Child and Family: A Perspective on R.K. Narayan’s The Dark Room

In The Dark Room , the children - Kamala, Babu, and Sumathi - play a pivotal role in shaping the protagonist Savitri’s decisions. While the novel explores themes of patriarchal oppression and female agency, it is ultimately Savitri’s emotional bond with her children that compels her to return home after leaving in protest of her husband’s infidelity. Thus, the children serve as emotional anchors, reinforcing the theme of familial obligation and the societal expectations placed on women, particularly mothers, in traditional Indian households. Through the lens of childhood interactions, the paper illuminates Narayan’s perspective on family structures, traditional values, and the developmental roles assigned to children, particularly in relation to parental authority and social expectations. This study provides a critical perspective on how Narayan uses children to subtly critique societal norms, portraying them as both products and critics of the family’s internal dynamics.