Summary
The story "Lawley Road" depicts a series of bureaucratic issues. It is once again told by the Talkative Man and is the opening of the book's second section. It depicts a period of nationalism following India's independence from Britain. The city renames a number of streets and landmarks, changing their British names to Indian ones. They also decide to remove a statue dedicated to Sir Frederick Lawley, as they believe him to be a terrible British tyrant. No one steps up to remove the statue, so the Talkative Man offers to do it. He is just barely able to fit it inside his home. He publicizes his exploits in the news and is met swiftly with anger, as the statue is actually dedicated to another Frederick Lawley, who championed the rights of Indian citizens. The people of the city now demand the statue be returned to where it was, but now no one has the money to do so. In an effort to salvage his chances in the upcoming collection, a councilman buys the statue from the Talkative Man.
In "The Trail of the Green Blazer," a thief named Raju steals a man's purse. He is about to escape with it, but then notices that it has a small green balloon inside of it. Raju then realizes that the man was bringing the balloon home to his child. Imagining the man's child fills Raju with guilt and remorse, leaving him unable to keep the purse. He attempts to return it to the man's pocket, but the man thinks he is stealing it. He is struck and punished for his theft.
The story "The Martyr's Corner" describes a man named Rama who works as a food vendor in a specific corner of the city. His business does very well and he lives a life of great contentment. Some of the people who live in the neighborhood believe his life is a little too easy. One day, a riot breaks out near the man's stand. He flees and the next day discovers that people died in the riot. He is also told that he cannot sell from the spot he had been using, as it has been designated a martyr's corner. Subsequently, he loses his business.
"Wife's Holiday" is about a man named Kannan. Tormented by financial woes, he desperately ransacks his home while his wife is away in an effort to find extra money. He thinks about his wife with irritation as he goes through her things. He also opens his son's box of coins. He takes the money from this theft and puts it towards gambling. He loses all of the money and is forced to return home with a feeling of great shame, as he is forced to confront his wife and son.
In the story, "The Shadow," a young boy named Sambu goes to the cinema to see a movie that his deceased father was in. Sambu enjoys seeing the movie, as he feels momentarily reunited with his father. He repeatedly asks his mother to go with him, but she refuses, as she thinks it will be too upsetting for her to watch. She finally agrees to go with him and is overcome with emotion during the movie. She faints and has to leave. The movie is not shown at the theater again.
"A Willing Slave" tells the story of a servant by the name of Ayah. She takes a simplistic attitude toward everything. She is close with her employer's daughter, Radha, and frequently entertains her with stories about protecting her from the "Old Fellow." She goes away for a few days to take her normal leave from work, but then returns to inform her employer that she will be leaving permanently, to go take care of her husband, who has reappeared to take her home. She is unappreciated by everyone in her life.
"Leela's Friend" is about the servant Sidda and Leela, a young girl that she takes care of. It describes Sidda's close relationship with Leela. One day, Sidda is accused of stealing Leela's necklace. She is arrested and the family is furious for allowing such a thing to happen. Leela is inconsolable about the loss of Sidda but her parents remain firm in their decision. Eventually, Leela's mother discovers the necklace in a kitchen pot. Sidda is released, but Leela's father is entirely unrepentant about the trouble they put Sidda through.
In "Mother and Son," a mother and her son bicker about marriage. She really wants him to find a wife and he is resistant. He decides to go out for a walk. After a few hours pass, she grows very worried about him. She begins to fear that he has died. She finds him sleeping on a park bench. She is relieved but scolds him about not getting too close to the water.
Analysis
"Lawley Road" explores the relationship between bureaucracy and public opinion. This tale from the Talkative Man describes how a statue caused a great deal of discord in Malgudi. Following a wave of national pride, the city decided to rename a number of streets, removing their British titles and replacing them with Indian ones. They also decide they should remove a statue dedicated to Sir Frederick Lawley, as they assume he was a brutal British imperialist. The Talkative Man decides to remove the statue himself, after no one else is able to. He writes about what he has done in the news and receives an angry backlash, as it turns out the statue was for another Frederick Lawley, who championed the rights of Indian citizens. A councilman buys it back from him, in an effort to salvage his chances in a local election. The story effectively captures how the tide of public opinion rapidly shifts without a meaningful reason.
The story "The Shadow" deals with grief and loss. It recounts how a boy named Sambu goes to see a movie that his dead father is in. He enjoys the experience of seeing his father onscreen, as he feels it allows him to connect with him once again. However, his mother does not want to see the film, as she is afraid she will find it too upsetting. She eventually accompanies Sambu, but is overcome and faints. The story is a pointed exploration of grief, as it shows people's different responses to the death of a loved one. For Sambu, the movie offers a chance to momentarily reconnect with his father. For his mother, the image of her dead husband only makes her suffering more acute.
"The Trail of the Green Blazer" considers what it means to do the "right" thing. In the story, a thief named Raju steals a man's purse but then quickly discovers a green balloon inside of it. Thinking of the man's child's disappointment, Raju is filled with regret over his actions. He attempts to right this wrong by returning the purse, but is caught and charged, as people think he is trying to steal the purse rather than putting it back. The ending of the story examines how doing the morally right thing does not always lead to the most positive results. Raju would have been better off had he not returned the purse, but is punished because he tried to change his ways.
In the story "Leela's Friend," a servant named Sidda is wrongfully arrested for the theft of a necklace. Sidda has a close relationship with Leela, the daughter of the family for whom she works. One day, when Leela's necklace disappears, Sidda is accused of stealing it. Eventually the necklace is found in a pot in the kitchen and Sidda is released. Still, Leela's father views Sidda as a thief, and shows no regret for the way that they treated Sidda. This story speaks to the way in which class often allows people to thoughtlessly make accusations of wrongdoing.
The story "The Martyr's Corner" looks at the impact of history on individual lives. The main character of the story is Rama, a food vendor. He sells from the same corner every day and runs a successful business. In the aftermath of a riot near his spot, several people die. He is then told he cannot keep working in that area, as it has been designated a "holy spot." Being forced to move ruins his business. This story demonstrates the impact of historical events on individuals. Rama's entire business ends because a riot occurred in one very specific location on a random day.
