The Hero's Walk

Religious beliefs play a major role in the characters’ ways of mourning and coping with death, specifically Maya’s. Most notable is the fact that the focus isn’t on a singular religion or belief, rather several religions pop up throughout the book, and even non-religious beliefs such as rationalism and empiricism. There is also no prescription of a belief, rather religion is a symbolic tool to illustrate human’s different coping mechanisms in dealing with the world around them, and most importantly, with the ultimate truth that all humans will die. Koti, for example, draws protective rings in the yard to ward off evil; Nirmala prays to her gods and makes sacrifices in the temples, and Sripathi holds to science and empiricism to explain the world around him (until they fail to do that and he turns to superstitions). Most interesting is the comparison Putti makes between human beliefs and Munnuswamy’s cow who receives a makeshift calf made from hay and wood after its calf dies. Munnuswamy suggests that deception is a necessary belief at times.

The house wherein the Raos live represents the old way of life that conflicts with the modern and ever-changing world around them. Much like the Raos themselves, Big House remains a reminder of a time and world that is no longer apropos. For example, Brahmin street becomes something different since modern India is moving away from the old caste system that the word Brahmin is a part of. There are also new buildings and apartments. Furthermore, Big House is old and decaying, which symbolizes the aged and decaying Rao family where certain members (Ammayya and Sripathi predominantly) continue to remain in the past, which causes them to come into contention with Maya and Arun who represent the modern generations. It is, therefore, significant that Sripathi decides to sell Big House after he learns his lessons in forgiveness, and seeks redemption by being a loving grandfather to Nandana, the even newer generation of Indians.

The story between Lord Rama and Ravana, found in the Ramayana (a major Sanskrit epic from ancient India), illustrates the definition of a hero as viewed in the actions and plot of The Hero’s Walk. Even though both Rama and Ravana are great kings, equal in many ways, and both are heroic, Nirmala and Arun point out that Lord Rama is the greater hero because he shows humility. It is this path to humility that is the hero’s walk in the novel.