The+Alarm+Clock

=What do I need to know about ... The Alarm Clock?=

Brief Description
The alarm clock is something that Krishna uses in the beginning of the novel to control his routine as he is always watching the time. The clock itself is broken constantly ringing at random intervals. Krishna bought it second hand from a junk store in madras and refuses to part with it. When it rings Krishna silences it by placing //Taine’s history of English literature//, an English teaching book, on top of it. Both Krishna and Susila have diffrent veiws on wether or not the clock actually displays the right time. Despite Krishna's attachment to the clock susila eventually sells it.

Key Quotations
**“//It let out a shattering amount of noise and sometimes went off by itself and butted into a conversation//” pg 4** The word “shattering” co notates to the breaking of routine that it cause as if it was almost shattering his normal life whenever it rang. Additionally the fact it “butted” into the conversation seems almost human. This personification relates to Krishna’s friendly relationship with it.

This shows its age and its inability to function. Moreover, the fact it had been so obviously repaired shows Krishna’s attempts to keep the clock functioning and in his life.
 * “//it had been oiled and repaired a score of times//” pg4**

Narayan continues to personify the clock to show Krishna’s lack of proper relationship
 * “ //I believe I almost addressed it//” pg5**

Another example of personification.
 * “//went on ringing until exhaustion overcame it” pg 4//**

Shows the clocks unreliability reflecting on Krishna’s own unreliability
 * //“it’s not even showing the correct time//” pg 42**

The fact the clock is referred to as an “old thing” shows it is no longer of any use. It also shows that it is an object of his “old” life and as such ties with it must be severed before he can continue to move forward into his new life.
 * “//A man comes to buy all old things//” pg 42**

Its role in the novel
When staying in the college the alarm clock represents the small piece of chaos in his otherwise orderly life. The idea of order vs. chaos is current throughout the novel and this is chaos’s first appearance. “Taine’s history of English literature” is another example of order and the fact it silences the chaos of the clock shows the imbalance in Krishna’s life. Taine’s history of English literature also represents a degree of irony or humour within the novel. The Fact a large British book is used to smother a small chaotic clock the same way the order is smothering Krishna’s life is ironic. It is currently ruled by order. Its inability to tell time and random outburst directly contrast to the day to day routine of its owner. It also shows the lack of human connection has in his life as he treats it as almost human itself. It is constantly described as having human emotions and Krishna “addressed” it as if it could respond. Krishna need to find human companionship even in objects within his dorm shows his current lack of companionship.
 * 1.  In the college**

Despite appearing to be chaotic and unreliable when Krishna needs the clock to wake him at a certain time it still works. This shows that all chaos may seem unreliable it can still achieve goals as well as an ordered system

At home the clock may represent chaos but it also represents Krishna’s new life. Susila is a new source of chaos and teaching and for Krishna to become a new and better person he must leave behind these symbols of his previous life. Although Krishna initially is outraged when Susila sells the clock he is eventually able to overcome his rage and forgive her starting a new stage of learning in his life. This theme reoccurs throughout the book where Krishna must leave behind a part of his old life in order to embrace something new.
 * 2.At home**

Alternatively, Susila's selling of the clock may show that, despite representing the chaose that Krishna needs in order to balance his class, a part of her life is also ruled by order. Susila's resentment of the clock and desire for a clock that functions properly may be a device to show another recurring theme: that no teacher is perfect.