THE LABYRINTH AS SYMBOL: A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE LAST LABYRINTH AS A METAPHOR FOR HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i1.2024.4550Keywords:
Arun Joshi, The Last Labyrinth, Labyrinth Metaphor, Psychoanalytic Theory, Eastern Philosophy, Samsara, Existential Literature, Human ConsciousnessAbstract [English]
This paper analyses the labyrinth motif in Arun Joshi’s The Last Labyrinth (1981), interpreting it as a symbolic representation of human consciousness and the fragmented psyche of the protagonist, Som Bhaskar. The study talks about how little critical attention has been paid to the labyrinth as a structural metaphor. It says that the labyrinth represents Som's psychological imprisonment in his unfulfilled desires and existential doubts. Employing a cross-disciplinary approach, this analysis posits that Joshi’s labyrinth mirrors Samsara, symbolising the cyclical nature of desire and suffering. This reading underscores Joshi’s distinctive engagement with the labyrinth as both a narrative structure and a profound metaphor for the complexities of human consciousness and desire.
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