THE ENIGMA OF ARRIVAL: A STORY OF BELONGING TO SOMEWHERE

This paper aims to analyze the novel The Enigma of Arrival by V. S. Naipaul as a story making sense place. is mixture autobiography and fiction. Thus, protagonist Naipaul, writer, recounts protagonist’s attempt become writer. moves England study English literature he thinks that his native land, Trinidad in decay does not have valuable material write about. However, disappointed with because cannot find expects. Instead finding grand buildings described novels Dickens Thackeray, finds like country. As result, feels displaced depressed England. In order overcome these feelings, travels for years realizes only himself an ex-colonized living ex-colonizer Britain but also people feel their Then, rents cottage city named Salisbury where observes places are constant change, flux. He learns adapt candidate be home integrates into its culture without rejecting own culture.