The Bachelor of Arts offers rare insight into the complexities of Indian middle-class society. R. K. Narayan traces life in the fictional town of Malgudi, writing of youth and young adulthood in this semi-autobiographical novel. Although the ordinary tensions of maturing are heightened by the particular circumstances of pre-partition India, Narayan provides a universal vision of childhood, early love, and grief.

Narayan's narrative immerses the reader in the cultural and social tapestry of India, offering a perspective that is both unique and universally relatable. The novel is a journey through the formative years of a young man's life, set against the backdrop of a changing society.