Character Analysis: Ranga from RK Narayan's The Edge
This essay is about a character named Ranga from "The Edge" by R.K. Narayan. Ranga was a product of his environment; being born into poverty he never really had a chance to be successful. He stayed in an abandoned building called Krishna's Hall while he worked at his knife sharpening business. He was a hard worker and did his best to bring home enough rupee's to maintain a living for his daughter and rather 'difficult' wife. He sharpened knives, scythes, clippers, and more with a portable grinding apparatus he made out of an old cycle wheel connected to a foot pedal. He had to be watchful and use different strategies in order to catch some of his customers at the right time.
Overall, Ranga was a relaxed person. He never let things bother him too much. At times he had to deal with customers who were rude and did not want to be bothered by him. Sometimes they would say, "Go away, we have nothing to grind" but he always persisted until someone produced a rusty knife or some other blade to be sharpened. He was good at coaxing people and could be aggressive when he needed. Ranga was very motivated; his customers loved his banter and appreciated his work which he always guaranteed for sixty days. He never argued with his customers, he liked them to feel as if they had won a point so that he could look forward to their continued business; "After all" he says, "It costs nothing, only a few more turns of the wheel and a couple of sparks off the stone to please the eye". Ranga physically dwelt in the town but his thoughts were always centered around his home in the village where his daughter was growing up under the care of his difficult wife.
Despite Ranga's relaxed lifestyle, his home environment was always stressful due to the fact that his wife was difficult to live with, always hopping from one anxiety to another. Ranga's income wasn't very much, but he managed to put away a little every now and then for his daughter's education. Ranga's wife never wanted his daughter
Overall, Ranga was a relaxed person. He never let things bother him too much. At times he had to deal with customers who were rude and did not want to be bothered by him. Sometimes they would say, "Go away, we have nothing to grind" but he always persisted until someone produced a rusty knife or some other blade to be sharpened. He was good at coaxing people and could be aggressive when he needed. Ranga was very motivated; his customers loved his banter and appreciated his work which he always guaranteed for sixty days. He never argued with his customers, he liked them to feel as if they had won a point so that he could look forward to their continued business; "After all" he says, "It costs nothing, only a few more turns of the wheel and a couple of sparks off the stone to please the eye". Ranga physically dwelt in the town but his thoughts were always centered around his home in the village where his daughter was growing up under the care of his difficult wife.
Despite Ranga's relaxed lifestyle, his home environment was always stressful due to the fact that his wife was difficult to live with, always hopping from one anxiety to another. Ranga's income wasn't very much, but he managed to put away a little every now and then for his daughter's education. Ranga's wife never wanted his daughter