R. K. Narayan is one of India's most famous and celebrated writers. His works are recognized for their concise storytelling and rich portrayal of community. He won many prestigious awards in his lifetime including the Padma Vibhushan, Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, Benson Medal, and Padma Bhushan. The Vendor of Sweets is one of his most well-known works alongside Malgudi Days (1943), The English Teacher (1945), and The Guide (1958). Like William Faulkner and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Narayan was interested in building out the world of his books by weaving them together, often revisiting characters from previous works as he set his stories in the fictional town of Malgudi.
The Vendor of Sweets shares a number of thematic concerns with Malgudi Days, as both engage with questions of class and culture. Likewise, they both use a sympathetic and humorous tone, as the narrator both mocks the characters while showing care for their plights. In the story "The Doctor's Word," a doctor who never lies is forced to treat his friend. He discovers that his friend is very ill but cannot bear to deliver the news and lies. His friend miraculously recovers, shocking him and effectively making his words truthful. The story reveals how his struggle resolves itself surprisingly, giving him an unexpected reprieve.
In a sadder instance, the story "The Blind Dog," the narrator describes the life of a dog who leads a blind beggar around town. The dog is helpful and loyal but the man treats it cruelly, hitting and kicking it constantly. Two street vendors witness this constant abuse and decide to cut the dog loose from his leash while the blind man sleeps. They are happy about the dog's escape until they learn, from the blind man, that the dog returned and is now chained with a chain leash. Together, the two vendors feel sorry for the dog's inability to abandon the man.
Both of these stories are indicative of what Narayan continually revisits: scenes of daily turmoil and recurring difficulties. In these stories and in The Vendor of Sweets, he is clearly interested in detailing the small moments between characters, showing how seemingly trivial occurrences can take on significant importance and weight. Narayan treats the days of Jagan's life with this careful attention, tracing the slow growth of his character as a result of various revelations. This undramatic approach allows Narayan to sketch out his characters over time, revealing the progress they make over the course of their routine lives.
