The lesson tells us about Iswaran, the protagonist of the story. He is known for his storytelling and uses this art skillfully. He is very good at and uses voice modulation and with his superb body language, he made the listener very engaging. His owner Mahendra gets engaged and is fascinated by his art and so Iswaran is the source of entertainment for him.
About The Author: Iswaran The Storyteller
R.K. Laxman was born in India and was an Indian humorist, cartoonist, and illustrator. He was best known for his work like The Common Man and for his daily cartoons published in The Times Of India. The Common Man proved to be a turning point in his life.
Central Theme: Iswaran The storyteller
The story is about Iswaran who was good at telling stories and not only that he uses voice modulation and expressions that anyone could be captivated in the story. He was so talented in this art that the listener feels it to be a real one. He lives with his master Mahendra and moves from place to place with him. For him, he is the source of entertainment, he cooks for him and does all the household jobs for him. He used to narrate stories with great suspense and it feels that the scene has happened in front of him.
Character Sketch: Summary of Iswaran The Storyteller
- Iswaran
He possessed good culinary skills and belonged to a place famous for its timber. He served his master Mahendra and was very loyal and honest towards him. He was very good at storytelling and that too he presented with expressions and some voice modulations so that the listener remains captivated in the story till the end.
He possesses all the qualities of television and is a source of entertainment. He tells even a small part of the incident with so many dramatic expressions and changing of his voice to a certain level. That the listener thinks that this might happen.
He also has the habit of leaving the very much fascinated by the Tamil writers and his art of storytelling leaves a lasting impression on the listener.
2. Mahendra
Mahendra was a bachelor and worked in a factory as a junior supervisor. His working site never remains the same and he used to change places. He has kept a cook Iswaran with him who is very loyal and honest and does all the household chores for him. He cooked delicious food for him and washed his clothes. The most interesting work is that he tells stories to him in a fascinating way and thus works as a pure source of entertainment for him.
Sometimes Mahendra was so fascinated with his way of storytelling that he got afraid and wanted to change his workplace.
Summary of Iswaran the storyteller
The story revolves around Mahendra and his cook, Iswaran. He had to change his working place due to the nature of his job but he is grateful that he has a cook who also joins him everywhere and takes good care of him.
Iswaran was fond of reading Tamil horror stories and because of this he got the art of storytelling with very good expressions and changing of his voice. He was a very good caretaker of Mahendra and does all the household duties with due care; from washing clothes to preparing dinner and the cherry on the pie, he was also a good source of entertainment for him.
Mahendra used to listen very patiently like a child and without finding loopholes, he used to believe every part of the story. Once Iswaran narrated a story about an elephant.
He started the story by telling that he paralyzed an elephant by hitting him with a cane. The elephant was carrying a truckload of timber, but he soon got mad and no mahout could control it.
The elephant entered a school ground and broke the wall. Children and teachers ran here and there to save their lives.
Everyone was shocked when Iswaran who was then a little boy hit the mad animal with a cane on his third toenail and made him turn to the ground. He told that it was a secret he knew that when somebody got hit on the third toenail, the person used to get paralyzed.
Later on, he told Mahendra about the spirits of the ancestors and started talking about ghosts. The place that they have made their shed was haunted and once a burial ground. He also had come across ghosts and spirits, but he is not at all scared of them. Once he met a woman holding a foetus in her arms on a full moon night.
Moaning and groaning she used to come on a full moon night, to this Mahendra was shaking like a leaf. And now after listening to the mugged-up stories by Iswaran, he started believing that he had also listened to the moaning and groaning of a woman on a full moon night.
He peeped outside and flung himself tightly holding his bedsheet. The very next day, Mahendra was asked about the woman. To this question, he kept silent on his face and gave his resignation, and decided to leave this place as soon as possible.
Conclusion
The story is all set around two persons, the master, and his loyal servant or the source of entertainment for him. Iswaran was very good at telling anecdotes and used to tell stories with utmost expressions. His verbal ability was very fine and the listeners got captivated till the end.
Iswaran The Storyteller Question Answer
Q1. In what way is Iswaran an asset to Mahendra?
A1. Iswaran was very loyal and honest towards Mahendra. He does all the household jobs and was very kind. He used to wake him and wash his clothes, make tea and prepare lunch for him. And the most important work he used to do is telling him stories and anecdotes and making him happy and entertained.
He was truly an asset for him and works as a television always telling him thrilling stories. He also moved with him to his workplace.
