PASCAL Platinum 6th Edition

EnglishHow did the Headmaster Influence Krishna’s Life?The headmaster is a significant character in the novel, who isdisappointed with his way of life, he searched for a way out where heforgot about all of his problems through the children at his school andlearnt how to adopt the innocence and purity of children. Using what hehad learnt from children the headmaster had an impact on Krishna’s lifehelping him go one step closer to becoming a ‘master of his own destiny’.He was an extraordinary and eccentric man with unusual views aboutchildren, a different lifestyle and of course an influence on Krishna.The headmaster didn’t have a good relationship with his family due to thefact that he was forced by his father to marry a woman he did not reallylove and even have children. What is ironic about the headmaster wasthat he was a ‘father figure’. Because he didn’t use a towel and meditatedfor fifteen minutes before dinner he didn’t have a good relationship withhis wife. He thought that he ‘could have managed well as a bachelor’ andeven Krishna thought that ‘he spoke as if he were someone else’. Theheadmaster loved children, however, he didn’t love his own and theydidn’t go to his school. This is evident from the quote ‘My school is for allthe children in the world except my own’. Due to his wife and childrenthe headmaster felt more at home in Krishna’s house rather than his. Theheadmaster always refers to his wife and children in a negative way, ashe says that ‘there are people in this world who have rough tongues butwho are soft at heart-but this lady!”. This is the reason the headmaster is always distant from his family andalways ignores them.The headmaster thought that children were the “real gods on Earth” as even though he faced many problemswith his family relationships he managed to find refuge and shelter from the children’s pure and sinless souls. Hewas “a most eccentric man” who had unusual views about children. Children have managed to teach theheadmaster “the simplicity to which all human conduct must be reduced”, how to become pure and innocent andalso how “to speak plainly without the varnish of the adult world.” The headmaster has become so accustomedto children that he even copies their language so his language is always plain and honest. The headmasterdisagreed with the western education and supported that the only way children would learn was by the “LeaveAlone System” in which children are left alone to discover the unknown wonders of the world and work off ‘thecurse of adulthood.”The headmaster is the true character who brought about the turning point in Krishna’s life after Susila’s death.Krishna and the headmaster have both similarities and differences. Both Krishna and the headmaster disagreewith the Western education as sport is given more importance that academic worth as people who play sports“are even made to pass examinations”. According to the headmaster “you can’t have a school unless you haveinvested a few thousands in building and furniture” as luxuries are not needed for proper education. In addition,the headmaster criticizes the Western education system for copying as he says ironically that “we could as wellbeen born monkeys to justify our powers of imitation”. He believed that “you may like what you may like” andsupported the democratic style education. The headmaster was also predictable as he had an astrologer predictthe future of his life. Krishna in contrast with the headmaster was honest straight-forward and loved his job.Also, it is sarcastic when the headmaster helps Krishna to communicate with his wife while the headmasterhimself doesn’t have a good relationship with his own wife and doesn’t communicate with her. When Krishna wastaught about the purity, innocence and honesty of children Krishna became independent spoke in a straightforwardway, he became less materialistic and more spiritual. As a result of the headmaster’s influence, Krishnaresigned his job at Albert Mission College and achieved the highest level in spirituality and thus becoming amaster of his own destiny as he is reunited with his beloved Susila in which he had initially lost but recentlyfound once again.The author of the novel R.K. Narayan used the headmaster’s character in order to portray one of the mostimportant themes in the book which is Purity of childhood versus adulthood. This theme which actually symbolizesthe headmaster was the cause of Krishna’s turning point in his life. If it hadn’t been for the headmaster,Krishna would have never have fulfilled his goals in life and reach the spiritual level required to meet Susilaagain.Christos Zachariades 5BPASCAL Platinum 6th Edition 15