Exemplifications of Struggle for Identity and Power in Arun Joshi’s The City and the River

Abstract

This paper attempts to examine Arun Joshi’s The City and the River. It is an existential critique on the absurdity of human condition and circumstances. It probes the plight of the entire humanity represented by the city. It has an equitably ample canvas and deals with the interrelation of man with other men, with God with and Nature and the evolution of mankind from creation to dissolution. In the novel,

Arun Joshi endeavours to sketch the chaos and dilemma of the modern man who is challenged and encountered by the self and the questioning of his life and existence, which is woefully conscious of his hazardous circumstances in an unsympathetic world.  Arun Joshi explores deep into the inner niche of human mind where he finds sentiments, emotions, instincts and impulses at work.