Saul Bellow's works have been analyzed from different angles and dimensions. Many critics consider him to be an iconoclast; however, that does not take anything away from the corpus of Bellow's writings. Bellow's literary acumen is reflected in his attempt to underline the importance of faith in human lives. Life cannot be seen as a calculation where certain things always get an upper hand. Moreover, the chemistry of life is not tantamount to balancing equations. It can never flow technically in one direction and can take turns at times. Uncertainties and upheavals in life may occur to anyone at any moment. But these forces should not enervate us. For, human will has the potential to overcome the ravages and rigors of life. The suppression of human will may lead to disastrous consequences, whereas the assertion of human will may help in getting over all the calamities that come our way. Bellow's second novel, The Victim (1947) deals with themes of human accountability and belongingness. The paper analyzes Bellow's views in this regard and argues that the damnation of man is not caused by external forces alone, but also by his own actions. Man is often responsible for bringing about his own destruction. However, he can always explore within himself the element of faith, which acts as an antidote to all his ills, despite being at odds with the outside world.

Nobel Laureate in Literature for the year 1976 and winner of numerous awards, Saul Bellow commands both awe and respect as an acclaimed writer of all times. Bellow can be credited for portraying the nuances and gaps of different philosophical ideologies that agitate the American life in particular and that of the world in general. Many of his readers and critics may consider him to be an iconoclast, but his efforts to revive human faith in ordinary lives, devoid of all sesquipedalian spiel, and make people see life as it is and not as it should be, deserve plaudit. Least bothered about the canards that his contemporary writers and critics trumpeted against him, he once said, "…I am going against the stream. That's not an attitude. Attitudes are foolishness. It's just that there's no use doing anything else, is there? I blame myself for not having gone hard enough against it, and if I live I shall go harder." Bellow believed in the assertion of human will and that its affirmation alone could pave the way for coming out of the romantic rut of despair born of philosophic premises. Thus, the faith in human will to move forward and explore the newness and novelty becomes the guiding principle of his works.

Saul Bellow's major works include Dangling Man (1944), The Victim (1947),The Adventures of Augie March (1953), Seize the Day (1956), Henderson the Rain King (1959), Herzog (1964), Mr. Sammler's Planet (1970), Humboldt's Gift (1975),To Jerusalem and Back (1976) , The Dean's December (1982), More Die of Heartbreak (1987), A Theft (1989), The Bellarosa Connection (1989), The Actual (1997), and Ravelstein (2000). The present paper is based on a reading of Bellow's second novel The Victim (1947). Many scholars have analyzed the novel from various angles and dimensions. This paper endeavors to explore the novel on the premise that man alone is responsible for his own damnation and he carries within himself the antidote to all ills, despite being at odds with the outside world.

American Literature Journal, Nobel Laureate, Balancing Equations, Philosophical Ideologies, Self-assertion, Human Limitations, Gloomy Determinism, Professional Career, Legendary Figures, Modern Technologies.