Iswaran the Storyteller Summary Class 9 English Moments Chapter 3

Key Points of the Story 

• R. K. Laxman's "Iswaran the Storyteller" focuses on Mahendra, a junior supervisor at a company that hires out supervisors for different construction sites, along with his cook, Iswaran, who travels with him. Mahendra's storytelling is significantly shaped by the Tamil writers he admires.
• Through Iswaran's stories, Mahendra's understanding of reality and fiction starts to blur. Iswaran shares exciting tales, such as subduing a wild elephant with a small stick and encountering a female ghost on a full-moon night. At first, Mahendra doubts the existence of ghosts, but his beliefs begin to change after he hears strange noises outside his window one evening.
• Feeling unsettled, he turns to Iswaran, who supports his fears about the place being haunted. Mahendra quickly rushes to his office to resign, determined to leave the haunted location the very next day!

R.K. Laxman

Detailed Summary 

The story revolves around Mahendra, a young junior supervisor working for a company that provides supervisors for construction sites like factories, bridges, and dams. Mahendra's job requires him to frequently move to different job sites as directed by his head office. As a bachelor with simple needs, he is adaptable to various challenging conditions at these locations. However, Mahendra has one valuable asset—his cook and companion, Iswaran.

Iswaran not only cooks for Mahendra but also takes care of household chores, such as washing clothes and engaging in late-night conversations. He is a talented storyteller, spinning tales on various subjects. His stories often include suspense and surprise, making him a source of entertainment for Mahendra, who enjoys listening to him.

What makes Iswaran unique is his extraordinary ability to find fresh vegetables and ingredients in remote areas with no shops nearby. He consistently prepares delicious meals for Mahendra, leaving him both impressed and satisfied. One day, Iswaran asks, “Can I make something special for dinner tonight, sir? Today is an auspicious day, and we prepare various delicacies to honour our ancestors.”

Mahendra enjoys the special dinner, but Iswaran takes this opportunity to introduce a supernatural element to the story. He reveals that the area where their factory is located was once a burial ground, stating, “I knew on the first day when I saw a human skull on the path. I still come across many skulls and bones.” Iswaran claims to have encountered ghosts, including a particularly terrifying one—“an ugly creature with matted hair and a shrivelled face, like a skeleton holding a foetus.” Sceptical, Mahendra dismisses these stories as mere imagination and advises Iswaran to seek medical help. However, these tales leave Mahendra feeling uneasy, and he begins to avoid looking out of his window during full moons, fearing he might see the ghost. One fateful night, Mahendra is awakened by a strange moan near his window.

Initially, he thinks it is a cat but soon realises the sound is more unsettling. Gathering his courage, he looks out and sees a dark figure holding a bundle in the moonlight. Overwhelmed by fear, Mahendra retreats to his bed, convinced it is a figment of his imagination. The next morning, Iswaran greets Mahendra with his lunch and bag, casually mentioning that he heard the moaning from Mahendra's room. Iswaran gleefully reveals that Mahendra had seen the female ghost with a foetus the previous night. Terrified and shaken, Mahendra rushes to his office and submits his resignation, deciding to leave the haunted place the very next day!

Theme/Message 

Theme

• The story looks at the theme of storytelling, showing how Iswaran's engaging tales influence Mahendra's views on ghosts. This ultimately leads to Mahendra's fear affecting how well he does his job.
• It also points out Mahendra's belief that ghosts are just imagined, cautioning against letting superstitions guide our choices.

Message

• The story indicates that letting our fears take over can disrupt our lives, as seen with Mahendra, whose work suffers because of his fear of ghosts.
• Iswaran's captivating storytelling encourages Mahendra to face his beliefs, especially after a frightening experience that makes him reconsider the existence of ghosts.

Difficult Words

1. Supervisor: A person responsible for overseeing and managing the work of others.
2. Construction: The process of building or making something, typically related to buildings, bridges, and other structures.
3. Circuit house: A government guest house or rest house used for travellers or government officials.
4. Makeshift: A temporary and often improvised solution or substitute.
5. Canvas tent: A tent made of canvas, a heavy-duty fabric, typically used for camping or temporary shelter.
6. Anecdotes: Short, interesting, and often amusing stories about real incidents or people.
7. Conjure: To bring something into existence as if by magic or to make something appear.
8. Depredations: Acts of plundering or causing damage and destruction.
9. Mahout: An elephant rider or trainer.
10. Paralysis: A loss of the ability to move or feel a part of the body, often due to injury or illness.
11. Supernatural: Beyond what is natural or explainable by the laws of nature; related to the mystical or occult.
12. Figment: Something invented or imagined, typically a product of one's mind.
13. Unease: A feeling of discomfort, anxiety, or restlessness.
14. Auto-suggestion: A psychological phenomenon where a person suggests something to themselves, often unconsciously, leading to behavioural changes.
15. Subconscious: The part of the mind that contains thoughts, feelings, or memories not currently in conscious awareness.
16. Ghastly: Extremely frightening, horrifying, or unpleasant.
17. Foetus: An unborn or developing offspring of a mammal in the womb.
18. Resolution: A firm decision or determination to do something or achieve a goal.