A Devoted Son

Anita Desai's short story is an indepth study of an old father's mind.This story has a universal appeal as the old people feel about their children in particular and about life in general.The old father's complex psycology has well brought out in the story.Rakesh was the devoted son whose parents were illiterate and lived in a small house in dirty surroundings.When he stood first in the medical examination,the first thing he did was to touch his father's feet.He went to study medicines in US and when he back from there the first thing that he did was to touch his father's feet. Rakesh then lived with his parents and started working in the city hospital where due to his skills and hard work earned fame and money an was soon promoted as the director.But he decided that he would open his own clinic and left the job.He set up his own clinic and with the passage of time he not only became a famous doctor but also the richest one in the town.This all was a matter of proud for his father.Meanwhile he(father) got retired and began to go into pieces.His wife's death affected him badly.All the fame became fade and he got ill. He started feeling lonely and neglected.Rakesh spent time with him only in the morning and evening.Rakesh was a busy doctor,a good husband,father but above all he was a devoted son.How he could please everyone was a mystery.But his sparkling personality began to undergo a change at least in his father's eyes.

It was Rakesh who brought him his morning tea in his favorite tumbler and sat at the edge of his bed and read out the morning paper to him.In the evening he persuaded the old man to sit in the garden,have the fresh air and enjoy the evening.On summers he made arrangements for his father to sleep under the stars.All this was gratifying to the old man ; but what was not so gratifying was that his son also surprised his diet.He did not let his father eat halva and other oily food.One day his father insisted to have sooji halva.At this Rakesh came to him doctorly strict and ordered,"no more halva for you papa" and denied anything that was fries at which the old man was rather shocked.It was incredible for him that his own son has refused him the food that he craved.Halwa was only the first thing that was crossed off from his diet,followed by everything fried,sweet and everything that the old man enjoyed.His meals began to be frugal,boiled vegetables,boiled chicken and dry bread.One day the old man bribed her grandson to some jalebis from near by shop.He was found out and was accused of spoiling the child and making him do bad things.There was a big scene as Rakesh shouted at his father who lay in the corpse position but no one cared.After that he began to complain to his friend Bhatia about his son.He complains that his own son weighs the food before giving to him.He also complains the way he treated him,his own father who brought him up,given him an education and made him a doctor.His masterly efficiency was now considered as cold heartedness by the father.Verma found himself giving up all interest in life.He became sick and weak.His food now consisted of powders,pills and tonics.One day when Verma was made to sit in the lawn,feeling terrified of the cricket ball,Rakesh came with a new tonic which Verma swept away saying contemptously,'keep you tonic,I Want Non. I want none.'Old verma lay flat saying God is calling him.We do feel pity for the old father.His son although devoted to him,failed to see the human side.His father has long lost the desire to live.The tragedy is that the son failed to see the boredom,the loneliness,the desire for warmth and affection.He did his duty but his father long ceased to appreciate him.On the contrary,he had developed contempt for his famous son.First and foremost he is a doctor and knows what is good or bad for the delicate conditions of his father.He cannot allow rich diet to be given to him.He has to strict with him.In all other matters he served his father in a very devoted manner like offering him tea,reading for him,nursing him and taking care of his health,but what he overlooked was his father's isolation and his desire for some company which he could not give and which tarnished his reputation in his father's eyes.The father  saw only the negative side of his character,his own son who,in the age when the sons let their parents on their own devoted himself to his parents.I fully sympathise with Rakesh for what he gets in the end for his life time devotion.