Character Sketch Bakha Untouchable By Mulk Raj Anand

 

Thecharacter of Bakha plays the most important role in the novel "Untouchable " written by Mulk Raj Anand.  He is a young sweeper boy of eighteen. The novel records a day on his life and the novelist has used stream of consciousness technique to give us a peep into his suffering soul. The attention is focused on Bakha throughout and all that happens in the novel is viewed from his point of view.

Bakha is robust and healthy , strong and able bodied. His well built physique has imparted diginity to him fifty profession of cleaning latrines. In the words of E.M Forster Bakha is an individual,  lovable, thwarted sometimes grand , sometimes weak and thoroughly Indian.

 Bakha is portrayed as an intellectual to repeat Gandhi observation. He is a sort of male god , he is a bit superior to his job. He is the child of modern outlook . He is fascinated by the European style of dress and of living and imitate the sahibs and want to look like them. He wants to buy the trouser, the book , peak caps, knives, fork old books etc. from the rap sellers shop but is a poor fellow who has no money for all these items . He also wants to educate himself and speak the (tis-mish) of the sahibs. He has a wake to the advantages of education and finds immense romance in going to school and learning. 

Bakha is an ideal brother and responsible son. When sohini is molested by the priest he falls in rage but at the same times he does not want anybody to scandalised his sister or family. He wants his younger brother Bakha to grow conscious of his own share of responsibility. Bakha conduct towards his father .Bakha is also commendable.  Althrough the old father curse and abuses him so frequently,  he tolerates it all. 

Bakha is a figure of suffering and a victim of social injustice,  he tolerates it all.Bakha is a figure of suffering and a victim of social injustice.  At times he wants to rise in protest against the high caste Hindu who exploit him, but social convention and for bearan come across his path. He finds himself weak and unable to violate the ancient barriers of caste distinction between the struggle of the individual and the society. Bakha is always defeated but every times he is defeated his potentiality to register his protest becomes more pronounced . He desperately desires an end to untouchability. But when he meets col.Huchinson or hear Gandhi  ji , he doesn't find any real solution to his problem. It is only the machine that can bring some relief and a hope of the solution. 

Bakha is one of the immortal characters of Indian English literature. His character has been drawn with insight and detachment.  The novelist mind with a stream of consciousness technique. He has a mind which cannot remain idle even for a moment. Even his physique is distinctive . When he returns to his father and his wretched bed  he thinks of Mahatma. His Indian day is over and the next day will be like it, but on the surface of the earth if not in the depth of the sky , a change is at hand.

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