the town. Though Dr. Rakesh was in top position with his name and fame, He was never boastful. He obeyed his parents, and never let down his wife and his friends. Everything was going well except that he had to face a tragic incident i.e. his mother’s death. After the death of his mother, his father found himself alone and suffered from depression. He fell ill frequently and did very unusual activities. Rakesh even didn’t know the actual cause of his father’s illness. Rakesh didn’t have much time to take care of his father due to his busy life. However, he tried his best to comfort his father. He used to bring morning tea to his father in his favourite brass tumbler, read out morning news for his father, take him outside under the star during the night for his refreshment etc. He banned various food stuffs like sojii- halwa, oily and unhealthy foods, sweets etc. for his father’s good health. The old man seemed satisfied with other things except his diet plan. Rakesh only provided his father with healthy and hygienic foods but his father Varma wanted to have sweet items available in the market. As Rakesh prohibited unhealthy food items of his choice, his father got irritated with both husband and wife. He blamed them as his haters, and complained against his son as a cruel and tyrannical son. In spite of the complaints of his father, he didn’t give up caring for his father. His several attempts to improve his father's mental and physical health went into vain. Rakesh did everything he could for his father but Varma left this world. In this way, we find Rakesh a very loyal son who bows to his father’s feet on every happy occasion and shows boundless reverence towards his parents. He offers his father the best medical treatment and tries his best to take care of him as a devoted son up to the last moment of his life.
Answer the following questions:
a. How does the author describe Rakesh’s family background?
➜ Rakesh belongs to a lower class and uneducated family from India. His grandfather used to sell vegetables and father, Varma, worked as an oil seller at oil Depot. Mr. Varma had never stepped inside the school due to poor economic condition of his family. However, Varma couple wanted to provide their son with quality education. They made every sacrifice for Rakesh’s higher education by doing hard labour throughout their life. Varma worked for forty years in kerosene depot having a dream about son’s education and his mother devoted herself to household tasks. Thus, theeconomic status of Rakesh’s family was not good.
b. How did the morning papers bring an ambience of celebration to the Varma family?
➜ In the morning papers, the result of Medical Degree had been published. Rakesh was waiting for the results of his medical degree. As Rakesh saw the paper, he found his result. He had scored the highest rank in the country his Medical Examination. After finding the result, he bowed down to touch his father’s feet and shared the news. His unparalleled success in medical exam brought ambience of celebration in the Varma family as it was a matter of pride for the family as well as for the entire community.
c. How did the community celebrate Rakesh’s success?
➜ Rakesh had achieved the first position in Medical Degree. As the news broke out in the community, the neighbours came to see Varma family in their small yellow house at the end of the road. All the neighbours were very happy at the marvelous achievement of Rakesh. They celebrated Rakesh’s success by congratulating him and his parents. They celebrated the day as a festival with sound and colour. The neighbours came with garlands and halwa, party clothes and gifts like fountain pens and watches. All the neighbours felt pride of his achievement, and celebrated the whole day. There appeared the multicoloured whirl of pride.
d. How did the Varma couple make sacrifices for their son’s higher education?
Rakesh belonged to a lower class and uneducated family from India. His grandfather used to sell vegetables and father, Varma, worked as an oil seller at oil Depot. Mr. Varma had never stepped inside the school due to poor economic condition of his family. However, Varma couple wanted to provide their son with quality education. They made every sacrifice to send him to school and then medical college. They did hard labour throughout their life dreaming of Rakesh’s higher education. Varma worked for forty years in kerosene depot and his wife devoted herself to household tasks. Rakesh was a brilliant and hardworking student since his childhood. He completed his medical degree with the highest marks in the country. Thus, the fruit of sacrifice was golden as well as glorious.
e. Why was Rakesh’s success a special matter of discussion in the neighbourhood?
➜ Rakesh belonged to a lower class and uneducated family from India. His grandfather used to sell vegetables and father, Varma, worked as an oil seller at oil Depot. Mr. Varma had never stepped inside the school due to poor economic condition of his family. However, Varma couple wanted to provide their son with quality education. They struggled hard to send him to school and then medical college. Rakesh achieved the first rank in his medical degree from all over India. His achievement was not only a matter of pride for Varma family, but also for the whole neighbourhood. His achievement was unprecedented in the community, which was underprivileged. Rakesh was of very good manner. He was not boastful but modest. He respected all his neighbours. All the neighbours liked Rakesh very muchSo, the success of Rakesh was a special matter of discussion in the neighbourhood.
f. How does the author make fun with the words ‘America’ and ‘the USA’?
➜ The author makes fun with the words "America" and "The USA" by associating them with Verma’s nature of dealing with the words as he considered "the USA" as more prestigious than "America". He said that America is the term to be called by his ignorant neighbours. He wanted everyone to say the USA instead of America. Thus, Varma took the terms the USA and America differently being uneducated.
g. How did Rakesh rise in his career?
➜ Rakesh was born in a poor and uneducated family. He was brillant and hardworking right from his childhood. He completed his medical degree with the first position in the country. Later on, he wrote a thesis for his MD, which was an excellent research work. It was recognized by American university and by this work he won scholarship for his further study in the USA. He completed his study and worked at prestigious US hospitals. He worked there very sincerely and won many awards. Although Rakesh loved America, he loved his family more. As soon as he had enough experience and money, he returned home with the intention of working in his hometown. After returning to his own country, he started his new job in city hospital. Due to his sincerity and dedication to job, he got promotion and eventually became the Director of the city hospital. After working in the city hospital for few years, he left it and started his own clinic. Since he treated the patients very well, he got immense success in his clinic also. Thus, he was able to earn his name, fame and money. He was known not only as the best but also the richest doctor in the town. In this way, Rakesh got immense success in his career due to his sincere devotion and hard work.
h. How does the author characterize Rakesh’s wife?
➜ Rakesh returned to his home country from the USA and got married to a village girl, who was the choice of his mother. She is an uneducated country girl. She is not up-to-date but old fashioned. Physically, she is not so beautiful. She is a bit fat and looks lazy. However, she is of good nature. She is so placid and complaisant, devoted to household works. Above all. She is good-natured and pretty fat lady.
I. What is the impact of Rakesh’s mother’s death on his father?
➜ Rakesh had to face a great tragedy in his life i.e. his mother’s death. Rakeshs father was in a deep grief due to the death of his wife. Then his health started declining mysteriously. Mr Varma suffered from diseases one after another. Even Rakesh didn’t know the actual cause of his father’s frequent illness. Before his wife’s death, Varma was happy and satisfied. Perhaps, he felt alone after her death, got depressed and suffered from a disease called peevish whim (sudden irritation in mind). He looked irritated and did very unusual activities like wailing and weeping, spitting out a big gob of beetle juice, etc.
J. What did Rakesh do to make his father’s old age more comfortable?
➜ Rakesh didn’t have much time to take care of his father due to his busy life. However, he tried his best to comfort his father. He used to bring morning tea to his father in his favourite brass tumbler, read out morning news for his father, take him outside under the star during the night for his refreshment etc. He banned oily and unhealthy foods, sweets etc. for his father’s good health. As Rakesh prohibited unhealthy food items of his father’s choice, his father got irritated with both husband and wife. He blamed them as his haters, and complained against his son as a cruel and tyrannical son. In spite of the complaints of his father, he didn’t give up caring for his father. He tried the best to improve his fathers mental and physical health up to the last moment of his life.
K. Why did the old man try to bribe his grandchildren?
➜ The old man tried to bribe his grandchildren by the trick so that he could get a chance to eat Jalebis because fried food and sweets were prohibited by his son for him.
L. Describe the conflict between father and son (Varma and Rakesh).
➜ Rakesh did every care of his father. The old man seemed satisfied with other things except his diet plan. Varma liked sweets, halwa and other fried foods much. But Rakesh, as a doctor, banned such foods for his father’s good health. Rakesh only provided his father with boiled, healthy and hygienic foods. As Rakesh prohibited unhealthy food items of his choice, his father got irritated with both husband and wife. He blamed them as his haters, and complained against his son as a cruel and tyrannical son. Once varma bribed his grandson for Jalebis. Rakesh blamed his father for making his son a liar. Varma remained like a corpse after hearing his son’s lecture. In this way, a tension between father and son aroused. Varma became quite fade up and irritated while being restricted to have foods of his interest. He didn’t want to live being dependent upon medicine. He cried loudly and smashed the bottles of medicine. He often begged Rakesh to let him die. He used to tell his neighbours about his pitiable condition at home and complained against his son. In spite of the complaints of his father, he didn’t give up caring for his father. Rakesh did everything he could for his father as a devoted son.
C. Are Mr Varma’s complaints about his diets reasonable? How?
➜ From the point of view of an old father, Mr Vermas complaints about his diets may be reasonable to some extent. But Rakesh, as a devoted son and a professional doctor, is all right in his action because he makes diet plan for his father’s good health as his health condition is degrading day by day.
N. Do you call Rakesh a devoted son? Give reasons.
➜ Yes, I call Rakesh a loyal and devoted son who has performed all his duties and responsibilities towards his parents very well. He also shows boundless reverence towards his parents. Rakesh is obedient, hardworking and responsible person. He is not boastful but very humble. Everyone in the community liked him much due to his good nature and respectful behavior. He bows to touch his fathers feet on every good occasion and shows his exemplary filial behavior. Even though Rakesh studied and worked in America, he didn’t marry a foreigner to regard the wish of his mother. He married to an uneducated, old-fashioned village girl as she was the choice of his mother. Rakesh could have very good economic and career opportunities in America, but he returned to his home country for the happiness of his parents. Rakesh didn’t have much time to take care of his father due to his busy life. However, he tried his best to comfort his father. He used to bring morning tea to his father in his favourite brass tumbler, read out morning news for his father, take him outside under the star during the night for his refreshment etc. He banned oily and unhealthy foods, sweets etc. for his father’s good health. As Rakesh prohibited unhealthy food items of his father’s choice, his father got irritated with both husband and wife. He blamed them as his haters, and complained against his son as a cruel and tyrannical son. In spite of the complaints of his father, he didn’t give up caring for his father. He tried the best to improve his fathers mental and physical health up to the last moment of his life. Thus, he is a devoted son, a loving father and husband, and a good physician.
