Characterization of Mulk Raj Anand’s Novels

All characters of Mulk Raj Anand’s novels are remarkable for intimate touches of fidelity to life and intense realism. He has written about the suffering and tragedy of the downtrodden and the poor whom he has actually seen and known in his childhood and youth. Mulk Raj Anand in his novels represents a departure from the tradition of Indian fiction in which the bottom dogs had not been allowed to enter the pages of the novel act as protagonists. He allowed the poor and underdogs to enter the pages of his novels. His characters are from the lower stata of society, like the sweeper, the peasant, the plantation labourer, the city drudge, the sepoy and the coolie, and treat them with sympathy and respects as human beings. His interpretation of India is based on realism as his protagonists are based on the real characters with whom he freely mixed for play and friendship, paying no attention to their caste, class, creed or colour. He poses problems of social inequality at large and also attempts to seek resolutions to the social conflicts. The resolutions that he proposes are the empowerment of the weak and the development of social consciousness and awareness for social gtowth.