Swami and Friends

 

Malgudi is a fictitious town in India created by R.K. Narayan in his novels and short stories. It forms the setting for most of Narayan's works. Starting with his first novel, Swami and Friends, all but one of his fifteen novels and most of his short stories take place here. Narayan has successfully portrayed Malgudi as a microcosm of India. Source: Wikipedia

Title : Swami and Friends

Author : R. K. Narayan

Main Characters : Swaminathan, Rajam, Mani, Swami’s father, Rajam’s father, Granny and Swami’s mother

Description of one of the main characters : Swami is a 10 year old mischievous boy who thinks of running away when he makes a mistake. He is a good bowler in the MCC.

Whom I like and Why : I like Rajam because he is responsible and studies very well. He is kind to his friends. He is a clever boy like his father who is a police superintendent. He is the captain of MCC.

Whom I dislike and Why : I dislike nobody as no one is rude or has any bad character. I like everybody but I like Rajam the most.

Setting/Theme of the story : Swaminathan, a 10 year old boy, is studying in a school in Malgudi. There is a new comer named Rajam. Swami and Mani become friends with Rajam. Rajam, Mani and Swami start the MCC(malgudi cricket club). Because of Swami’s pranks he is expelled from the only school in Malgudi. Swaminathan is afraid that his father would punish him and runs away. He misses the match between YMU(Young Men’s Union) and MCC. He is the best bowler for MCC. Swami returns home. Finally Rajam’s father is transferred and Rajam is going away. Swaminathan feels unhappy and presents him a story book as Rajam likes to read very much. Mani and Swami feel sad. They never forget their dear old friend Rajam.

The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when Swami and Mani becomes Rajam’s friend.

A different ending : Swami and his friends win the match with YMU. Rajam’s settle in Malgudi. Malgudi Cricket Club wins matches and gets more fame. Swami scores good marks and everybody is happy.

Four New Words I Learnt : 

• revolver : type of pistol
• triumphant : joyful after a victory
• ecstatic : intense happiness
• wrench : pull or twist violently

Famous Five (Five On Kirrin Island Again)

Title : Famous Five (Five On Kirrin Island Again)
Author : Enid Blyton
Main Characters : Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy, Aunt Fanny, Uncle Quentin, Martin and Mr. Curton
Description of one of the main characters : Aunt Fanny is a good-tempered woman. She is George’s mother. She cooks and packs the foods neatly and quickly for the four children and the dog to Picnic.
Whom I like and Why : I like Timmy because he is a brave dog. He is loyal to the children and helpful to George’s father, Uncle Quentin, who is a scientist. He helps the great scientist to make one of his experiments successful.
Whom I dislike and Why : I dislike Mr. Curton as he is wicked and selfish. He treats his son cruelly. He pretends to be friendly but in reality he is not as friendly as he acts. He plans to take away Uncle Quentin’s notes and diagrams so that he could make a huge profit with those papers by selling it.
Setting/Theme of the story : George’s father lives in Kirren Island for the holidays to do one of his experiments. But Curton and two more of his friends try to steal the notes of the experiment and get money by selling it. But Timmy, George, Julian, Dick, Anne, Aunt Fanny and some fishermen stop the thieves. They send the three thieves to the police. The thieves are sent to jail. George saves her island from the thieves.
The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when George finds Timmy and saves him from the dark cave which is closed by a rock.
A different ending : The Kirren Castle gets burnt after Uncle Quentin, George, Timmy, Julian, Dick and Martin comes out. The three thieves die inside the castle. George feels sad. Her own dear castle burns but she soon becomes cheerful. She and her cousins plan to build a tower instead of the castle for the next holidays.

PS: My father thought George is a “he”. I suppose this should make George happy.

Famous Five( Five Go Off In A Caravan)

Title : Famous Five( Five Go Off In A Caravan)
Author : Enid Blyton
Main Characters : Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy, Nobby, Barker, Growler, Pongo, Tiger Dan, Lou-the acrobat, Farmer Mackie and Mrs.Mackie 
Description of one of the main characters : Pongo is a funny chimpanzee who is a friend of Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy and Nobby. Once when the Famous Five(Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy) and Nobby are stuck in the middle of the confusing hill Pongo helps them to find  their way.
Whom I like and Why : I like Anne because she is responsible. She takes care of her three cousins and her pet dog Timmy. She is a kind and well-mannered girl too.
Whom I dislike and Why : I dislike Tiger Dan as he is selfish. He always wants everyone to listen to  him. He thinks he is very strong. Pongo beats him once and he never plays any trick on Pongo again.
Setting/Theme of the story : Anne,Dick, George, Julian and Timmy plan to spend their holidays in the hills. They are going to go off in a caravan on their own. They go to the Merran hill. They find a camp. They become friends with Barker, Growler, Pongo and Nobby. Lou and Tiger Dan always does some trouble to the Famous Five. Later the Famous Five find out that those two short-tempered man ( Lou and Dan) are smugglers. They smuggle valuable things. The Famous Five complain to the police and the smugglers are put into prison. The police thank the Famous Five. The Famous Five return home happy. 
The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when Pongo smacks the two smugglers, Dan and Lou. 
A different ending : The smugglers escape from the police and come to the children. They request the children not to tell the police and promise them that they would no more smuggle anything. Instead, they would be clowns or acrobats in a circus. The Famous Five are happy that the smugglers became good men. Nobby lives with them happily. Anne, Dick, George, Julian and Timmy have a very good holiday.
Five New Words I Learnt :

• nuzzle – rub or push against gently with nose
• muzzle – the nose and mouth of an animal
• gorgeous – beautiful
• trot – move at a pace faster than a walk
• ledge – narrow horizontal projection