‘The Blind
Dog’
Summary and Analysis
Both the blind man and the dog have
difficulties in their everyday lives. Each day the blind man struggles to get
enough money to live on while Tiger (the dog) struggles with getting food and
ends up getting into fights with other dogs just in order to survive. It is as
though both the blind man and Tiger have something in common or something that
connects both of them. It is also interesting that at first, the blind man appreciates of Tiger’s company and his diligence when it comes to people trying
to steal from him. However, as time passes the reader soon realises that the
blind man is a tyrant when it comes to how he treats Tiger. Tiger for the blind
man is not a pet or friend or a helping hand rather he is a simply a working dog
that is there to serve the blind man. Any type of life that Tiger had
previously known is soon forgotten due to the tyranny of the blind man. If
anything Tiger is there to serve the blind man just as a servant would serve
their master.
It
is also noticeable that the blind man starts to become greedy. He wishes to
increase his daily income so he wants Tiger to work more and more. He also starts to
lend other people money while at the same time charging them interest. The blind man knows he will make more money by walking along the
streets with Tiger leading the way and there is a sense that the main priority
for the blind man is no longer just survival but he is beginning to be driven
by a desire for more money. Rather than treating Tiger with kindness and being
grateful that Tiger is helping him. The blind man often beats Tiger which may
suggest that the blind man is being cruel.
The cutting of the ribbon by the ribbon vendor
may also be important as symbolically this action acts as a path to freedom for
Tiger. He is able to live his life as he had previously lived it. It is also noticeable
after Tiger has been set free how reliant the blind man was on Tiger. He is no
longer able to walk along the streets and his income drops severely. At no
stage in the story does the reader suspect that the blind man is repentant
about his treatment of Tiger. If anything he wants is to beat Tiger. This again
suggests a servant and the master relationship between Tiger and the blind man
rather than a common bond of friendship between the two.
The
end of the story is also interesting as Narayan appears to be exploring the
theme of loyalty. By returning to the blind man Tiger is showing his loyalty.
Even though it is clear to the reader that nothing will change between Tiger
and the blind man. Something that is noticeable by the fact that the blind man
now has bought a chain to ensure that Tiger does not run away again. There is a
sense that the blind man is in complete control of Tiger again. As to why Tiger
has returned is difficult to say when as readers we are aware of how badly he
has been treated by the blind man. However, it is possible that Narayan is
suggesting that just as the blind man is blind so too is Tiger’s loyalty. He is
willing to forgive the blind man’s actions towards him even though he has been
unfairly treated. It is also possible that Tiger has sympathy for the blind
man. Even though he knows he can be cruel to him. However, what is clear at the
end of the story is that Tiger’s freedom has been lost again. He is to spend
his days acting as a servant to an ungrateful master. This suggests
symbolically that Tiger may be as blind as the blind man.
In
‘The Blind Dog’ we have the theme of struggle, connection, greed, freedom,
control and loyalty.
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