Analysis

An analysis of the short story “A Horse and Two Goats” by R. K. Narayan shows that the text has a chronological structure. The narrative follows an American man and an Indian man who communicate without understanding the other’s language.

The main characters of the story are Muni and the American. Each of them communicates according to his own interest, without realizing what the other one wants. 

The physical setting of the story is India, somewhere at the entrance of the village Kiritam. The social setting focuses on the differences between two cultures, touching also upon issues such as poverty.

The story is told by a third-person narrator who functions as an observer. The narrator has insight into both characters’ thoughts and feelings and could be considered omniscient.

The language is neutral. An authentic atmosphere is created by the Indian words used in the text. 

A full analysis of the short story can be found in the following pages.