Question

2) Why does the narrator call the road engine a terrible property

Answer 1

Answer:

In Engine Trouble by R.K Narayan we have the theme of practicality, hope, luck, responsibility and authority. Taken from his Malgudi Days collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Narayan may be exploring the theme of practicality. The narrator has no use for a road engine and all the narrator can do is hope that somebody will either buy the road engine off him or that he might be able to give it away to somebody. It serves no practical purpose and is costing the narrator money in rent. Similarly the narrator’s marriage is beginning to suffer because of the problems that the road engine is bringing the narrator. To make matters worse those in authority (Municipal Chief) want the road engine moved which causes further headaches for the narrator. He has to hire an elephant and fifty men but while attempting to move the road engine, the road engine hits a wall. If anything there are traces of irony in the story. At first the narrator felt lucky to have won the road engine and in many ways personalised the engine. However as mentioned the road engine has caused the narrator nothing but problems. Which may be the point that Narayan is attempting to make. He may be suggesting that luck can be a double edged sword and the reality may be that rather than being lucky an individual like the narrator may experience nothing but bad luck.