The Theme of Exile in V. S. Naipaul's Half a Life

Abstract

The concept of exile is extensively addressed in the field of literature as well as in different disciplines of the social sciences. In the field of literature and literary studies, exile is depicted through various genres of fiction and plays an important role in the works of writers from different historical, linguistic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Indian writers who have merged into the mainstream of English literature have also given considerable focus to the theme of exile in their literary works. One of these writers, V. S. Naipaul, as an intellectual who has experienced exile, creatively explores themes of exile, displacement, alienation, identity, homelessness, and rootlessness. Through fictional characters such as Willie Somerset Chandran in Half a Life (2001), the author shows how individuals in the Third World try to survive in a complex, multicultural world. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyse V. S. Naipaul’s protagonist, Willie Chandran Somerset’s experience of exile in alien lands, taking into account the views and approaches of significant critics and scholars such as Edward Said, Abraham Maslow, Burke, and Stets. The study also aims to show how exile offers the protagonist the opportunity to explore the true state from a wider perspective.