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Old Man of the Temple- Guide for Responding
Check your comprehension
The narrator’s trip seems to be going smoothly until something happens to Doss. Describe what happens.
Doss stopped the car and started saying that there was an old man on the road , trying to kill himself. However, when the narrator got down to look for him, he noticed no one, but a temple on the roadside.
What does the narrator say to cause the old man to think about his own situation?
The narrator tells him that he is dead, as he reasons that he is a five hundred year old ghost.
How are peace and quiet finally restored?
The narrator manages to convince the old man to think about his dead wife, Seetha. Who was dead even before his death, so she took him to the afterlife; As he followed her in his memory and imagination.
Critical Thinking
Why does the narrator find Doss’s words about the old man unbelievable?
Because the narrator can’t really see the old man, so it is hard to believe something that you can’t prove or see with your own eyes.
How does the narrator react to Doss’s transformation?
At first, he is in disbelief and thinks that Doss is joking or drunk. But later on he starts to more or less understand what he’s dealing with, and tries to help the spirit. According to the narrator, Doss was obedient and patient, different to the behavior shown when the driver was possessed.
Why is the narrator suspicious of what the old man says? Give examples.
The narrator starts questioning whether Doss is actually Doss, and he has gone mad, or another supernatural being. Doss possessed by Krishna hints clues to the narrator as he talks about a king, even though the territory hadn’t been ruled by a king for centuries.
(a) Is the narrator suspicious of a person who would be more likely to be ruled by his feelings or by reason? (b) Why?
In the text the narrator seems to be coherent and calm during his interaction with Krishna, so we can infer that he mostly uses reason to act. However, certain measures like thinking about love, and using it requires a certain amount of emotional response and feelings.
Meaning that the narrator’s actions are ruled by reason, but his thoughts and reactions are ruled by feelings.
What purpose does the introduction of the family at the end of the story serve?
The family explains how this event wasn’t new or isolated, but in fact affected them and other people before. This also contextualizes previous events, and explains why Krishna was so desperate to get out of the car.
(a) Which elements of this story are uniquely Indian? (b) Which are universal?
The names, and temples presented aren’t something that all countries have. As the temples expose a part of the history of India, their religion, and the suffering that they went through with the British Raj. The names (such as, Krishna Battar and Vishnu Varma) are representation and characteristic to their language and origins. Other elements like the cars, and belief in supernatural beings can be seen in other environments, and communities.
(a) How does this story compare with other fantasies you have read or seen on film? (b) Which elements of the plot or characters are similar? Which are different?
Fantasies that I’ve read or watched often use elements that are completely surreal or fictional instead of merging it with someone’s culture. This story uses a very familiar and soft tone,
that allows the proper comprehension of the text, different from other fantastical stories.
The characters, however, are similar to other characters in ghost stories: a hero, someone naive and well behaved that ends up possessed, and a ghost/spirit with a tragic backstory.
Reading strategy
Name two elements that are fantastic.
Central Conflict: the central conflict explains the existence of a supernatural being, ghost, or spirit that possessed a character in the story.
Complex characters: the character, Krishna, has unsolved problems on Earth. Reason why he continues to wander around the human world.
2. (a) At what point does the story become fantastical?
How do you know?
The story becomes fictional, once Doss notices the spirit from the Old Man from the temple. As the spirit couldn’t be physically seen by the narrator. This can be inferred because the exposition of the story explains a setting with modern elements like cars, and modern day jobs, but later adds a supernatural element.
In addition, the story presents fictional cities Magludi and Kumbum.
Literary focus
Why is this story a fantasy?
The story implements the creation of fictional cities, and beings that are usually believed by certain communities with certain religions. Since exorcism isn’t something often believed in the modern world.
How does the inclusion of fantastic elements make a story appealing?
Without the ghost the story would be about how a man mobilizes, and his fellow driver. Which could attract certain readers, but generally speaking it wouldn’t be as interesting. Additionally, writing the story in a fictional setting where there aren’t any specific places lets room for imagination and interpretation.
What realistic elements of the story make it believable?
It involves religion, architecture, and culture from India even if it isn’t direct or specific. Some examples: temples, the belief that kings were considered as holy, believing in spirits had to do a lot with the culture, etc.
Build Vocabulary
ity- the state or condition of being
Brutality: Condition of being extremely violent or cruel.
Severity: state or condition of being strict, harsh or severe.
Generosity: state, or quality of being kind and generous; state of being plentiful.
Individuality: quality or state of being individual, unique, original, or particular.
Using the Word Bank
sobriety: (.c) moderation
Awry: (b) crooked
Literally: (a) actually
Longevity: (c.) duration
Imperative (a) essential
Venture (b) risk
Build Grammar Skills
He stopped, wiped the beads of perspiration off his forehead, and hobbled along towards the temple.
He drove the car smoothly, seldom swore at passers-by, and exhibited perfect judgment.
I dug the earth, burnt every brick, and put them one upon another, all single-handed.
