A devoted son

The short stories 'A Devoted son' is written by Anita Desai. In the story there were two main character. One is Rakesh and next is Varma ji who is the father of Rakesh.

‘A Devoted Son’ is a realistic story set in a middle-class Indian family in an Indian village. The story shows how parents cherish their ambition towards their children and how a son should fulfill his duty towards the parents.

According to title the story, the story is about the son who is devoted towards his parents, the son who take care of the parents, who obey them, who respect and the son who complete all duty and responsibility towards his parents.

The story began as the son, Rakesh got distinction rank on the exam. The whole family got very happy and arranged for a great party. They invited whole village in the party. All of them have a great fun and all congratulated to Varma ji and to Rakesh. Some of them said, don't be very happy, we don't forgot you was a vegetable shopkeeper. And his happyness will not be longer. But Varma Ji doesn't pay attention on them.

Rakesh got a scholorship in a reputed colleage of USA. Again the whole family was happy. Rakesh went to USA for further study. And after some years Rakesh return back to his country. Rakesh thought that he had gone USA just for study and now he must do something great for his family and country. His mother was pleased and proud of him. But Varma ji wasn't so much pleased that Rakesh come from USA, because he feel proud when he says that his son is in USA rather than saying in his own country to the villagers. But he was not totally sad. He was always proud of his son.

Rakesh got promotion of MD from doctor. Then he married to a girl from his village, who was not so educated as his mother's choice. Varma ji wasn't pleased in this topic too. He had wished that his son will marry to a educated and beautiful lady as his son was educated.

In this way, his life was passing. But suddenly Rakesh's mother died away. She wasn't died of tension and problem, she died by satisfying from her life. Then Varma ji felt alone himself. He hadn't any friend to talk because Rakesh was full busy on his job and Rakesh's wife is busy to prepare thier foods and make ready to their two children. But Rakesh spent time to his father as much he could get leisure time. Now the happy family became sad and silent. The relation between son and father got a distance. Varma ji began to feel that his son doesn't take care after him. But Rakesh tried to satisfy his father every time and every moment. Rakesh used to read newspaper for his father every time. Rakesh used to read newspaper for his father, rub father's feet, give medicine to him.

Varma ji became more older. He began to have narrow point of view that he is the father of doctor but he is prohibited to have sweet and oily food. Actually Rakesh probitted that kind of foods in order to balance is father's health condition. Rakesh always tried to fulfill his duties and responsibilities towards his father. He always take care after him. But due to prohibition to food, Varma ji thought that his son didn't love him. He thought that Rakesh had changed and began not to pay attention towards him. Many times he used to argue with his son on this topic. But the son always be polite to his father and don't quarrel with him.

One day when the Varma ji is with his grandson in the market, he requested his grand son to bring some sweets for him. He said not to tell his father about this topic to his grand son. But when Rakesh come to know about that he argue with his father. He said that his father health condition will be unbalanced when he will used to eat sweets. This make more distance in relation between Rakesh and Varma ji. But Varma ji thought that his son make strict rule for him. His son began to injustice for him. He became very sad. He felt more alone and wat to die soon.

One day he shared all of his feelings to his friends because he thought that his friend had great joy and happiness in his family. Varma ji began to thought that he is in jail nad his son is jailer who used to punish him every times. Then one day, when the argue was held he said to his son to kill, him he doesn't want to live any more. But the Rakesh always have positive thought about his father. He wished that his father would give love and care to his son as his father did him in childhood. He always support his father and take care after him. He loved his father very much. He don't want to argue with his father but father did so.

But Varma ji think that they have great distance between him and his son. He often used to said that he want to die. Unfortunately, one day he killed himself by the help of pillow. His son became more sad in that time.

In this way the story is ended.

In this story the son who is always obeident to his parents is shown. Here the writer want to ask question to reader that did really the Rakesh is devoted son ?