Humour : The Gold Frame.    

  

 About Author :

R.k.Laxman

                                Born: 24 October 1921

                                                 [Mysore]

                                Died : 26 January 2015

                                                 [Pune ]

                 

                   Rashipuram krishnaswami Laksaman is a cartoonist, illustrator, humorist also a brother of R.K. Narayan.

His famous works are...

1. The Tunnel Of The Time

2. The Very Best Of Common Man

3. A Dose Of Laughter

4. Laugh At Laughter

             He won awards including Padma-bhushan, Padma-vibhushan,Roman Magsaysay award. His major works themes was humour and characteristics of Indian middle class.

* Introduction

               This story is like most other stories by Laxman, treats the theme of false prestige, society with simplicity, humour, hypocrisy. The author describe the plight frame-maker,Datta who splashes paint on old and respected gentleman that a customer wished to have framed. The vivid description of the things, situation and characters adds unexpected humour in this story.This story is satire on the society.

* Outline of the story :

             The man comes with the photo of his dead grandfather and explain the painter how important is the picture and person to the family also reminds him to make that best as possible. By mistake paint can falls down. 

            

               Photo was gone and painter put similar photo into the frame. When customer arrive for bringing frame ,he shouted annoyingly for wrong shape and main problem was vanished.

" Our mind is so much conditioned on how we want the things should be and we forgot to see how actually the things are..."

* Summary of the story:

            

                 "The modern frame works" is a shop extra large wooden packing case mounted on wobby legs tucked a gap between a drug store and radio repairing shop.  Datta the owner of the shop who was in concave figure, silver rimmed glasses and a complexion of seasoned timber, fitted into his shop with the harmony of fixture.  There are lot of frame in his shop like....

   

1. Gods frame 

2. Saints frame

3. Hockey player frame

4. Children frame

5. Cheap Monalisa frame

6. National leaders frame

7. Wedding couple frame

8. Urdu calligraphy

9. The snow-clad fujiyama frame

 

              At that time one customer arrive who was tall and rusting looking and he want really good photo frame and coast doesn't matter for best frame. He didn't being stint when a great soul is concerned. He wanted to give homage to his grandfather and with that he described greatness of him.

" If this world had just a few more like him , believe me it would certainly have been different places."

   

                 The photo of old man was looking sepia brown in colour an old man sharp and highly glanzed inspite of it antiquity. The old man was philanthropist, social worker, in top heavy cascading turban. Datta asked him about which sort of frame he want plain, wooden, lacquer,gold, plastic or just enamel painted. Customer don't have sense about choice and he was confused, unsure about his judgement. He was afraid of ensuring his saviour for ever in some ugly cheap frame.

 

              Datta recommend him one with profusion of gold leaves and winding creapers ,German imported frame. Datta asked him for shape and mount . Customer questioned about price and Datta replied frame, mount, glass all will coast seventeen ruppes. Customer pretend to be shocked and trying to bargain then agree upon the price.

               Customer arrive earlier for frame Datta find man's obsessive attachment with photo and fanatic devotion for it. Datta always made frame frame after customer's second arrival because of his past experience. Datta started making frame and as usual finding pencil strub, flase shape that he mistook for pencil harrassed him on end and stocked his anger.

 

               Datta frustratly shook his dhoti, violently and he upset a tin containing white enamel paint and it leaned on the photo. Datta  stood transfixed and started at the desaster as if he had suddenly lost all faculty of movement. Then suddenly he recovered sense he set about rescuing the picture in the desperate hurry that he made aa wrose mess of it. He rubbed the picture and half of old man's face and nearly all turban were gone. He feel helpless sat with both hands clutching his head.

             Datta's imaginations  run wild, suggesting nightmarish consequences of his own dear self. He racked his brain for long while thought about God in his mind. Datta show god after the destroy the photograph. He has opportunity to pray the god but he instead decides upon taking action. In Datta's mind thought coming while watching middle aged man, idea begun to take shape and show the possibility of finding an acceptable substituted. 

              Datta anxiously serch for brownish photograph reject so many photos due to sported flower vase in background and overdressed children. He find one yellowish photo and constrated in work and made a frame, Datta has forgotten about customer's request due to his quest and also become bold enough to chellenge customer also prepare his answer and revise it many times.

" Look, my dear man, I don't know who has been trying to fooling you ! That's the picture you brought here for framing ,take it or throw it away. "

      On next day customer's arrive, Datta loosing his nerve, he would betray the big hox, he had played already gone through thousand time rehearsed it so many times. He started slowly opening frame, after showing the frame childish delight of customer, he fell silent like one who had entered the inner sanctum of a temple. Suddenly this expression vanished from his face and he shouted in tremendous authority...

" Now, don't deny it! I clearly remember asking for cut mount with oval shape. This is square look..! "

             Datta is saved by the foolishness of customer rather than by his own experience . Datta shown himself to be an untrustworthy individual who thinks only himself and has total ignored customer's feelings.

              Laxman tried to shown that Datta has left himself with more work to do with not only replacement photograph but on his character too.

* Themes :

1. Dishonesty :

           Even though the error is readily corrected the fact that Laxman concludes the narrative with the customer complaining is enough to instill upon the readers the value of honesty. Datta have been honest with customer and tell him truth about what happened at least Datta's integrity could not be questioned.

2. Disrensopliblity :

              Datta not taking responsibility of his work cause of afraidation. Rather than taking responsibility Datta decided to lie which place him unfavorable light with the readers who has previously some sympathy for his condition.

3. Hypocrisy :

            The customer agree upon the price through he feel that it be high . After all lavish praise, a bargain over the price would make him still foolish. So his veneration for the old man as well as willingness to pay any price for the frame is both questionable.

4. Deception :

           Datta having destroyed customer's photo and use another to fool the customer then he has being deceptive . This story revele the cunning Nature of Datta and also decepts the customer as a fool.

5. Power of lie :

              Power of lie is overwhelming Datta cause he was afraid of consequences should happen after telling the truth. 

 

Conclusion :

              Thus, through this story Laxman was trying to reflect humorous aspect and also sarcasm and humorous Sentiments of person. There is easy way to lie but some virtues must be followed when it comes to the ethics of man. It is so realistically humorous with satire the process of observing , thinking and the sentimental blindness. 

" Every day is different.

Every day's thinking is different .

Every lock's key is different. "