From Social Realism to Global Anxiety: Mulk Raj Anand and the Changing Art of Indian English Fiction

Author(s): Dr. Nishi Singh

Abstract:

Mulk Raj Anand occupies a foundational position in Indian English fiction because he transformed the novel into an instrument for representing social inequality, caste oppression, poverty, colonial exploitation and the lives of marginalized people. His fiction is distinguished by social realism, sympathetic characterization, accessible language and a strong ethical commitment to human dignity. This paper comparatively examines Anand’s narrative style alongside three significant contemporary Indian writers—Aravind Adiga, Arundhati Roy and Amitav Ghosh. Through a close reading of Untouchable, Coolie, The White Tiger, The God of Small Things and selected works of Ghosh, the study investigates how the representation of marginality and social injustice has changed from Anand’s period to the contemporary literary moment. The comparison demonstrates that although contemporary writers employ irony, fragmented narratives, linguistic experimentation, multiple perspectives and ecological imagination, they continue Anand’s central concern with the relationship between individual suffering and oppressive social structures. The study argues that Anand’s literary legacy survives not through stylistic imitation but through the continuing ethical responsibility of Indian fiction to make invisible lives visible.

keywords:
Mulk Raj Anand; Indian English Fiction; Social Realism; Contemporary Indian Writing; Aravind Adiga; Arundhati Roy; Amitav Ghosh; Marginality; Narrative Style; Social Justice

Pages: 28-31     |    9 View     |    1 Download