# Simple Life explained — The Story of My Experiments with Truth

> Chapter companion for The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mahatma Gandhi.

## What happens

Gandhi describes his early experiments with self-help and simplicity in South Africa, including washing his own clothes and cutting his own hair to avoid dependence on service providers and reduce expenses. He recounts a humorous incident with Gokhale's scarf and reflects on the racial discrimination he faced from a white barber, linking it to the broader system of untouchability in India.

## Themes in this chapter

### Self-Discipline and Simplicity

Gandhi actively reduces his dependence on external services, washing his own clothes and cutting his own hair, embracing a simple life despite societal ridicule.

### Truth and Self-Experimentation

Gandhi's experiments with washing and haircutting are part of his broader quest for truth and self-reliance, learning from failures and persisting despite mockery.

## Character check-ins

### Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Narrator and protagonist; practices self-help by washing his own collars and cutting his own hair, embracing simplicity and imperviousness to ridicule.

### Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Visits South Africa; entrusts Gandhi with ironing his treasured scarf, a gift from Mahadeo Govind Ranade, and later certifies Gandhi's skill.

### Kasturbai Gandhi

Mentioned as the one whom Gandhi taught the art of washing clothes.

## Key lines

> I shall never forget the first collar that I washed myself. I had used more starch than necessary, the iron had not been made hot enough, and for fear of burning the collar I had not pressed it sufficiently. The result was that, though the collar was fairly stiff, the superfluous starch continually dropped off it.

Gandhi recalls his first attempt at washing a collar, which turned out poorly due to too much starch and insufficient heat, causing starch to flake off.

_Illustrates Gandhi's willingness to learn through trial and error, and his ability to laugh at himself._

> I once went to an English hair-cutter in Pretoria. He contemptuously refused to cut my hair. I certainly felt hurt, but immediately purchased a pair of clippers and cut my hair before the mirror.

A white barber in Pretoria refused to cut Gandhi's hair because of his race, prompting Gandhi to buy clippers and cut his own hair.

_Highlights the racial discrimination Gandhi faced and his response of self-reliance rather than anger._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_my_experiments_with_truth_se/chapters/part-iii-ix-simple-life
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_my_experiments_with_truth_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_my_experiments_with_truth_se/chapters