Narayan's story often draws attention to light and darkness. To what extent is the imagery of light central to the overall structure of the story? Relate your response to the title of the story.

The groundnut vendor, whose lighting enables the astrologer to conduct his business, comes across as a very colorful character. Write a brief narrative entitled "A Groundnut Vendor's Day" in order to show how different his or her life would have been.

Narayan's reputation as a significant writer has not waned during the last fifty years. To what extent do you think "An Astrologer's Day" demonstrates aspects of his fiction that would account for his popularity?

The general consensus among critics is that reading Narayan is one way of understanding the real India. How accurately and how comprehensively does "An Astrologer's Day" create a sense of the social and...