What picture of the contemporary society do you find in Narayan's The Guide?

I think that the picture of society that is offered in
Narayan's narrative is seen through Raju's eyes.  Raju is driven towards a specific end
as he works through being Rosie's manager.  That end is financial gain, social
acceptance, and the conformist social path of a product based end.  This compels him to
do some terrible things.  Yet, Raju ends up recognizing the folly of his own path and
make a conscious choice to change it in fasting for the villagers.  It is through this
that a picture of society is offered, whereby individuals do possess the power to
transform what is into what should be.  The pursuit of worldly ends is something that
can substituted for a more spiritual notion of the good.  Raju represents this, and in
doing so, allows for a social statement to be made about how individuals, and society,
itself can seek to achieve more spiritually elevated pursuits.  In this light, the
picture of contemporary society offered is a transformative one.