Cultural Conflict And Self-Realization In Arun Joshi's Novels“The Foreigner” And “The Strange Case Of Billy Biswas”: A ComparativeStudy

This Paper examines the cultural and emotional dilemmas experienced by the protagonists in Arun Joshi's novels The Foreigner and The Strange Case of Billy Biswas. Each novel portrays individuals caught between the traditional values of the East and the modern, materialistic ethos of the West. The characters struggle with identity, disillusionment and the clash of civilizations, seeking meaning and self-realization in worlds marked by conflict and alienation. Through the protagonists Billy Biswas and Sindi Oberoi, this paper highlights Joshi's critique of modern society's superficiality, the tension between personal desires and cultural expectations and the search for authentic existence. The study also reveals how the characters' journeys of self-discovery are shaped by the contrasting cultural influences that they encounter in their life.