A Critical Analysis of Social Realism in Mulk Raj Anand's Coolie

Abstract This paper critically analyzes the novel, focusing on its protagonist, Munoo, a young boy from a mountain village, whose life journey exposes the brutal realities of poverty, class discrimination, and the dehumanizing effects of colonial capitalism. The paper examines how Anand employs a realist narrative style to depict the systematic oppression faced by the subaltern class, highlighting themes of alienation, identity crisis, and the failure of individual resilience against insurmountable social structures. The analysis delves into the novel’s depiction of the caste system, the exploitation of child labour, and the urban-rural divide. Furthermore, it explores Anand’s use of symbolism and his apathetic tone to underscore the hopelessness of Munoo's plight, ultimately positioning the novel not merely as a story of a single coolie, but as an indictment of the entire colonial system that perpetuates such suffering. Mulk Raj Anand's novel Coolie (1936) is a poignant work of social realism that critiques the severe exploitation and dehumanization of the working class in pre-independence India. Anand uses Munoo's tragic life to highlight key themes: the pervasive exploitation by both colonial and indigenous elites, the stark class struggle, and the inevitable dehumanization of the individual in a system that values labor over human life. The novel's picaresque structure and emotional realism serve as a powerful indictment of social injustice, making it a foundational text in Indian English literature and a timeless protest against systemic oppression.