The Disorientated Nature of Modern Society in the Selected Novels of Saul Bellow

Abstract

The present thesis The Disorientate Nature of Modern Society in the newlineSelected Novels of Saul Bellow is a close study of the inner consciousness of newlineSaul Bellow s protagonists. The study emphasizes Bellow s wide reaching newlinesocial concern in his novels an analytical study of his times as the mass society newlinein the modern age has affected the process of dehumanization. Bellow s novels newlineare haunted by a large apocalyptic gloom in the force of modern affairs, newlinemodern violence and modern impulse of America. The novels that I have newlineselected, for the present thesis are Mr. Sammler s Planet, Humboldt s Gift, The newlineDean s December, More Die of Heartbreak and Ravelstein. For better newlineunderstanding, I have also referred the history of Bellow s work. His fiction is newlineconcerned for the individual and it projects the suffering and anguish of human newlinebeing in Post-Modern period. newlineThe Introductory chapter provides a brief history of the American novel, newlineJewish culture, Jewish heritage and Jewish Diaspora. In fact, Bellow sees the newlineweakness in the American Culture, the hollowness and emptiness of heart. newlineFurther, the chapter deals with the life and works of Saul Bellow. A brief newlinereview of the earlier is done in the area of the proposed project. The present newlinestudy also intends to investigate Bellow s complex and challenging vision of newlinemodern society. newlineChapter Two defines Saul Bellow s concept of the disorient nature of newlinemodern society . It projects Bellow s world view about the modern society and newlineit is interwoven with the cultural crisis, realism, revelation and spirituality. A newlinesincere attempt is made in this chapter to bring out Bellow s assertion about newlinehuman vision amid the perplexities and paradoxes of modern life. newlineChapter Three traces the protagonist s interest in the historical process newlineor the modern age has the backdrop of American Culture in decay. The chapter newlinealso highlights cultural crisis in all American urban centers Chicago and New newlineIV newlineYork. There Saul Bellow finds hollowness and emptiness of heart. He also newlineexposes man s absurdity, madness and