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Articles

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026): ILN Journal: Indian Literary Narratives

Intersections of Caste and Class in Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable, The Road, and Coolie

Submitted
13 February 2026
Published
2026-03-30

Abstract

This article examines the societal prejudice in Untouchable and The Road by Mulk Raj Anand critically. It centres on the lower castes’ social and psychological oppression in traditional culture. Hindu scriptures explain the traditional caste system, which separates people into four main varnas: Kshatriyas, Brahmins, Shudras, and Vaishyas. Shudras were among these varnas or groups, working as labourers and providing services; they are untouchables and are subjected to severe prejudice and exploitation. Bakha, the protagonist of Untouchable (1935), is a lower caste sweeper who faces harsh societal limitations. His livelihood depends on upper castes, and he cannot access public resources like well water.  Concomitant with its criticism of the hypocrisy of upper caste members and the exploitation of women, this book explores the ceremonial purifying procedures that serve as the foundation for the marginalization of members of lower castes. Albeit, advancements in knowledge and progress, the poorer castes in an Indian village continue to face economic exploitation and social inequity in The Road (1961). Because the lower caste depends on higher caste landlords for their sustenance, Untouchability, oppression, and the lower castes’ inability to rebel are emphasized in both texts. Mulk Raj Anand criticizes caste, subjugation of lower castes, and the inaction of social and religious institutions in addressing these injustices through these narratives.  

References

  1. Anand, Mulk Raj Anand. Coolie. Arnold-Heinemann, 1983.
  2. ---. The Road. Sterling Publishers, 1987.
  3. ---. Untouchable. Arnold-Heinemann, 1981.
  4. Cowasjee, Saros. So Many Freedoms: A Study of the Major Fiction of Mulk Raj Anand. Oxford University Press, 1977.
  5. Forster, E. M.. “Preface.” Untouchable, by Mulk Raj Anand, Arnold-Heinemann, 1981, pp. 7-8.
  6. Ghurye, G. S.. Caste and Race in India. Popular Prakashan, 1969.
  7. Iyengar, K. R. Srinivasa. Indian Writing in English. Sterling Publishers, 1985.
  8. Naik, M. K.. A History of Indian English Literature. Sahitya Akademi, 1982.
  9. Singh, Veena. “Caste and Social Discrimination in Anand’s Untouchable.” Journal of Indian Writing in English, vol. 12, no. 2, 2014, pp. 120-128.

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