The Vendor of Sweets

In R.K. Narayan’s novel The Vendor of Sweets, the tension between old and young India is the backdrop against which a father and son clash. Jagan, a 55 year old man who is steeped in tradition, is a bundle of contradictions. He is a passionate follower of Gandhi, embracing non-violent cooperation and an ascetic lifestyle. However, he is also boastful when it comes to his own self-control. It is not enough that he has renounced sugar and salt, he is compelled to tell others about it. Furthering the irony is that Jagan works as the titular vendor of sweets. Although he believes indulging in sugar is both unhealthy and contrary to Gandhi’s teachings, he earns his living selling sugary confections to others. More complicated yet is the fact that Jagan skims a portion of each day’s profits, hoarding it away so that he will not have to pay taxes on his unreported income.

Jagan’s son Mali throws Jagan’s life into tumult when he announces that he no longer wants to study at the university. Mali has been a great source of pride to Jagan, but this is largely because he has never shown signs of independence.