Spiritual Agony and Hunger In the Protagonist In the Last Labyrinth By Arun Joshi
Exploring the restlessness and search for meaning in Arun Joshi's novel, The Last Labyrinth
by Manju Bala*,
- Published in Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education, E-ISSN: 2230-7540
Volume 7, Issue No. 14, Apr 2014, Pages 0 - 0 (0)
Published by: Ignited Minds Journals
ABSTRACT
Arun Jhoshi’s fourth and Sahitya Academy Winner novel The Last Labyrinth (1981) is of god sizeand is dedicated to the three children of Joshi. Here, the central figure isSom Bhaskar, a multimillionaire married to a woman of his choice, Geeta, whohas borne him two children. But Bhaskar is an ever dissatisfied, restlessperson, who is relentlessly driven by undefined hungers of possession – of anobject, a business-enterprise and a woman. Searching for a meaning of life anddeath, Som confronts with the dilemmas and contradictions.
KEYWORD
Spiritual Agony, Hunger, Protagonist, Last Labyrinth, Arun Joshi, Sahitya Academy Winner, novel, god size, dedicated, children, Som Bhaskar, multimillionaire, married, woman of his choice, Geeta, two children, ever dissatisfied, restless person, driven, undefined hungers, possession, object, business-enterprise, meaning of life, meaning of death, dilemmas, contradictions
5 Ibid. P.47 6 Ibid. P.11 7 See M.L.Von Frans, “The Process of Individuation”, Man and His Symbols, edited, with an introduction by Carl G. Jung. (New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1964) pp.157-254 8 Jolande Jacobi, The Psychology of C.G. Jung (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1975 [1943]), p.107. Also see Jolande Jacobi, The Way of Individuation (New York: New American Library, 1967 [1965])trans. R.F.C. Hall 9 Arun Joshi, The Last Labyrinth, p.74 10 R.K. Dhawan, ed. The Fictional World of Arun Joshi”, New Delhi: Classical Publishing Co., 1968) p.44 11 Arun Joshi, The Last Labyrinth, p.147 12 Ibid. p.12
worlds Som Bhaskar suffers. He reveals that Western values do not provide peace, subimity and self-fulfillment. Traditional Indian culture and values give us enlightenment and greater force. A close examination of the personality Som Bhaskar, the protagonist of the novel, reveals spiritual agony, insecurity, inadequacy, hollowness, restlessness and hunger but he does not feel the need for commercial and money conscious civilization. He has no problem with the society; but the contradictory impulses of reason and intuition, doubt and faith, resistance and submission create attention in him. His contradictions make him rootless and give him a feeling of confession.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Joshi, Arun. The Last Labyrinth, New Delhi, Orient Paperbacks, 1981
- Joshi, Arun. The Apprentice, New Delhi, Vision Books, 1990
- See M.L.Von Frans, “The Process of Individuation”, Man and His Symbols, edited, with an introduction by Carl G. Jung. (New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1964)
- Jolande Jacobi, The Psychology of C.G. Jung (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1975 [1943]), p.107. Also see Jolande Jacobi, The Way of Individuation (New York: New American Library, 1967 [1965])trans. R.F.C. Hall
- R.K. Dhawan, ed. The Fictional World of Arun Joshi”, New Delhi: Classical Publishing Co., 1968)
Mathai, Sujata “I’m a Stranger to My Books”, The Times of India, July 7, 1983
