Identity, Alienation, and Human Values in the Selected Novels of Arun Joshi

Abstract

This paper examines the themes of identity, alienation, and human values in selected novels of Arun Joshi. This includes popular novels namely The Foreigner, The Strange Case of Billy Biswas, The Apprentice,  The Last Labyrinth and The City and the River. This study examines how Joshi’s protagonists face an identity crisis and experience feelings of loneliness despite achieving social and material success. This study employs a thematic and analytical approach to examine how these characters search for meaning in modern society. The study also demonstrates how human values such as responsibility, morality, and spiritual understanding help characters overcome their inner conflicts. Joshi integrates existential philosophy with Indian thought and presents identity as a dynamic process that develops through experience and self-reflection. It is found in this study that the alienation comes from confusion and a fragmented self, while human values help the characters achieve self-realization and inner balance. Finally, the  paper concludes that Joshi’s novels are still very relevant in understanding the psychological and moral problems of modern life.