Raja Rao: The Fictionist

Raja Rao has a unique place in the filed of Indo-English Literature. As a conscious and conscientious artist, he has produced five novels and three volumes of short stories, and through them he has carved a permanent niche for himself inn the annals of Indian English fiction of today. He is a great novelist embodying the philosophy of Indian sages and saints and has imbibed the Indian mythical and legendary tradition to the full. Raja Rao’s novels have revealed to the world certain facets of Indian life and Philosophy not expressed by anybody else. Thus, he has brought an honour and a recognition for India abroad. The book Raja Rao: The Fictionist which is a critical study of Raja Rao’s fictional works comprehensively deals with the various facets of Raja Rao’s art and mind in a span of eight chapters. The first chapter is introductory in nature, while the second one is on Rao’s short stories. The third chapter handles plot, theme, emotion and narrative technique in his novels; the fourth treats his art of characterization; the fifth dwells on his language and style; the sixth considers his use of images and symbols; and the seventh takes into account his vision of life or his philosophical outlook upon life. The eighth chapter draws conclusions. This is a very insightful critical study of Raja Rao – the fruit of Author’s long years of reading and research – and does full justice to this great novelist of our day.