Anarchy and Atonement: Tracing the Evolution of the Self in Gregory David Roberts' Shantaram

Abstract

Man is a composite of good and evil; occasionally, both aspects of his personality dominate one after the other. The man keeps on oscillating between these two, and for this, sometimes he falls into the abyss of failure and remorse due to his wrongdoings and sometimes reaches to the apex of goodness and reaps the benefits of his positive deeds. These dualities or binary oppositions have existed in man since the advent of human civilization. Human beings gyrate in these two oppositions as per the call of their instincts. In this paper, we shall analyse a fictional work, Shantaram, by an Australian author, Gregory David Roberts. We will trace the theme of how human goodness can be awakened through love and understanding in the novel through the character Lin Shantaram. Lindsay or Lin undergoes the trials and travails of life due to his lawlessness in the initial phase of his life and later strives hard for the path of goodness. In this course, the repercussions of his evil deeds take a toll on him, but he is not disheartened and keeps striving for a better version of himself. In this paper, I will present the life saga of the protagonist, Lin Shantaram, through the trials and tribulations of his wrongdoings and his evolution as a better man, designating peace and calmness in society.