Out of Business | R.K. Narayan | Summary

The magnificent short story written by R.K. Narayan Out of business. The well written summary here represents the arc so beautifully, Included in the Calcutta University Syllabus. Share it.

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R.K. Narayan: Out of Business

Rama Rao, the protagonist of this story inherited some money and he invested it to a gramophone company to become an agent of Malgudi. For five years his business was going well and he earned a lot of money that enabled him to live a decent and comfortable life with his wife and children. But things don’t turn as well as we do always expect. Suddenly a crash in the stock market brought his company to the verge of extinction. This news came to him like a bolt from the blue. Series of circumstances in the world of banking, trade, commerce, politics and the unexpected death of a Bombay financier has resulted in his financial disaster. Some doubted that the death of the financier was a case of suicide, because his wife’s illicit and immoral behaviour with his cashier.

Initially Rama Rao didn’t feel the impact of the disaster. With the passage of few months his savings were being dwindled. His condition became gradually pitiable and pathetic. But his wife was very cool calm and composed. Not only that, she was sensible and sympathetic. She tried to lighten the burden of her husband by releasing the cook and servant, shunting her children from a luxurious and prestigious school to an ordinary primary school, and shifting from a comfortable bungalow to a commonplace house. Rama Rao was a hard working fellow, he didn’t spend his time yawning and gaping. He tried his best to get a job from one factory to another, but everywhere he was disappointed. In the evening his wife and children used to wait for him eagerly and anxiously for a good news. As usual Rama Rao returned home with gloomy face. Their only hope was the money that they got from the rent of their bungalow.

One day Rama Rao came across a journal named “The Captain” consisting of four pages. All the four pages were devoted to crossword puzzles. It offered every week a first prize of Four thousand rupees. He thought that he now could earn money by solving those crosswords. Since then he used to send the answers in hope of getting the first prize. He used to wait in anguish for the name of the right sender. But each time his hopes were shattered. “Face is the index of one’s heart” His frustration and disappointment was reflected in his face. He became fretful and picked up quarrel with his wife on a flimsy ground and trivial issues. As his wife was cool and composed, she tried to appease him by remaining silent.

Anyhow one day a special prize of 8000 rupees was announced. Another chance, another hope. Rama Rao tried to test his luck again. He insisted his wife on giving him Rs5 to send his answer by registered post. He decided to send four different entries as he was not sure at one part & there could be four variations. He was hoping against hope and was dreaming to built a castle in the air with the prize money. But the goddess of fortune was yet to smile on him and this time also his hopes were crumbled. He didn’t win the prize, but ‘Hope is a poor man’s bread”. So he decided that there was no reason to lead such a measurable existence and decided to commit suicide. He went to the rail tracks and lay there waiting for the train. But this time god appeared to rescue him. He waited and waited, but the train was yet to come. At last he was tired to lying there, he rose up and walked to the station. There he cam to know that a goods train has derailed and all scheduled trains would be late by three hours.

Then he decided to return home. His wife became anxious and impatient for Rama Rao’s inordinate delay. But she brightened up and sighed with relief at his sight. Then after taking a rest he sat down to eat. His wife informed him that the tenants came in the evening and asked weather he would sell his bungalow. They would offer good amount. He thought that it was an excellent idea and expressed his willingness if they paid four and a half thousand rupees. He would keep five hundred and give away the rest to his wife. At this his wife wanted to know if he would again invest his money on the crossword puzzles. Rama Rao felt depressed and calmly said no. Hw would go to Madras and look for a profitable job there to take them out of their misery.

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Read more about the author here, https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/r-k-narayan-5285.php.

Articles related to this chapter:-

• Out of Business | R.K.Narayan | Short Story
• Out of Business | R.K. Narayan | Important Questions & Answers
• Out of Business | R.K. Narayan | Story Analysis and Review

Know more about stuff related:-

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• Spoken English and Broken English | George Bernard Shaw | Essay | Graduation
• My Financial Career | Stephen Leacock | Short Story

Reference:-

• “Out Of Business.” Ankit Sahay, 26 Sept. 2017, www.ankitsahay.com/out-of-business/.
• Oocities.Org, 2018, http://www.oocities.org/sudipnandy2008/edu/files/English.doc. Accessed 20 Aug 2018.
• University of Calcutta. University English Selections: Three Year Degree Course, 2007

For latest syllabus, both for compulsory and alternative papers for B.Sc. Part – I exam, check out the CU’s official notice http://www.caluniv.ac.in/news/Revised-Syllabus-Eng-HGCCA.pdf for more info. To refer to the old syllabus, click on this link http://www.caluniv.ac.in/syllabus/eng-alternative-compulsury.pdf .

**There are constant un-noticed changes within the university which needs your attention at regular intervals for better results.

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Calcutta University

Part - I

B.Sc. B.A.

Honours and General

University of Calcutta

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