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@article{189737,
        author = {Parbat A Chavda},
        title = {The Man-Eater of Malgudi: Myth, Morality, and Satire in R. K. Narayan’s Novel},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {},
        volume = {12},
        number = {no},
        pages = {56-62},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=189737},
        abstract = {R. K. Narayan’s The Man-Eater of Malgudi is one of his finest achievements in moral satire, blending mythic motifs, ethical conflict, and comic realism into a richly layered narrative. This paper analyses the novel through three major frameworks myth, morality, and satire to illustrate how Narayan transforms the everyday world of Malgudi into a symbolic arena of good and evil. Vasu, the taxidermist, embodies the archetype of the destructive “demonic” force from Hindu mythology, while Nataraj represents the vulnerable yet eventually triumphant moral self. Through deliberate echoes of the Bhasmasura myth, the novel frames Vasu’s self-destruction as a metaphor for the collapse of ego-driven violence. Narayan uses gentle humour and sharp irony to expose the fragility of social harmony and the consequences of unchecked ambition, aggression, and materialism. While the novel appears light and comic on the surface, its moral core is profound, demonstrating Narayan’s ability to translate philosophical ideas into accessible narrative art. The study argues that the novel is not merely a social comedy but a modern myth about ethical balance, human weakness, and the victory of dharma over adharma. The paper employs textual analysis supported by MLA 9th in-text citations.},
        keywords = {R. K. Narayan; The Man-Eater of Malgudi; myth; morality; satire; Vasu; Bhasmasura; Malgudi; comic realism.},
        month = {},
        }