The Financial Expert is a famous Indian novel written by Indian author, R.K Narayan. The novel was originally published in 1952 by R.K Narayan. The hero of the story is Margayya, a simple living man who lives in small town of India, Malgudi. The theme of the novel is Lust for money.
SYNOPSIS OF THE FINANCIAL EXPERT BY R.K NARAYAN
Summary of The Financial Expert By R.K Narayan
R.K Narayan’s “The Financial Expert” story begins with main character, Margayya, a man who lives in author’s favorite village named Malgudi. There is one bank named Central Co – operative Land Mortgage Bank in Malgudi which provides loan to the people of Malgudi.
The Banyan tree opposite of Bank is a place where Margayya works and provide financial tips to its villagers to take loan from bank. He help bank shareholders by taking money on less interest and provide money to other people on high interest.
One day, bank’s secretary saw Margayya’s paper and learns that he is doing illegal work. So he seized Margayya’s paper as he was doing 420 work. He even threaten Margayya to file a police complaint against him.
Margayya is a middle class person while his two elder brothers are very rich. He is struggling to make money equal to his elder brothers. And he just know one thing which is banking and finance. Margayya is married and has one son named Balu.
His son Balu is quite naughty as he is the only child of Margayya and his wife, Meena. Margayya work stopped just because he was doing illegal work. For Margayya, money is very fascinating and mysterious thing, he says it can change your life if you understand it properly.
One day, Margayya’s naughty son throws all his accounts record in gutter. Means, Margayya lost his is only hope through which he could earn some money. He has nothing left through which he could start something new on his field. After all this, Margayya felt very helpless and hopeless, he keep thinking about new ways to make money but none of his ideas work.
At last getting tired, he goes in god’s shelter to seek help. He goes at a pandit of temple and asks for help, pandit advised him to worship goddess, Lakshmi for forty days as goddess, Lakshmi is upset with him. Margayya takes pandit words seriously and started worshiping goddess, Lakshmi daily for 40 days with dedication and consistency.
The story now features new character, Dr. Pal who goes to Margayya and offers him a work to do for him. Dr. Pal give him one manuscript of book which is based on pornographic. Dr. Pal want him to publish this pornographic book, at first Margayya find it strange but as he has no income source, he get ready to do it for him.
Margayya published that book and book became very popular and best seller after publishing which help him financially. Margayya is quite happy financially but not happy with his son, Balu, who is not good in studies. He spends lots of money, time and hard work on Balu’s studies but his son result remain the same which is zero. As Margayya is not happy with Balu’s performance, he pressurized Balu to study hard and score good marks in class.
Due to intense pressure from his father for studies, Balu runs away from home. Afterwards, Margayya received one letter from Madras in which was written that his son Balu is dead. Margayya goes in Madras along with his brothers and wife, Meena to search for Balu. After thorough search, Margayya learns that someone lies to him through post letter and it is a pure lie. He find his son alive in Madras.
Balu’s parents take him Malgudi along with them and decides that they will not pressurize him for studies. As Balu has gone bad then we are gonna married him to someone so he may improve. In India it is common for parents to marry their children if they are not studying and going in wrong path. They thinks their children will improve and become responsible after marriage.
Thereafter, Balu ends up marrying a girl named Brinda. Balu started living differently with his wife from his parents. When Margayya sees that Dr. pal is spoiling his son, he fights with Dr. Pal for his son. To take revenge from Margayya, Dr. Pal spreads rumour that Margayya is bankrupt and has nothing left.
The news of Margayya bankruptcy spread everywhere in village and the people who have given money to Margayya gathers at his house. They asks for their money from him. Margayya returns money by selling things from his house and he even sells his house to returns people’s money.
Margayya comes at same stage where he started and now Dr. Pal is his very big enemy. On the other side, Balu for whom Margayya fights with Dr. Pal is not improving himself and going in wrong direction.
Margayya has no income and no future plans. He decides to sit on same Banyan tree where he used to help people in taking loans. His son Balu has no option but to work with his father. Balu hesitantly goes to his father and both father and son starts doing same work. We can say that they starts their new work with new hope.