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Swami’s Cap
The game of cricket is the story’s most potent symbol of the complex way that English colonization plays out in the lives of Swami and his friends. As a quintessentially English activity, cricket is closely tied to England’s presence in India, but instead of rejecting it for its oppressive associations, Swami and his friends—particularly team captain Rajam—embrace the game as a means of gaining self-determination, dominance over opponents, and interpersonal connection. This paradoxical pursuit demonstrates the ways in which colonized peoples like Swami and his friends must necessarily adapt to the influences of the colonizer, even embracing aspects of the oppressive culture and subverting them into mechanisms of liberation. However, the friends’ cricket team has both positive and negative effects in Swami’s life; it initially helps him put aside his political differences with Rajam, but it also tears apart their friendship when Swami misses the crucial match. Through this symbol, Narayan seems to recognize the unstable and sometimes dangerous role that even the appealing aspects of colonizing nations play in the lives of the colonized.
Cricket Quotes in Swami and Friends
The Swami and Friends quotes below all refer to the symbol of Cricket. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 13
Quotes
Rajam realized at this point that the starting of a cricket team was the most complicated problem on earth. He had simply expected to gather a dozen fellows on the maidan next to his compound and play, and challenge the world. But here were endless troubles, starting with the name that must be unique, Government taxes, and so on. The Government did not seem to know where it ought to interfere and where not. He had a momentary sympathy for Gandhi; no wonder he was dead against the Government.
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Chapter 18
Quotes
Swaminathan had a sense of supreme well-being and security. He was flattered by the number of visitors that were coming to see him. His granny and mother were hovering round him ceaselessly, and it was with a sneaking satisfaction that he saw his little brother crowing unheeded in the cradle, for once overlooked and abandoned by everybody.
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Cricket Symbol Timeline in Swami and Friends
The timeline below shows where the symbol Cricket appears in Swami and Friends. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 13
Rajam suggests forming a cricket team, and although Swami initially feels that he’s not good enough to play, Rajam convinces...
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Swami and Rajam go to Mani’s house to choose cricket equipment from a sporting goods catalogue. Mani insists that a certain kind of bat, the...
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...Rajam, which turns out to be from Sankar, who says that he is also playing cricket now. The three friends are excited to hear from Sankar and immediately write letters in...
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...their team. They write back to the company returning the letter and asking that their cricket supplies be sent quickly.
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Swami, Rajam, and Mani continue to believe that the cricket supplies will arrive soon, and that perhaps the company is even making them especially for...
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...first upset not to have the supplies they need to play a full game of cricket, but they manage to continue when someone suggests using the wall as a temporary wicket....
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Chapter 14
...after-school obligations, he runs home to drop off his supplies and then arrives at the cricket field by evening. Though he tries his best to get there quickly, Swami is often...
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...calls to him during the brief time that he is at home between school and cricket practice. He feels sorry for how often she is ignored and goes to see what...
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...that she does not know who Tate is and, furthermore, she does not know what cricket is. He lectures her on the basics of cricket and explains how well Rajam leads...
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...Swami, the best bowler on the team, needs to leave school early to get to cricket practice on time. The headmaster listens and then orders them to leave the office without...
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Chapter 15
The M.C.C. has scheduled a cricket match against a team called Young Men’s Union. The match is friendly in name, but...
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...who continues to arrive late to practice. With only a week to go until the cricket match, Swami realizes that he has to find a way to get extra practice and...
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...get a certificate that will allow him to leave school early to practice for the cricket match. The doctor appears concerned, but laughs at Swami when Swami says that he has...
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...criticizes him for always getting in trouble. Rajam tells Swami that he has seen their cricket opponents practicing and that Swami must not miss the match. On the spot, Swami decides...
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Chapter 17
...away. Swami regrets not telling his father what happened and is especially sorry to miss cricket practice leading up to the match.
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...tigers, cobras, even demons—attacking him. Soon, he falls into a fantasy that he is playing cricket in the coming match, playing well and watching his team win, with the odd addition...
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...where he is from, or what happened to him. Now, he finds Swami outside, practicing cricket bowling with a tree and some rocks. Swami thanks Mr. Nair for helping him and...
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Chapter 18
On Sunday afternoon, the cricket match between M.C.C. and Y.M.U. is underway. The M.C.C. is losing and Rajam is furious,...
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...agrees, saying how grateful he is that Mr. Nair returned him in time for the cricket match.
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Mani explains, to Swami’s dismay, that the cricket match has already happened earlier that day, Sunday. He tells the story of the team’s...
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Chapter 19
...because he has not found the courage to go and see Rajam since missing the cricket match. When Swami heard the news from Mani, he asked Mani to come to his...
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