| Abstract: |
This research paper undertakes a comparative examination of India's changing social fabric as depicted in the literary works of V.S. Naipaul and Aravind Adiga, two prominent voices in postcolonial Indian English literature. The study aims to analyze how these authors, separated by generational and contextual differences, portray India's socio-cultural transformations, class hierarchies, and identity struggles. Employing a qualitative analytical methodology, this paper examines Naipaul's Indian Trilogy and Adiga's The White Tiger through the theoretical frameworks of postcolonial criticism. The hypothesis posits that while Naipaul presents India through an expatriate's disillusioned lens emphasizing civilizational decay, Adiga offers an insider's scathing critique focusing on contemporary economic disparities and subaltern resistance. The findings reveal that both authors, despite differing perspectives, converge on themes of social stratification, corruption, and the persistence of feudal structures in modern India. The discussion demonstrates that Naipaul's melancholic nostalgia contrasts sharply with Adiga's dark satire, yet both narratives expose the underbelly of India's developmental discourse. The paper concludes that literary representations serve as critical mirrors reflecting India's complex socio-economic realities across temporal contexts. |
