PAPER ID:IJIM/V.5(II)/27-29/4

AUTHOR: Dr Som Parkash Verma

TITLE : CASTE IN INDIAN ENGLISH FICTION

ABSTRACT: This study critically examines the portrayal of caste in Indian English fiction, focusing on representation and absence. Analyzing works such as “Untouchable” by Mulk Raj Anand and “The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy, the research highlights instances where caste representation is minimal or problematic, challenging existing critical perspectives. The study addresses the irony in Indian English fiction’s claim to represent the nation comprehensively while treating caste, class, and gender as problematic and redundant concepts. Exploring the connection between caste and the English language, the study delves into the distancing of Indian English authors from caste-related realities, often considered outdated. The concentration on upper caste perspectives in narratives is scrutinized, revealing a lack of independent lower caste characters. While acknowledging the attempts of “brave” authors like Rohinton Mistry and Arundhati Roy, the study identifies lapses in the portrayal of lower caste characters, attributing them to cultural shifts among post-Rushdie writers. Despite these limitations, the study asserts the relevance of caste in Indian English fiction and raises questions about authors’ engagement with the complexities of caste in cosmopolitan societies, where urban landscapes are more organized by class than caste.

KEYWORDS: Indian English fiction, caste representation, literary irony, Untouchable, The God of Small Things, caste-class-gender tensions, sociocultural realities, English language privilege, Tabish Khair, modernity, cultural cream, literary portrayal.

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