The Dark Room

As the back cover so succinctly puts it, the poignant tale of the housewife tormented by the indifferent husband could not have been better told. The pathos of an Indian lady, single-handedly caring for the house and its inhabitants with a husband who feels that being the earning member justifies in his every action, is etched in a steady pace along the chapters. With his characteristic humour and the keen eye to the social structure, Narayan seems to excel himself in this anecdote as he brings out the reality with which the opposite sex is so often treated so easily. Mothering three children and keeping a sound belief in her husband, the lady of the house is stunned when she finds herself betrayed of her faith. As frustration piles up, she is forced to leave the house but the love and affection for her children seemed to get the better of her. The author sketches the sorrow of the housewife and the hollow pride of the upper caste and highlights it by the stark contrast of the lower strata of the society that reveals a more human nature. The tale is another reminiscent of the day to day events that is pictured perfectly with the realistic touch.