Authors : Indalkar A.B.
Page Nos : 198-201
Description :
The paper aims to compare and contrast themes in the short stories of R.K.Narayan and
Basavaraj Naikar. Both short story writers are South Indian and
published short stories of substantial
merit. Their short stories are compared in terms of theme, locales and techniques. The striking contrast
between the two authors is that R.K.Narayan belongs to the first generation of Indian English writers
while Dr.
Basavaraj Naikar is the representative of the present generation. R.K.Narayan cares neither to
instruct nor to meditate but only to amuse his readers whereas Basavaraj Naikar has projected a very
commendable critical skill as a story writer in presenting t
he salient thoughts of human mind. Naikar
understands clearly ethical values of human life and criticizes its short comings through his characters.
Both writers have written short stories dealing with friendship, education, corruption, cynicism,
indifferen
ce at the administrative level, politics, marriage superstition, sex, greed for gold, the poverty,
social evil, etc. R.K.Narayan’s stories are short while the stories of Basavaraj Naikar are longish.
