A Study of Unreliable Narrators In Akutagawa's in a Grove

Deemed “Father of the Japanese Short Story”, Ryunosuke Akutagawa's work has been epoch making in its themes and stylistic quality. Nothing defines Japanese modern literature like his enigmatic mystery fiction, Yabu No Naka. This research paper explores the craftsmanship and complexity of the unreliable narrators that turn this short story in powerful commentary on human psyche and subjectivity while maintaining the suspenseful simplicity of the riddle presented to readers. Through the presentation of testimonies, the writer urges the reader to delve into the circumstances, temperaments and hidden interests of the characters, using the monologues to paint a socio – historical picture of human existence. An attempt is made to analyse the reasons for the unreliability of the narrations and the effect they have on the reader's perception of the mystery.