Self-Realization and Indian Humanism in the Select Novels of R.K. Narayan

Abstract R.K. Narayan occupies a central place in the tradition of Indian Writing in English for his subtle portrayal of the moral and spiritual dimensions of everyday life. While much critical attention has been devoted to his realism, narrative simplicity, and humour, comparatively fewer studies have examined the philosophical coherence that underlies his fictional world. This article explores the theme of self-realization and Indian humanism in four major novels-The Bachelor of Arts (1937), The English Teacher (1945), The Financial Expert (1952), and The Guide (1958). It argues that Narayan constructs a consistent ethical vision in which ordinary individuals, confronted with love, loss, ambition, and suffering, undergo an inward transformation leading towards moral clarity and spiritual awareness. Drawing on Indian philosophical traditions such as Vedanta, Gandhian ethics, and the concepts of karma and dharma, the paper situates Narayan as a philosophical humanist whose work bridges the secular and the sacred.