Author: Mujibur Rahaman & Dr. Rajib Kr. Sarma
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/Bijmrd/04100010
Abstract: Mulk Raj Anand’s novels, Untouchable and Coolie, examine the complex interplay of caste and class oppression in pre-independence India through their characters, Bakha and Munoo. Untouchable reveals Bakha’s plight as an untouchable, navigating a harsh reality defined by societal norms of purity and pollution. His encounter with an upper-caste man elicits hysteria, highlighting the caste system’s fragility and his yearning for dignity. The narrative proposes various means of escape, including spiritual conversion and technological advancements. In contrast, Coolie follows Munoo, who, despite a higher caste, faces economic exploitation as he shifts from rural poverty to the complexities of colonial capitalism, ultimately succumbing to tuberculosis. Anand criticizes the commodification of life within this capitalist system, presenting Munoo’s tragic fate as a consequence of systemic class oppression. Together, these narratives explore the intersection of caste and class, illustrating how structural injustices deny the agency of subaltern individuals, while contrasting Bakha’s inner turmoil with Munoo’s innocence, thereby addressing themes of dignity, exploitation, and marginalized existence in India.This study contributes to understand the Reflection of Dalit Literature in Untouchable and Coolie by portyaying the characters like Bakha, Munoo, Sohini, Gujri, BibijiandLakshmi.
Keywords: Anand, oppression, caste, Dalit Literature, exploitation, Bakha, Munoo.
Page No: 90-98