Untouchable
by Mulk Raj Anand
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In Mulk Raj Anand's finest and most controversial novel he conveys precisely, with urgency and barely disguised fury, what it might feel like to be one of India's Untouchables. Bakha is a young man, a proud and even an attractive young man, but none the less he is an outcast in a system that is now only slowly changing and was then as cruel and debilitating as that of apartheid. Into this re-creation of one day in the life of Bakha, sweeper and latrine-cleaner, Anand poured a vitality, fire show more and richness of detail that have caused him to be acclaimed as his country's Charles Dickens as well as this century's greatest revealer of the 'other' India. 'It recalled to me very vividly the occasions I have walked 'the wrong way' in an Indian city and it is a way down which no novelist has yet taken me . . .' E.M. Forster 'One of the most eloquent and imaginative works to deal with this difficult and emotive subject' - Martin Seymour-Smith show lessTags
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Member Reviews
A day in the life of a single Dalit and the ways in which he secures food and tries to accommodate his mixture of yearning and resignation with those of his family and those of the castes above him.
Feels much more modern than what I expected from a 1930s book. Beautifully written. Concerned with the plight of the Dalit and their slave-like existence on the periphery of Hindu society, but does so not through melodrama or preachiness, but by presenting their lives as-is. Attitudes and viewpoints are contrasted, not by setting up straw characters to serve as mouthpieces for political views, but by having nuanced characters clash in nuanced ways. Life as she is lived makes an excellent case for change, better than authorial filibustering show more ever could. The one speech that does make it into the book is admittedly anvilicious, but even that is tempered by how its effects on the main character are different from the ones intended. Even so, the book left me wonderfully conflicted. Nicely done! show less
Feels much more modern than what I expected from a 1930s book. Beautifully written. Concerned with the plight of the Dalit and their slave-like existence on the periphery of Hindu society, but does so not through melodrama or preachiness, but by presenting their lives as-is. Attitudes and viewpoints are contrasted, not by setting up straw characters to serve as mouthpieces for political views, but by having nuanced characters clash in nuanced ways. Life as she is lived makes an excellent case for change, better than authorial filibustering show more ever could. The one speech that does make it into the book is admittedly anvilicious, but even that is tempered by how its effects on the main character are different from the ones intended. Even so, the book left me wonderfully conflicted. Nicely done! show less
Bakha is a young Untouchable, at an age where passion and reason battle fiercely and rebellion is difficult to contain. Through the adventures of a day, we see the contrasts of his life - his social condition, his familial predicament, his precious humanity. Anand thus walks us through all the emotions from servility to righteous anger, as this young man navigates life's unfairness.
The conclusion is a hopeful one: Gandhi, who preaches unity and independence, and modernity which is knocking at India's door both carried by the heavy gusts of wind, lead us to believe that Bakha can have a better future... the question that remains is, will he (Bakha) have the enduring courage to see it through.
The conclusion is a hopeful one: Gandhi, who preaches unity and independence, and modernity which is knocking at India's door both carried by the heavy gusts of wind, lead us to believe that Bakha can have a better future... the question that remains is, will he (Bakha) have the enduring courage to see it through.
Untouchable by Sibel Hodge is the best psychological thriller that I’ve read this year. Psychological thrillers are one of my favorite genres, so I’m always super excited when I find a new author who knows how to write a page-turner like this one.
The synopsis describes this novel as “chillingly dark”, which I think is the perfect description. Maya and her boyfriend Jamie are about to celebrate their second year anniversary. Jamie is several hours late returning home for their anniversary celebration. The police arrive at their home and deliver Maya the devastating news that Jamie hanged himself in the woods. Maya doesn’t believe Jamie would commit suicide, because he was happy that morning and discussed their evening plans. show more Her suspicion grows and her personal investigation leads her to a children’s home called “The Big House” where child sex abuse is commonplace. Maya wants to reveal the truth, but the people involved want to keep it a secret.
This engaging thriller made me wish I could read faster because I was dying to know what happened next. I love how the author built suspense by leaving cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. The alternating points of view work well in this novel. It actually adds to the suspense. The storytelling was so captivating that I couldn’t tab through the eBook fast enough.
The characters were so well developed they felt real, especially Maya, Jamie, Mitchell and the children and staff at “The Big House”. I was still thinking about them days after I finished the book. I felt sorry for those boys at “The Big House” having to face that horrible abuse, which is such a difficult topic to write about in a novel. I don’t think most writers like to touch topics like child sex abuse, but Sibel Hodge handled it courageously and sensitively. I appreciated the fact that the author implied most of the sexual acts and avoided details. It’s still difficult to read those scenes knowing what’s going on even if the writer isn’t spelling it out for you.
The only part that dragged a little for me was at the 75% mark in the eBook. Honestly, I don’t’ even remember what was going on at the time, but I just wanted it to get to the resolution. Other than that, the story kept moving at a good pace. I kept incorrectly guessing how this was going to end, but it still had a great ending. I’d love to read a sequel just because of how it ended.
Fans of psychological thrillers will enjoy this one.
A special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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The synopsis describes this novel as “chillingly dark”, which I think is the perfect description. Maya and her boyfriend Jamie are about to celebrate their second year anniversary. Jamie is several hours late returning home for their anniversary celebration. The police arrive at their home and deliver Maya the devastating news that Jamie hanged himself in the woods. Maya doesn’t believe Jamie would commit suicide, because he was happy that morning and discussed their evening plans. show more Her suspicion grows and her personal investigation leads her to a children’s home called “The Big House” where child sex abuse is commonplace. Maya wants to reveal the truth, but the people involved want to keep it a secret.
This engaging thriller made me wish I could read faster because I was dying to know what happened next. I love how the author built suspense by leaving cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. The alternating points of view work well in this novel. It actually adds to the suspense. The storytelling was so captivating that I couldn’t tab through the eBook fast enough.
The characters were so well developed they felt real, especially Maya, Jamie, Mitchell and the children and staff at “The Big House”. I was still thinking about them days after I finished the book. I felt sorry for those boys at “The Big House” having to face that horrible abuse, which is such a difficult topic to write about in a novel. I don’t think most writers like to touch topics like child sex abuse, but Sibel Hodge handled it courageously and sensitively. I appreciated the fact that the author implied most of the sexual acts and avoided details. It’s still difficult to read those scenes knowing what’s going on even if the writer isn’t spelling it out for you.
The only part that dragged a little for me was at the 75% mark in the eBook. Honestly, I don’t’ even remember what was going on at the time, but I just wanted it to get to the resolution. Other than that, the story kept moving at a good pace. I kept incorrectly guessing how this was going to end, but it still had a great ending. I’d love to read a sequel just because of how it ended.
Fans of psychological thrillers will enjoy this one.
A special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter show less
Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand was originally published in 1935. It is a short novel that depicts a day in the life of Bakha, a young "sweeper", who is classed as an untouchable due to his work of cleaning latrines and sweeping the streets. This story highlights the unjustness and inhumanity of the Indian caste system.
Over the course of this particular day various incidents occur that cause Bakha to question the system of oppression that he lives under. It is a day of being slapped, shouted at, and having crowds set against him. Getting no sympathy from his father, he spends the afternoon playing grass hockey with his friends. But when he carries a higher caste injured player home all he gets is more abuse. His father, angry at him for show more being gone all afternoon, throws him out and he finds himself at the train station listening to a speech by Mahatma Ghandi who talks about the plight of the Untouchables and how he would like to end the caste system. Bakha also overhears a couple educated men discussing Ghandi's speech and although he doesn't understand much of what has been said, he does hear them say that changes are coming and that there will soon be flushable toilets which sends him home with some hope for the future.
Untouchable was obviously written to show the lack of dignity given to the lower caste people of India. The author also seems to pointing out the upcoming clash between modernity and tradition. The story also brought home to me my own ignorance about the caste system and how it affected all levels of society. I had never realized before that the caste system was followed by the Hindus while the Muslims did not. Untouchable was an easily read story filled with well described images that gave the book a feeling of authenticity. show less
Over the course of this particular day various incidents occur that cause Bakha to question the system of oppression that he lives under. It is a day of being slapped, shouted at, and having crowds set against him. Getting no sympathy from his father, he spends the afternoon playing grass hockey with his friends. But when he carries a higher caste injured player home all he gets is more abuse. His father, angry at him for show more being gone all afternoon, throws him out and he finds himself at the train station listening to a speech by Mahatma Ghandi who talks about the plight of the Untouchables and how he would like to end the caste system. Bakha also overhears a couple educated men discussing Ghandi's speech and although he doesn't understand much of what has been said, he does hear them say that changes are coming and that there will soon be flushable toilets which sends him home with some hope for the future.
Untouchable was obviously written to show the lack of dignity given to the lower caste people of India. The author also seems to pointing out the upcoming clash between modernity and tradition. The story also brought home to me my own ignorance about the caste system and how it affected all levels of society. I had never realized before that the caste system was followed by the Hindus while the Muslims did not. Untouchable was an easily read story filled with well described images that gave the book a feeling of authenticity. show less
Just 157 pages and one day in the life of eighteen year old Bakha, a "sweeper" in charge of cleaning three rows of public latrines on the edge of his town. He is an Untouchable.
Bakha starts his day working "earnestly, quickly, without loss of effort". He dreams of the day he will be able to do the work of his father, the head of all the local sweepers who is responsible for cleaning the streets of the town and the temple courtyard. His wish is fulfilled that very day when his father becomes ill, and he sends Bakha to do his job.
The actual horror of the position of an Untouchable emerges as we see Bakha's sister wait in line with others of her caste for a kind hearted upper caste person who will take the time to fill her water jug, and show more as we watch Bakha, overwhelmed by the sights on the street, forget to call to warn of his approach and accidentally touch a high-caste man. The "Lalla" proceeds to vilify Bakha: "Do you know you have touched me and defiled me, you cock-eyed son of a bow-legged scorpion! Now I will have to go and take a bath to purify myself. And it was a new dhoti and shirt I put on this morning!" And Bakha's day does not improve. He is thrown off the steps of the temple where wandered to listen to the prayers and try to see into the temple although he knew his presence would "pollute" the temple and it would then have to undergo a purification ceremony. He must then go to a row of houses to beg for bread for his family. When finally some is thrown to him, it falls to the ground where he picks it up to bring it home to his father, sister and brother.
Bakha actually displays a love of life that is momentarily depressed by these events, but which rises to the fore over and over. At the end of the day, Bakha is mystified by a Christian missionary who tries to "save" him from his untouchability through Jesus, an unexpected opportunity to hear (but not understand) the great Mahatma Gandhi expound his ideas for changing Indian society, and a local dandy explaining the ultimate solution to the problem of the untouchables--flush toilets. Bakha ruminates on the meaning of it all. Hopeful again, he turns for home to tell his father about Gandhi and the new machine--the flush toilets.
"Untouchable" was a contemporary story. It is still a stirring account of the basic humanity of those members of the lowest castes of Indian society, and the wretchedness of their lives. show less
Bakha starts his day working "earnestly, quickly, without loss of effort". He dreams of the day he will be able to do the work of his father, the head of all the local sweepers who is responsible for cleaning the streets of the town and the temple courtyard. His wish is fulfilled that very day when his father becomes ill, and he sends Bakha to do his job.
The actual horror of the position of an Untouchable emerges as we see Bakha's sister wait in line with others of her caste for a kind hearted upper caste person who will take the time to fill her water jug, and show more as we watch Bakha, overwhelmed by the sights on the street, forget to call to warn of his approach and accidentally touch a high-caste man. The "Lalla" proceeds to vilify Bakha: "Do you know you have touched me and defiled me, you cock-eyed son of a bow-legged scorpion! Now I will have to go and take a bath to purify myself. And it was a new dhoti and shirt I put on this morning!" And Bakha's day does not improve. He is thrown off the steps of the temple where wandered to listen to the prayers and try to see into the temple although he knew his presence would "pollute" the temple and it would then have to undergo a purification ceremony. He must then go to a row of houses to beg for bread for his family. When finally some is thrown to him, it falls to the ground where he picks it up to bring it home to his father, sister and brother.
Bakha actually displays a love of life that is momentarily depressed by these events, but which rises to the fore over and over. At the end of the day, Bakha is mystified by a Christian missionary who tries to "save" him from his untouchability through Jesus, an unexpected opportunity to hear (but not understand) the great Mahatma Gandhi expound his ideas for changing Indian society, and a local dandy explaining the ultimate solution to the problem of the untouchables--flush toilets. Bakha ruminates on the meaning of it all. Hopeful again, he turns for home to tell his father about Gandhi and the new machine--the flush toilets.
"Untouchable" was a contemporary story. It is still a stirring account of the basic humanity of those members of the lowest castes of Indian society, and the wretchedness of their lives. show less
Untouchable is an interesting peek into the life of one "untouchable", Bakha, through his eyes during the time span of a single day. To say his life is rough and pretty much hopeless would be an understatement. He cleans latrines and spends his days working very hard and begging. Anand shows the reader the many trials and travails these folks faced, and it's painful. In one instance, Bakha inadvertently touches someone from a higher caste, and the tumult that ensues is just awful. Sort of the way I might react if I encountered a big hairy tarantula on my face.
The book was a four star read for me until the end. I really empathized with Bakha and found his plight interesting. Anand shares his inner thoughts, and I found this very helpful show more when it came to seeing thing through his eyes.
Unfortunately, the ending felt rushed and while it was supposed to be hopeful, I definitely didn't find it emotionally moving. I don't want to spoil it, but it read quite differently than the rest of the tale, and for me, wasn't really uplifting, and also felt like a whole lot of "telling" as opposed to showing the reader how Bakha benefited from his encounters with Ghandi, a missionary, and a poet. Poorly conceived ending to an interesting book. show less
The book was a four star read for me until the end. I really empathized with Bakha and found his plight interesting. Anand shares his inner thoughts, and I found this very helpful show more when it came to seeing thing through his eyes.
Unfortunately, the ending felt rushed and while it was supposed to be hopeful, I definitely didn't find it emotionally moving. I don't want to spoil it, but it read quite differently than the rest of the tale, and for me, wasn't really uplifting, and also felt like a whole lot of "telling" as opposed to showing the reader how Bakha benefited from his encounters with Ghandi, a missionary, and a poet. Poorly conceived ending to an interesting book. show less
Review: This is a short read that depicts a day in the life of a young 18 y/o man of the lowest caste in India. While this was not a thrilling novel to read I found it interesting and also uncomfortable. I never realized how difficult life for an untouchable was. What a system which really is a system of bullying. It appeared to me that an untouchable did all the work no one else wanted to do to make life good for the other castes but then was dependent on good will of others to give them water, food, (was this how they were paid)? How did they get paid? To stand around and wait for water when one was so thirsty. Such a needed commodity. I was horrified. This did not make me at all impressed with a religion that treated others this way. show more I really question all people who seek this kind of religion that treats other people this way and criticizes Christianity in the same breath. Anyway, back to this book. I was surprised at how Bakha who was 18 seemed so very young. He wasted a lot of his day wandering around in his thoughts but in this way the reader gets to see the community, how he is treated, how they live, interact and the hopelessness. The ending of this book is what some people have trouble. It is kind of an abrupt change. Bakha in his wanderings comes across a gathering of peoples across social classes who are there to hear Gandhi. Gandhi speaks out against the system of untouchables and encourages the people and then he leaves. This gives hope to Bakha who heads home to tell his father. I looked up stuff as I tend to do. The system of untouchable still exists even though there are laws against it now. There are still people cleaning latrines. Gandhi spoke against untouchables but didn’t really understand that it wasn’t something you could just walk away from. Overall, an interesting look at the social culture of India. show less
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- Canonical title
- Untouchable
- Original title
- Untouchable
- Original publication date
- 1935
- Dedication
- The original edition of this novel
was dedicated to
EDITH YOUNG
In this edition I add the
names of
Perspirer K. S. SHELVANKAR
and
Inspirer MAHATMA GANDHI - First words
- Some years ago, I came across a copy of a book by myself, A Passage to India, which had apparently been read by an indignant Colonel. (Preface)
The outcastes' colony was a group of mud-walled houses that clustered together in two rows, under the shadow both of the town and the cantonment, but outside their boundaries and separate from them. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)His Indian day is over and the next day will be like it, but on the surface of the earth if not in the depths of the sky, a change is at hand. (Preface)
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)And he proceeded homewards. - Original language
- English
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