Sweets for Angels

Sweets for Angels by  R. K. Narayan

Question 1: Describe Kali’s life and living conditions.
Answer: Kali lived on a brick pyol attached to a deserted house in Royapuram. He shared this place with two other homeless men, Kuppan the rickshaw-puller and Pachai the beggar. None of them had a family, and they lived freely without responsibilities. Kali earned about a rupee a day by carrying rice sacks at the market. He lived contentedly, thinking only of the present moment.

Question 2: Why was Kali fascinated by school children?
Answer: Kali was deeply attracted to school children because he admired their learning and innocence. He felt joy watching them walk to school with their books, slates, and pencils. He often wished that he too had been taught to read and write like them. The sound of the school and the sight of children gave him a mysterious and spiritual happiness. This feeling was natural and pure, not harmful.

Question 3: How did Kali spend his happy day when he had extra money?
Answer: On that day, Kali felt happy because he had earned more money than usual. He decided not to go to work and safely hid his coins in his pillow. He bathed under a street tap, enjoyed a good meal at a small hotel, and slept peacefully. Later, he drank coffee sitting proudly on a chair, enjoying a small luxury of life.

Question 4: What incident led to Kali being attacked by the crowd?
Answer: Kali bought sweets and tried to give them to school children out of affection. Soon many children gathered around him and began scrambling for sweets, causing chaos on the street. Some people misunderstood the situation and accused Kali of poisoning and kidnapping children. False rumours spread quickly, and the crowd became violent. Without listening to him, they brutally attacked Kali.

Question 5: How was Kali rescued, and what happened to him afterward?
Answer: Kali was saved only when the police arrived and dispersed the violent crowd using batons. He was badly injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. The doctors shaved off his beard and head while treating him. After two weeks, his friends came to take him back, assuring him that people would no longer recognize him.

Question 6: What change do we see in Kali at the end of the story?
Answer: At the end of the story, Kali becomes fearful of children despite his earlier affection for them. He realizes that his innocent love was misunderstood and nearly cost him his life. He sadly decides to avoid children completely in the future. His final words show irony and deep emotional pain. The story ends on a note of tragic misunderstanding and loss of innocence.

Short Notes:

1. The Life of Kali as a Labourer

Kali lives a simple and hand-to-mouth life as a daily labourer in Royapuram. He earns his living by carrying heavy sacks of rice from lorries to grain shops, earning about a rupee a day. With no family or fixed responsibilities, he lives from moment to moment and feels content with whatever little he has. His needs are few, and he finds happiness in small pleasures like food, rest, and watching children. Though poor, Kali’s life is free from bitterness and greed.

2. The Importance of Education

The story strongly highlights the value of education through Kali’s admiration for school children. He feels a deep sense of wonder seeing even small children confidently using pencils and slates. Kali regrets that he was never given the opportunity to learn to read and write. The school, with its humming sounds, gives him a mystical joy, showing how education represents light, hope, and dignity. Through Kali, the writer suggests that education shapes confidence and opens doors denied to the uneducated poor.

3. The Reaction of the Bystanders

The bystanders react with fear, suspicion, and cruelty when they see children crowding around Kali. Without understanding the situation, they believe rumours about poisoned sweets and missing children. Their panic turns into mob violence, and they label Kali a kidnapper and criminal. Instead of seeking truth, they act on hearsay and prejudice based on Kali’s appearance. Their reaction exposes the danger of blind fear and mass hysteria in society.