English Teacher

Narayan's novels are characterised by Chekhovian simplicity and gentle humour. He told stories of simple folks trying to live their simple lives in a changing world. The characters in his novels were very ordinary, down-to-earth Indians trying to blend tradition with modernisation, often resulting in tragi-comic situations. His writing style was simple, unpretentious and witty, with a unique flavour as if he were writing in the native tongue. Many of Narayan's works are rooted in everyday life, though he is not shy of invoking Hindu tales or traditional Indian folklore to emphasize a point. His easy-going outlook on life has sometimes been criticized, though in general he is viewed as an accomplished, sensitive and reasonably prolific writer.

"Never has the magical storyteller of imaginary Malgudi woven tragedy and humour so deftly together."

The English Teacher is a 1945 novel written by R.K.Narayan. The English Teacher is the third of the trilogy that began with Swami and Friends, and The Bachelor of Arts.

This novel, dedicated to Narayan's wife Rajam is not only autobiographical but also poignant in its intensity of feeling. The story is a series of experiences in the life of Krishna, an English teacher- some joyful, some sorrowful;, and his quest towards achieving inner peace and self-development.

The English Teacher is autobiographical in content, very little part of it being fiction. The "English Teacher" of the novel, Krishna, is a fictional character in the fictional city of Malgudi; but he goes through the same experience I had gone through, The toll that typhoid took and the desolation that followed, with a a child to look after, and the psychic adjustments, are based on my own experience.'

Plot introduction

Krishna is an English lecturer at the Albert Mission College.