Existential Vision in the Novels of Arun Joshi

Abstract

Existentialism is one of the prevalent philosophies of the twenty-first century. It emphasizes the existence, freedom, and choice of the individual. Despite living in an irrational world, humans define themselves as rational decision-makers, according to one viewpoint. The world as a whole is preoccupied with human existence and is firmly convinced that there is no meaning to life. The philosophy holds that there is no God or transcendent force that creates or gives life meaning. One must instead confront life alone, adhering to one's very existence. Existential enigma is present in Arun Joshi's protagonists to the extent that they are in a predicament in his novels. Without universal, objective standards, individuals must choose their own path, according to Kierkegaard. Additionally, Friedrich Nietzsche argued that the individual must determine which situations are moral. Thus, the majority of Existentialists believe that personal experience and acting on one's own convictions are necessary for discovering the truth, and that the comprehension of a situation by a participant is preferable to that of a detached, objective observer. Consequently, the protagonists of Arun Joshi, in accordance with Kierkegaard's philosophy, choose their own method of understanding over universal standards, deriving their own convictions and arriving at their own existential conundrum through life experiences.