The Labyrinth as Symbol

This paper analyses the labyrinth motif in Arun Joshi’s The Last Labyrinth (1981), interpreting it as a symbolic representation of human consciousness and the fragmented psyche of the protagonist, Som Bhaskar. The study talks about how little critical attention has been paid to the labyrinth as a structural metaphor. It says that the labyrinth represents Som's psychological imprisonment in his unfulfilled desires and existential doubts. Employing a cross-disciplinary approach, this analysis posits that Joshi’s labyrinth mirrors Samsara, symbolising the cyclical nature of desire and suffering. This reading underscores Joshi’s distinctive engagement with the labyrinth as both a narrative structure and a profound metaphor for the complexities of human consciousness and desire

Art · Consciousness · Epistemology · Linguistics · Literature · Metaphor · Communication · Jungian Analytical Psychology · Philosophy · Psychology