The Nation and the Child: Reading R. K. Narayan's Swami and Friends

This paper argues that the idea of the nation is closely connected with the notion of childhood in the context of colonization. Traditionally, childhood was seen as an age of dependence. Through the colonial lens, childhood appeared as a colonized nation and vice versa. R. K. Narayan’s Swami and Friends (1935) is Narayan’s first novel. It is based on his childhood memories, but it is not autobiographical. It shows a child’s journey to his dream and an unflinching will to prove himself amidst the reign of dominance, subjugation, rejection, and demoralization. Swami represents the spirit of independence, liberty, and dignity. His participation in the freedom struggle carries historical and symbolic significance. Swami's attempt of revolt is not only for his country but for his freedom too. He reacts against the strong, conservative, and suffocating authority of adults. This novel projects the twin realities of the development of India as a nation and the Indian child. It builds its argument on the relationship shared between an individual and the place and the identity that is derived from it.