Examining Class and Caste Conflict in Anand’s Coolie

Mulk Raj Anand, one of the pioneer writers of Indian writing in English of the nineteenth century is notable for his depiction of the poor castes in traditional Indian society. Anand is not a writer of imagination but of reality. The novel ‘Coolie’ exposed the hypocrisy, snobbery and ostentation of the high class people. In other words, the novelist has drawn our attention towards the pathetic condition of the marginalised. Here, my paper will illustrate how the term 'Dalit’ not only confines itself to a particular caste but tends to encompass all the oppressed and marginalised ones in the society. Further, we will also discuss how the social hierarchies in India's vast heritage leads to the exploitation and subjugation of the underdogs in every stratum.