The Headmaster's Home

Edit 0 6 …

What do I need to know about ... The Headmaster's Home?


Brief Description

Although this family has no direct connection with Krishna himself, while viewing their situation he is able to reflect on his own. He uses his past experiences to voice his opinions, attempting to open the eyes of the Headmaster’s family. The relationship between the family members differs obviously to that in Krishna’s family; causing him to appreciate the environment under his own roof even more than before.

Key Quotations

1. Headmaster’s view on wife and children
Quotes:
(Headmaster)
  • “This is really a healthy place for all its appearance...” Pg. 137
  • “’Is your mother home?’...’Excellent’” Pg. 137
This short quotation shows the Headmaster's genuine dislike for his wife and almost suggests to the reader that he cannot tolerate being under the same roof as her. In addition, he refers to her as the "[children's] mother" which sets a distant tone and potentially implies that he is not part of the family.
  • "I had been hustled into a marriage which did not interest me, and I was not going to be hustled into a profession I did not care for.” Pg.141
The Headmaster makes it very clear that the 'marriage...did not interest [him]' and that he was forced into it. Then by saying that he was not going to let anyone force him into a 'profession [he] didn't care for' makes the reader aware that he considers marrying his wife a mistake.
  • “She will create just those surroundings for herself even in a palace...” Pg.141
  • “...but I chose it deliberately. It is where God resides. It is where we should live...and if we have any worth in us, it will change through our presence.” Pg. 141
  • “She thinks my school is a fool’s idea, wont send the children there...” Pg.141
  • “She’s an impossible type...” Pg.141
  • “I have no control over them...” Pg.138
  • “My school is for all the children in the world but my own...” Pg.138

(Krishna)
  • “He seemed to feel more at home in my house than in his” – Krishna Pg.140
  • “He appeared to me a man who had strayed into a wrong world” – Krishna Pg.142

2. Wife’s view on Headmaster and children
Quotes:
(Headmaster's wife)
  • “’So you have found the way home after all!’ gritting her teeth” Pg.139
  • “If he is big, he is a big man to you. He is not a big man to me” (Talking about Krishna) Pg.139
  • “Do you think I’m made of stone?” Pg.139
  • “I’m not going to be another woman than myself even if the king is here...” Pg.139

3. Krishna’s view on family
Quotes:
(Krishna)
  • “Unkept and wild looking children...” Pg 137
  • “The tiles on the roof jutted into the street, a gutter gurgled and ran down in front of the house.” Pg.137
  • “There was a hint of terrible domestic conditions...” Pg.138
  • “But your wife and children could be in better circumstances...you have not put her in a very happy locality.” Pg. 141

Its role in the novel

  • The conditions in the Headmaster’s home and relationship between his family members do not encourage him to spend more time at home and with his family. Therefore, more of his time is spent outside the house and with Krishna. His view on life influences Krishna greatly which causes one of the main turning points in the novel.
  • The Headmaster's home can be linked to various themes such as:
    • British culture vs. Traditional Indian culture
    • Chaos vs. Order.
  • The Headmaster's home also reveals the lack of care and love towards his children and his family in his personal life, in fact it seems that the Headmaster has concentrated too much on his interests (building a school) and has left his family, especially his children behind. At the same time, you can notice that his life and the way he thinks is almost a reversal to Krishna’s idea of these elements. The Headmaster does put his own children first and he almost has “no control over them”, whereas Krishna’s main focus on life is on Leela and Susila. Also there is the quotation “ do you think I’m made of stone?” which reflects the family relation between the Headmaster and his wife. Krishna gains the chance to learn these different views on family as he visits the Headmaster’s house, at the same time the Headmaster gains the chance to look back at his life and face the difficulties he his encountered here. This place also shows the incompleteness that every teacher has inside. The lack of love and care that the headmaster has and the fact that Krishna starts to feel uncomfortable about this reflects how Krishna is actually starting to have consideration towards other people, apart from his family which is proven in lines such as “consider to her wishes and move to a better place?”