Theme of Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand

Untouchable is a social novel by Mulk Raj Anand a great novelist of Indian English Literature. Mulk Raj Anand is writer with a serious committed purpose and his main aim is to highlight the various social problems of the Indian society and to draw our attention to their miseries.

The theme of Untouchable is indicated by its title. It brings to light the sorrows and suffering that the caste Hindu inflicted on the Untouchable and then outcastes- scavengers , the leather workers, the washer man,  the barbers etc. with unflinching realism Dr. Anand describe the painful experience and sordid occurrence in a day in the life of an Untouchable Bakha , the sweeper boy.

 Bakha is healthy, handsome, efficient, dutiful, respectful and also intelligent. Yet humiliation upon humiliation is heaped upon him in the course of the day given in the novel. He fails to bear them with the .com/2023/04/what-is-google-ai fatalism and docility of his father and fore fathers. He wants to take revenge upon those who have misbehaved with him. But the caste complex is so strong that he cannot dare.

The main theme  of the novel is the ill treatment of the sweeper by the caste Hindu. The high caste Hindus think that those who clean this  dirty are out castes from the society. In moments of desperation Bakha says, "They think we are sort because we clean thin diet".

The caste Hindus believe that even the shadow of this touch of an untouchable can pollute them. That is why ,the outcome are forbidden from going up the circular platform of the well or entering the temples. They have to depend for Water on the mercy of caste Hindus. Once when in this market. Bakhaunconsciously touches a Braham he is abused and slapped. All sympathise with the touched man and abuse him for the great he has committed.

Through the molestation of Sohini, another form of exploitation of the poor and downtrodden is highlighted. It shows how the chastity of the untouchable women is not safe. In this lust , the high caste people practise untouchability. But even a good work done by the untouchable is not admired by the high castes.

The theme of "Untouchable " is concerned with this evil of untouchability. The novelist  main aim is to expose this hypocrisy of this. High castes Hindus and to arouse the readers sympathy for this under dog.

Dr. Anand picture of the untouchable is real comprehensive and subtle,  and he gifts in all moods from farce to comedy, from pathos to tragedy ,from this realistic to the poetics are remarkable.

The novelist has also tried to give three possible solutions of the problem of untouchability- conversion to charistianity or any other religion that treats untouchable equal to all other beings. Gandhism that recommends the social and economic upliftment of Hari jans and the introduction of flush-system. The last one is more acceptable of Bakha.

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