Kanthapura

As Chapter 4 opens and a new day dawns, the village is busy with craft and trade. Moorthy, however, has other plans, returning to the village with books and handspun clothes. He visits his mother and finds Narsamma distraught at the possibility of excommunication. She tries to kick him out of the house and orders him not to return until he has been cleansed by the Swami. She leaves her house, wandering the streets and reacting with rage to everyone she meets, but soon calms down and returns to look for her son. She instead finds Bhatta waiting for her. Bhatta tries to explain that he never said he would excommunicate Moorthy, but only threatened to if he continued interacting with the Pariahs. He appeals to her to reach out to her son before it’s too late, but Rangamma has told Bhatta that Moorthy is looking for him. Bhatta finds Moorthy is becoming more radical and disrespectful, and he warns Narsamma that they are running out of options. Soon, he will have to report Moorthy to the Swami. When Moorthy returns to the house, Narsamma is sobbing. She refuses to talk to Moorthy.