Summary

The Painter of Signs tells the story of Raman, the eponymous sign-painter, who lives in the fictional Indian town of Malgudi, and his romantic relationship with Daisy, who works at the town’s family-planning clinic.

Part One begins with Raman agreeing to paint a sign for a lawyer who insisted that the sign must be ready to coincide with an auspicious astrological event. Raman delivered the sign at a family party celebrating the opening of the lawyer’s practice. The lawyer was dissatisfied with the sign and Raman offered to make another one. Later, Raman realized that he had not been paid.

Raman returned home and his elderly Aunt enquired if he had eaten. Raman lied and told his Aunt that he had eaten at the lawyer’s house to save her the trouble of cooking for him. He bathed in the river...