The Strange Case of Billy Biswas :A Journey of Existence & Identity from Materialism to Idealism

Abstract

As a writer of existentiality, Arun Joshi tackles the issue of existence- identity altogether in his novel The Strange Case of Billy Biswas. This study attempts to investigate the problem of existence and identity in the protagonist’s novel Billy Biswas who forsook the western civilization and modernism and returned to his native primitivism in India. To achieve this goal, the researcher draws insights from many existentialist thinkers and attempts to discuss the way the author dealt with the western existentialist philosophy to understand the predicament of modern man’s life and ultimately finds the solution and solace for his protagonist in the Hindu philosophy.