• Shayini O

“Bildungsroman” or “formation novel” is a genre that recounts literal or figurative voyages of discovery, the final destination of which is a sense of one’s unique purpose. One of the most potent attributes of the genre is its ability to observe the human form and the effects of developmental reinforcement directly. The bildungsroman can be a morally combustive piece of literature, whether it is personal or social and of the many themes within the bildungsroman genre the most common theme is that life is not easy or clear, doubt about one’s purpose or beliefs, a quest for freedom as much as self-expression. The protagonists of Shyam Selvadurai’s Funny Boy and Ardashir Vakil’s Beach Boy are young boys trying to withstand the pressure to conform to the needs of the majority and go on a quest for identity and self-realization. In their odyssey towards self-realization both Arjie in Funny Boy and Cyrus in Beach Boy break away from the binding chains of social codes of conduct and carve a niche for themselves. The two young boys come to realise that growing up is never simple and your future is decided by the decisions you make and actions you take.

Bildungsroman, Conformity, Identity, Odyssey, Niche, Funny Boy, Beach Boy

"Odyssey of Self -Discovery: A Reading into Shyam Selvadurai’s Funny Boy and Ardashir Vakil’s Beach Boy", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 4, page no.e378-e380, April-2022, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2204450.pdf

"Odyssey of Self -Discovery: A Reading into Shyam Selvadurai’s Funny Boy and Ardashir Vakil’s Beach Boy", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 4, page no. ppe378-e380, April-2022, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2204450.pdf