Expounding the East West Dichotomy A Postcolonial Study of Arun Joshis The Foreigner

Name of Author : Dr. Gils M. George

Abstract: Arun Joshi has handled the themes of loneliness, meaninglessness, rootlessness and finally, leads to advocate the idea of non attachment and action without the hope of fruit in this novel. The theme of East West encounter can be identified with the idea depicted in Arun Joshis The Foreigner which emphasizes the wide gulf between the Indian and the western life. The conflict between the two modes of being appears on different levels the individuals level, the group level, the political level, the cultural level and also an industrial and agrarian levels. The theme can be seen as an intricate cultural encounter. The East West encounter is very significantly depicted by the author through his narrative theme and characters ideas. This paper intends to expound the East West dichotomy in Arun Joshis postcolonial novel, The Foreigner. The projection of West as something superior and of East as orients can be seen in some parts of the novel. The East West encounter is the transition of two cultures when one accepts and one try to resist. The dominant culture sometimes become more authoritative and try to exploit the minor one. The learning process of both culture, politics, religion and nature of the people happen in the East West encounters and the author very carefully narrates the issue in his novel.

Keywords : Cultural encounter, East West dichotomy, rootlessness

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