Being ‘Good’

A Search into the Psyche of Joseph, the Protagonist of Saul Bellow’s Novel The Dangling Man

Abstract

 idea of “being good” or the concept of “morality” cannot be measured by an ultimate referring point due to the epistemological complexities of the 20^th century. The dilemma of what is good and bad is one of the perplexities of the modern human psyche. An axis or pillar to support one’s belief or hope like that of the God is lost.  This and many other changes in the century made the man’s psyche stuck and stagnant resulting chaos and tumult. The literature of the age provides testimony for this. The present article analyses how Joseph, the protagonist of The Dangling Man by Saul Bellow becomes a victim of such an indefiniteness and complexity of the 20th century Europe. Bellow has done it well in the complicated social labyrinth of modern society .The word “dangling” in the title of the novel symbolizes the wavering nature of one’s self which verges to insanity. Research in exploring the characteristics of such heroes and the bilateral relationship between the human psyche and the social milieu makes one more reflective and enlightened..