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Book Review: ‘Untouchable’ by Mulk Raj Anand - A Journey Towards the Tormenting Caste System

“Kala admi zamin par hagne wala (black man, you who relieve yourself on the ground).”

This line puts a great empathy to what is the main purpose of this book, it was just a very small effort to show the outraged yet very renowned Indian Caste System.

The novel will simply shake your conscience. The author criticizes the social injustice with his powerful words. He rips apart the hypocrisy of the powerful. Meaninglessness of worship and its uselessness when it is not practiced is stressed. 

The book is also a small reminder of ignorance of strength by the lower caste and the need for moral rejuvenation. Above all, ‘any social revolution should be practical’ is another message the book manages to convey.

Introduction

Book's Title - Untouchable 

Author - Mulk Raj Anand

Genre - Novel, Fiction

Language - English

About the Book

This is a short novel, under one hundred and sixty pages, but it leaves you with profound thoughts. Set in pre-independent India, Untouchable is a dirty story. You’ll know why I said that when you read the delightful Preface by E.M Forster.

This is a story of an ordinary lad, who is conscious of his status in society and yet can’t help but question its unfairness.

The book was inspired by his aunt's experience when she had a meal with a Muslim woman and was treated as an outcast by her family. The plot of this book, Anand's first, revolves around the argument for eradicating the caste system. 

It depicts a day in the life of Bakha, a young "sweeper", who is "untouchable" due to his work of cleaning latrines.

Untouchable is the first novel by Mulk Raj Anand. A classic! A novel which imprints a character sketch in our heart and then spells out some solutions too for the poignant states of affairs. Simply excellent!!!

About the Author

Mulk Raj Anand was an Indian writer in English, notable for his depiction of the lives of the poorer castes in traditional Indian society. One of the pioneers of Indo-Anglian fiction, he, together with R. K. Narayan, Ahmad Ali and Raja Rao, was one of the first India-based writers in English to gain an International readership.

 Anand is admired for his novels and short stories, which have acquired the status of classics of modern Indian English literature; they are noted for their perceptive insight into the lives of the oppressed and for their analysis of impoverishment, exploitation and misfortune. 

He became known for his protest novel “Untouchable” (1935), followed by other works on the Indian poor such as “Coolie” (1936) and “Two Leaves and a Bud” (1937). He is also noted for being among the first writers to incorporate Punjabi and Hindustani idioms into English, and was a recipient of the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan.

Synopsis - Spoiler Alert!

As the novel begins, Bakha is reporting for another day of latrine cleaning at the behest of his father, an ill-tempered bully named Lakha. While cleaning the latrine of a famous street hockey player named Charat Singh, the man invites Bakha to visit him later in the day. He promises to give Bakha a hockey stick as a gift.

When Bakha comes home, his sister Sohini leaves to get water for them. She travels to the communal well. However, the Untouchables are not able to dip their own water—the upper caste Hindus believe that the touch of an under-caste will pollute the well, which would then have to be subjected to lengthy and expensive purification rituals.

A priest named Kali Nath arrives and, taken with Sohini’s beauty, agrees to pour water for her. He then invites her to the temple courtyard later in the day so that she can clean it.

Bakha moves through the streets, sweeping. He accidentally brushes up against a Brahmin Hindu, who begins to shout that he has been polluted by Bakha. The man shouts at Bakha as a mob gathers, joining in the insults. 

The man slaps Bakha before a Muslim cart driver breaks up the fight and disperses the mob. The Muslim man does not care about the Hindu castes, since he is also treated as an Untouchable.

Bakha goes to the temple and looks inside, which is forbidden to him. But before he is caught, Sohini appears, crying. The priest who invited her to clean the temple is there, accusing her of polluting him with her touch. 

Sohini claimed that he sexually assaulted her by grabbing her breasts while she was cleaning the lavatory. It was only when she rejected him that he began shouting that she had touched him. Bakha tells her to go home and says he will take responsibility for gathering food.

He spends the rest of the afternoon begging for food, all while being subjected to various indignities and cruelties from the upper caste Hindus. He is increasingly disgusted with the mistreatment he suffers, and when he gets home he tells his father the story about the man who hit him. 

His father insists that the upper Hindus are good and kind, and reminds Bakha that when he was an infant, a Hindu doctor came to their home and saved Bakha's life when he had a fever.

Bakha attends the wedding of the sister of one of his friends. After he tells two of his friends the story of the man hitting him, one of them proposes that they take revenge on the man.

Bakha considers it, but he understands that he will only get himself and his family in trouble if he retaliates. The Untouchables have no recourse for justice.

After collecting his hockey stick from Charat Singh, Bakha joins a game of street hockey. During the game, a fight begins and the two teams throw rocks at each other.

One of the rocks hits a little boy in the head. Bakha picks him up and carries him to his mother, who recognizes him as a street sweeper. Even though he is trying to help she screams that he has polluted her son.

At home, Bakha's father is furious that Bakha has been away all afternoon. He kicks Bakha out of the house. Bakha makes his way to a train station where he hears a rumor that Mahatma Gandhi is coming there to give a speech. Bakha stays until Gandhi arrives. 

Gandhi's speech condemns the caste system and urges the people to follow his example of non-violent protest. Bakha is enthused by the speech, but does not know enough to determine whether Gandhi's suggestions are naive.

After the speech, Bakha overhears two educated men, a poet and a lawyer, debating the merits of Gandhi's speech. The lawyer believes that Gandhi's aims are childish and irrational. Long standing traditions are rarely overturned, and he believes that the caste system will endure despite protests for reform.

The poet believes that the barbarism of the caste system will be eliminated, particularly in light of the fact that the flushing toilet is rumored to be coming to their town.

Personal Verdict:

On a larger canvas, the author must have viewed the untouchable living in all of us. Citizens deprived of rights and burdens with obligations. The hurdle we have to overcome and how knowledge, civilization and technology can make a better world. 

However, I wish to believe that the obvious is the intended. 

We don’t have to imagine for the sake of it where the obvious give a handful of duty and responsibility. There is another strong message I felt from the novel. Most of the problems of India were self created.

The British could rule India only because the masses were not seriously disturbed by their presence. In the novel, the protagonist is not fearful of the British. This view only reiterates the conclusion that political freedom alone will not solve human misery.

The Bottom Line 

The author's experience as an Indian, and the fact that Untouchable was written while the caste system was firmly in place, give the novel an authenticity and accuracy that make it easy to empathize with Bakha and his family. 

Untouchable is a unique opportunity for readers to experience the plight of the victims of the caste system. At the same time, the story identifies the complexities of Indian identity after the Great War as India emerges from post colonialism to globalism.

The book definitely proffers an excellent look of an Indian society of pre-Independence era, how life functioned then. It’s something we can’t imagine because our lives and our society are so vastly different from that.

It’s slightly slow paced as it gradually follows the events, thoughts meandering in Bakha through one single day.

Nevertheless, ‘Untouchable’ is hailed as a masterpiece and so it is. It’s a great book and a must read for anyone interested in Indian English Fiction or Literature.

Buy your own copy from Amazon - Untouchable

Written By - Resmita Barai

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Mulk Raj Anand – Untouchable – Summary and Analysis

Mulk Raj Anand, acclaimed as Charles Dickens of Indian writing , focused on the everyday problem of pre-independence and post-independence of India. He is especially known to shed light on the lives of lower caste people who are treated with great bias and unfairness. Almost all of his novels and short stories like Untouchable, Coolie, The Big Heart, Two leaves and a Bud, etc. touch the problems of the political structure, oppression of classes, un-touch-ability and so on. Untouchable is a novel written in the year 1935 and revolves around a day’s consequences in the life of Bakha. There are no chapters in the book; hence, they are split to different sections for the convenience of the reader.

Untouchable Summary: Bakha’s Family

Bakha lives in a house made of mud and has only one room. He lives along with his father Lakha, brother Rakha and sister Sohini. Lakha works as a sweeper and is the leader for the sweepers of the town. The town they live in is Bulashah [imaginary place] and their community of outcaste’s restricted to a colony near the latrines of the town.

Image source: Shunya blog

Bakha always thinks of his friends and is almost obsessed with the “English” way of living. He and his friends call the Englishmen as “Tommies” and try to imitate them in everything. Lakha constantly abuses his son for having such an interest on the Englishmen. As Bakha reminiscences on several things while on bed, his father abuses him for not going to clean the latrines. However, he does not care and thinks of his mother who died. He believes that abusing done by his father started only after the death of his mother. He constantly ignores the words of Lakha when he hears another voice ordering for cleaning the latrine.

As Bakha hears the voice of Havilar Charat Singh, he immediately attends to his duty. He does not soil himself showing that he has great proficiency in his job. Singh comes out after taking care of his daily oblutions and reveals his idea of gifting a hockey stick to the boy. As Charat Singh is a great hockey player, Bakha feels really happy about the promise. Bakha resumes his work with joy as many people enter and exit the bathrooms. He collects the refuse to a chimney and completes his job for the shift. He goes to home only to find that Lakha is sleeping and there is no water to drink. Sohini offers to fetch water.

Untouchable Analysis: Bakha’s Family

Although set in a backward family, it is a typical family one can find in India – dreaming son, careless father with no one to remind him of his duties, a hardworking daughter and a burdensome life.  The life of middle class families are similar where there is no aim or meaning to life and it is lived as life is given to live. Bakha is a representation of youth who is thinking beyond his family life through the Englishmen and Charat Singh.

Untouchable Summary: Sohini goes for water

No outcaste is allowed to directly take water from the well and water can be acquired only through the mercy of a high caste person. As Sohini reaches well with a pitcher, she observes many outcastes waiting for any compassioned individual to help with the water. She waits with others for a sympathetic higher caste person. The waiting group has a washerwoman named Gulabo who is very jealous of Sohini. She starts to use derogatory words such as prostitute, bitch, etc. and Sohini feels that she is joking. However, she does not stop and increases her verbal abuse making Sohini to realize that intentions of Gulabo are real. She wonders about her doings that made Gulabo to feel that way. Gulabo even tries to hit Sohini but Waziro – wife of a weaver, stops her. Sohini shocked by the incident stays calm and thinks about thirsty Bakha.

Meanwhile, a sepoy comes to the well to fetch water. Unfortunately, he does not listen to the pleading of the outcastes and leaves. Shortly, priest and in charge of temples – Pundit Kali Nath, comes to the well. He is pursued by the women as he finally accepts to pour water from his pitcher to theirs. Gulabo cries out that she came first and the rest claim the same. However, Sohini stays out from the group and waits for Kali Nath to give water. He observes this and looks at Sohini. He gets attracted by the face of her and the way she refuses to join the group. Therefore, he asks her to come forward and pours water into the pitcher. Further, he asks her to come to the temple for cleaning. She accepts his order and returns to home with water.

As she reaches home Lakha yells for being late and uses derogatory words. He orders her to gather her brothers as he intends to say something. However, Rakha escapes to play and Bakha is the only one to be in the house. As Bakha nears his father, Lakha acts as if he is ill and makes Bakha to fill his duty as a sweeper. Bakha reluctantly accepts as he is completely aware of the fake nature of the illness. He drinks tea and walks towards the temple where he needs to sweep.

Untouchable Analysis: Sohini goes for water

Class diversification and caste diversification has always been a topic of discussion in India. It is because the fundamental unity that once existed with King’s rule has been disrupted with the formation of East India Company. Everyone felt that having an upper caste birth meant to dominate the lower class. This is evident with the behaviour of the soldier who came to the well and the habit of lower caste prohibition to fetch water from a well.

The same discrimination has continued for centuries and even now India is suffering from such problems. Sohini is a general example of becoming the subject of discrimination as Gulabo starts to abuse without any reason. Meanwhile, the author reveals that there are higher and lower castes even in the outcaste’s colony leading to such unnecessary yet prideful conflicts.

Untouchable Summary: Bakha and his friends

Bakha, while walking towards the town, observes that the air fresh and clean outside the colony. He stands on the road enjoying the sun unaware that his friends Ram Charan and Chota along with his brother Rakha are watching him. They make fun of Bakha for his weird behaviour and jokes about it.

Ram Charan, the son of Gulabo, declares that his sister is about to get married that day. Bakha feels a bit sad because he has feelings for her. Chota inquires about his duties for the day, when Bakha orders Rakha to clean the latrines in the colony as he is out for another duty. However, Rakha doesn’t seem interested and walks towards his home. The rest force Bakha to join for gambling but he refuses to skip his duties.

As Bakha tries to move towards the town, two boys come to them. They are the sons of a high caste man named Burra Babu and Bakha greets them well. They discuss about hockey and agree to play later that day. When one of the boys say that it is time for school, Bakha’s curiosity immediately increases as he always wanted to know about schools and teaching. Therefore, he offers one Anna for a lesson to the eldest of the two boys. He accepts and says that they can meet again to begin with the lessons. Chota and Ram Charan joke at the interests of Bakha. He takes them lightly and walks towards the town with great anticipations that day.

Untouchable Analysis: Bakha and his friends

Mulk Raj Anand cleverly portrays the innocence of childhood and the effects of no education through the introduction of Bakha’s friends. All of them are not bothered with the restrictions of caste and class systems followed by the elders. They have fun and decide to play together. On the hand, use of foul language shows that they have no education whatsoever and they do not know how to behave.

Once again, Mulk Raj Anand brings out another social problem found in India – education. For centuries, there is no proper education offered for the lower classes and it was only restricted to the children of higher classes. This was partly due to the traditions followed and the unwilling nature of the higher castes to share their knowledge with others. There are many like Bakha who show interest in education but are not fortunate to receive any directly. This has led to the contemporary problem of “Reservations” making India a difficult nation to survive and succeed.

Untouchable Summary: Touching a High Caste

Bakha buys a cigarette and takes the coal to light up from a Muslim. He enjoys being in town absorbing every scene and sound he could. He gets attracted to some sweets and shrugs off the fear of his father who would abuse him for spending money on such things. He asks the shopkeeper to give candy for four annas and the shopkeeper cheats the boy by weighing the scale incorrectly. Despite knowing this Bakha does not protest and takes what he is given. He feels happy for the fact that he has some candy to eat and he munches them while walking.

He stands and observes the advertising boards when a high caste man runs into Bakha. Although, Bakha is not to blame for the hurriedness of the high caste man, he starts abusing him and starts shouting about his presence so that others could know. Bakha pleads his apology but the man won’t listen and soon a huge crowd circles him. His option of escaping is closed out as he needs to touch someone if he has to escape the circle. All of them start to insult Bakha for his actions and falsely accuse him of previous actions.

Fortunately, for Bakha, a horse buggy with a travel merchant comes to the road scattering the people gathered around. However, the high caste man stays despite many urges from the merchant and only leaves after giving a hard slap to Bakha. Many emotions flow from the furious and crying Bakha like anger, frustration, indignation, horror, etc. Bakha decides to take revenge when the travel merchant tries to console him. Bakha gets up to leave when a shopkeeper reminds about chant of the untouchables. He starts to sing the chant as he walks forward to the temple.

Bakha is confronted with many questions after that incident. He could not understand the humility shown by him despite the arrogant behaviour of the public. He regrets for not hitting the high caste man when receiving a slap for no reason. He questions the relevance of the system, wonders about the reason for untouchables to get abused. Bakha realizes that his duty of cleaning latrines makes him repugnant to everyone in the society.

Untouchable Analysis: Touching a High Caste

The faults that were found through the practice of one religion make a man to take another religion as shelter. Hindu civilization cherished when the four castes were living in harmony and when one caste tried to oppress the other, chaos ensued. Bakha knew that he could not ask fire to light a cigarette from anyone in the town as it would be unholy. Therefore, he approaches a Muslim man who is not into the caste system. Further, the travel merchant is also a Muslim who helps the crowd to disperse.

The religious conditions that motivated in many faith conversions are clearly depicted by Mulk Raj Anand. Although, Bakha does not think of a new religion understands his position in the current one and feels helpless. The circle of people around Bakha is a symbol for the oppression of the outcastes from many higher castes smothering the movements [progress] of lower castes.

Untouchable Summary: The Temple

Bakha after observing the happenings of the town finally reaches the temple. Being in such a tranquil place gives him peace as he starts to work. He sees some worshipers approaching and starts to chant his presence to avoid the same treatment again. As he is not supposed to enter the temple, Bakha is always curious about the worship and the prayers used. He listens to the prayers with joy but does not understand the words. He does not understand who the gods are! Therefore wonders who is Narayan, Shanti Deva, Hari, etc. Curiosity increases within him and slowly approaches the entrance. Suddenly, he becomes discouraged and returns to his work.

After completing the clean up, Bakha tries to see the inside of the temple again and goes to the top stair. He observes the temple, the priests, the hymns, the worshippers and is in a divine state. Unfortunately, he hears someone shouting “polluted, polluted!” and alarmingly falls down in a prostrate position. Slowly, he realizes that the cry was not meant for him but for his sister – Sohini.

Pundit Kali Nath accuses Sohini for intentionally touching him and abuses her in many ways. The worshipers lead her and Bakha forcefully out of the stairs. Sohini explains that Pundit Kali Nath has tried to touch her, which infuriates Bakha. He holds her sister and comes near the stairs to spat at the people for not realizing what has actually happened. As Bakha starts to talk in rage all the worshipers remain calm with fear. However, Sohini realizes that it could end up bad, convinces Bakha to leave the matter and leave the Temple. Bakha is filled with rage but understands that he is not able to cross the barriers set by traditions and experienced me of the past. Therefore, he asks Sohini to go back home while he leaves to collect food for the day.

Untouchable Analysis: The Temple

Temple is a very holy place to Hindus and any unholy doings in it would result in temporary closure or permanent closure. However, one can observe that there is a social bias here also as Pundit Kali Nath escapes from his wrong doings by showing his stature as a higher caste man. The worshippers despite confronted by Bakha do not react about the matter showing caste conflict. There is no proper justice done for Sohini and the two leave with distraught thoughts.

Untouchable Summary: High Caste Woman

Bakha goes from street to street to beg some food so that his family could eat. No one shows pity for him and he finally gets tired of begging. Bakha sits in front of a house and naps. A Sadhu comes to the same house and his voice wakes the boy. At the same time a woman comes out of the house and is aghast by the presence of Bakha at the doorstep. She abuses him and Bakha moves away from the door.

Another woman comes out and gives some food to the Sadhu and a Chapatti to Bakha with the same kindness. She exits and the first woman comes with some food to Sadhu and orders Bakha to clean a gutter before receiving any alms. He does so and she asks to clean the bathroom, which he does. Then, the higher caste woman throws bread into the ground for Bakha to pick. Unable to do anything, Bakha picks the bread and frustrated throws his work broom. The woman criticizes the lower castes in common that they are getting too much excited these days.

Untouchable Analysis: High Caste Woman

Bakha is insulted many times for the day and it shows how dire the situation of a lower caste in the community is. If men try to take advantage of the women of lower castes, women try to exploit the helpless nature of men of lower castes to fulfil their needs. There is neither equality nor justice in treating people like for things that that are superficial, superstitious and far from their reach. They are chained by fate of their great, great elders who were treated like untouchables for some mistake they have done. Everything is far from grasp to Bakha as he is subject to such humiliations from childhood and all he can do is force a broom stick from his hand.

Untouchable Summary: The Doctor

Bakha reaches home desolated only to find his father’s frustration for brining just two pieces of bread. Rakha is not home as usual and is said to fetch food for the family from the barracks. As Lakha asks about small amounts of food collected, Bakha says that he is not aware of many people in the town. Lakha says that he needs to know people as it is the only way to get food in the future. However, Lakha sees some distress in his son and asks about it. Bakha explains the happenings of the day and feels very sad.

Lakha tries to convince his son that high caste people are far superior to them in everything. Therefore, it is their duty to respect them without any questioning. He reveals about a doctor who saved Bakha from severe illness. When Bakha was only a child, he was sick with fever that was not healed. Therefore, Lakha goes to a doctor of high caste to get help. Lakha stood outside the home of the doctor pleading everyone entering to pass the massage to the doctor. No one helped and he cannot even buy medicine [although having money] for he is not allowed to be in the place. Lakha desperate comes back to see if his son is alive and to his great fortune he is alive.

But, he notices that the child was barely able to take breaths and runs back to the doctor. This time he does not wait and enters to the chamber directly not thinking about the circumstances. He, at once, falls at the feet of the doctor while other patients scream and run because of his presence. Not minding them and the furious doctor, Lakha explains the situation and begs the doctor to help.

The doctor understands and starts to write medicine when Lakha’s brother enters and announces that Bakha is about die. Lakha not taking the prescription rushes back to the house to look at his son. As the parents cry dejectedly, the doctor knocks the door. The high cast doctor enters the house of Lakha and saves the life of Bakha. After hearing the story, Bakha feels so happy but controls his emotions.

They have a conversation about Rakha and wonder where he is. He soon appears with some food from the barracks. However, Bakha feels that the food is collected from the water used to wash hands after eating. This idea repels Bakha from eating and makes an excuse of attending the marriage of Ram Charan’s sister.

Untouchable Analysis: The Doctor

All the negative elements shown throughout the earlier pages are turned to a slight positive note with the story of the high caste doctor. Anand shows that not everyone in the high caste upbringing is indifferent towards the hardships of the lower caste. Indeed, the caste system is intended to help each other so that everyone could live in harmony.

According to Hindu Dharma, Brahmins are supposed to help the society through prayers to Gods and helping others perform various rituals. Kshatriyas are supposed to protect the people and rule them based on the principles of Dharma. Vysyas are supposed to look after trade and commerce helping everyone to acquire sufficient goods. Sudras are supposed to help in providing labour for everyone thus ensuring better living within a community.

Although the doctor recoils at the beginning is a good example of following the Hindu Dharma as he saves Bakha from death. He comes to the house of Lakha and provides aid to the dying child. From this one can understand that there is no concept of untouchability and there are no untouchables. They are only created by some malicious men in the higher castes so that they could dominate the society with great authority.

Untouchable Summary: The Wedding

Bakha moves towards the wedding thinking about the sister of Ram Charan. Both of them used to play together when they are children and once they contemplated marriage through a game. They were even married in that game and Bakha always had feelings for her. As he enters the area of the wedding, he is too shy to enter directly into washer man wedding. He is afraid of Gulabo as she has acquired a name of having great hatred towards people.

Fortunately, Chota appears and together they try to get the attention of Ram Charan who is busy eating sugarplums. When they do get his attention, Gulabo also watches and chases them away. Rama Charan also runs with them towards the hills. Bakha contemplates on the beauty of nature and falls back while his friends move forward. He drinks from a natural pool in the hill and tries to take a nap. As he sleeps, Chota tickles his nose making Bakha to sneeze louder with a weird noise. He laughs along with other but not in a natural way arising suspicions. The two inquire Bakha, but he says that it is nothing to worry about.

Bakha then asks Ram Charan to give his lot of sugarplums. Ram Charan opens a hand kerchief and asks Bakha to take a sugarplum. However, Bakha refuses and asks Ram Charan to throw one so that he can catch. This dismays Ram Charan as well as Chota who understand that something is terribly wrong with their friend. There was no difference between them previously as they ate together and shared the same bottle of soda. So, they pressure Bakha to reveal the reason for such behaviour. Bakha confesses about the three incidents that took place earlier.

Ram Charan feels ashamed of the behaviour of the high caste people and remains silent. Chota tries to console Bakha and shows great frustration towards the way they are treated. However, he resorts to cheering his friend and reminds about the hockey game. He also offers to take revenge on the priest for his treatment of Sohini. Ram Charan reminds them that if he needs to attend the game, then it is imperative to go home now. All of them head back and decide a time to meet. Chota leaves home and Bakha moves towards the place of Charat Singh to receive a hockey stick as promised.

Untouchable Analysis: The Wedding

Bakha cannot express his feelings towards Ram Charan’s sister because of caste restrictions. No lower caste individual can marry a higher caste individual. In addition, there is Gulabo who is feared in the colony as a mean lady who accuses everyone in the name of caste. Such remnant and inevitable thoughts make Bakha to suffer and his conditioned nature of a lower caste man comes out when he asks Ram Charan to throw a sweet. This creates a drift amongst the friends, which is solved very quickly. It also indicates that Bakha is accepting the barriers of the society and may become like his father.

Untouchable Summary: Charat Singh

Charat Singh lives in a deserted barracks where there is no one. Only two sentries who stand guard a solar topee can be seen. There are many legends surrounding the topee and Bakha was always attracted to it. He even thought to steal it in order to possess the topee. However, his plans to have the topee diminished over the years. Bakha observes the topee and wonders if his courage witnessed in his younger days is declining. He hesitates to talk to the sentries about the hat and leaves to the house in fear of insults. The door is closed at the house of the Charat Singh and he waits outside for someone to open the door. After a while, Charat Singh comes out and does not notice Bakha. So, he gently calls out for Charat Singh and he greets him gladly.

He inquires about the absence of Bakha in recent hockey games for which the boy tells that he has to perform his duties. However, Charat Singh tries to emphasize the importance of the game [earlier that morning he wants the latrine to be cleaned by Bakha] and tells the boy that he can ignore the work. Despite observing the contradictory ideas of the hockey player, Bakha is happy to spend time with him as he is a famous player of the game.

Charat Singh asks Bakha to enter the house and bring some coal from the kitchen. Bakha becomes astonished to realize that Charat Singh being a Hindu is fine with him entering the house. He enters into the house with great joy and is filled with love towards Charat Singh. He collects the coal from a cook and hurries back to the hockey player. Then Charat Singh gives a new hockey stick to Bakha. He denies having a new stick as a gift, but the hockey player asks him to take the stick and go. Bakha receives his gift and is overwhelmed with joy and thinks that he has good fortunes. As he leaves the house, he immediately thinks about the lessons promised by the elder son of Burra Babu.

Untouchable Analysis: Charat Singh

Once again Bakha witnesses some good treatment from a high caste man supporting the story of Lakha. This shows that not all the high caste men are the same and some understand their practice of religion instead of following what others believe to be true. If the reader observes, Charat Singh does not treat Bakha in a special way but he talks to him as a fellow human being. Such treatment is only observed by Bakha through his friends and no one else. Gifting a hockey stick, allowing him to the house, letting him handle objects, etc. are simple but they are new and wonderful aspects to Bakha. Thus he claims that he could work as a sweeper for his entire life for Charat Singh.

Untouchable Summary: Game of Hockey

Burra Babu’s youngest son brings all the hockey gear needed to play. Chota tells everyone that Bakha is a bearer to a Sahib to mask his true identity. Bakha shows his new hockey stick and everyone congratulates him. Unfortunately, the youngest son does not get to play and is dejected. To console him Bakha gives a task of protecting his overcoat which means so much to him. As the game begins Bakha proves to be a wonderful player with no equal in the field. He moves swiftly between the opponents and scores a goal for his team. This infuriates the goal keeper who hits the leg of Bakha.

Chota orders his team to attack and everyone starts to quarrel. They throw rocks without observing the young son of Burra Babu is amongst them. A stone thrown by Ram Charan hits his head and he falls unconscious and bleeding. Bakha rushes him to his house expecting some treatment to the kid. As he reaches the home, he is abused by the mother for attacking the child. Bakha is shell shocked and the elder son tries to say that it was Ram Charan’s fault. The boy’s mother does not listen and constantly abuses Bakha for the condition of his son. He withdraws from the place and realizes that her hate is because of his untouchability .

He walks back home dispirited expecting more abuses from his father. He hides the hockey stick under a cactus bush and enters his home. Lakha and Rakha abuse him for being away from the house leaving them to work. As things get more serious, Lakha shouts at Bakha to leave the house and asks him to never come back. Bakha could not control his rage and bursts through the house leaving his family. He runs towards the plains without even looking back at the colony or thinking about anything associated with his life.

Untouchable Analysis: Game of Hockey

Bakha has bared the burden of an untouchable for as long as he could. He gets slapped; his sister gets insulted, receives food from the ground and gets insulted many times by his friend’s mother. He does not deserve such fate as he is a compassionate individual who cares for everyone. This is evident from his actions at the hockey game. He rushes the youngest son to the family without realizing the consequences. The boy’s mother, out of hatred towards the untouchable caste blames the injury over Bakha. He remains silent and comes home only to face more insults.

Bakha is the one who does all the hard work while Lakha and Rakha escape their duties. He leaves once for a wedding and game, they start to blame him with indescribable words. The incident does not make Bakha to raise hand against the two; instead he leaves the place running as if possessed. Deep within, he might have realized that talking is an unnecessary task as no one would listen to an untouchable.

Untouchable Summary: Christianity

Bakha after running a fair distance settles under a pipal tree [sacred fig]. He expects someone to come and relieve him from his sufferings. However, he understands that such expectations are wrong and impossible.

But, Colonel Hutchinson comes near the tree and tries to comfort him. Now, the Colonel is a party of the Christian Salvation Army trying to convert untouchables into Christianity. His wife often chides him for his incapability and wasting time on untouchables. Bakha is surprised to see an Englishman laying his hand on him. They introduce each other and the Colonel talks about Jesus. Bakha inquires who Jesus is and the Colonel says that he will explain everything in the Church.

Colonel Hutchison starts to drag the boy to the Church and singing songs about God. Bakha cannot understand a thing and wonders the difference between Jesus and Ram or any other God. Gradually, he becomes bored of the hymns but bears it because he likes the presence of an Englishman. He begins to dream about wearing trousers similar to that of the Colonel.

Even his thoughts do not create interest as Bakha tries to escape from the Colonel. Observing the growing disinterest, the Colonel says that Jesus died for the sins of mankind. This piece of information does not attract the boy; therefore, Colonel Hutchison claims that Jesus treats Brahmins and the Untouchables in the same way with equality. Bakha is immediately attracted to the words of equality, but loses his interest as the Colonel starts to blabber so many religious aspects.

Finally, they reach the Church compound with Bakha hoping for a trouser and Hutchinson hoping for a new convert. Then, the Colonel’s wife shouts at him to join her for tea. He says that he will come but could not decide whether to attend Bakha or his wife. As he stands there wondering, his wife comes and shouts at the presence of Bakha by calling him a “blackie” indirectly. She screams about Bhangis and Chamars making Bakha to grow fearful of the two. He takes leave from them and runs away from the Church. A helpless Colonel Hutchison watches as Bakha runs off from his grasp.

Untouchable Analysis: Christianity

Christianity was never a part of India; hence, the conversion rate was very slow. However, this has led to creation of stories like the ones mentioned by Colonel Hutchison. He says that Jesus died for the sins of Brahmins and Bhangis, which is not a concept of Christianity and it not written in The Bible. Such stories gradually attracted the oppressed increasing the conversions leading to more chaos in India. There are only a few like Bakha who realize that running away from one religion to another would only mean to select a different book to realize that the preaching’s are the same. It is the individual who has to follow the exact path set by religion and most of the “pious” do not believe this. Now, religion has become more commercial and there is no charity or faith observed in most religious places.

Untouchable Summary: Mahatma Gandhi

Bakha is very upset to see that everyone blames the untouchables as if they had done some mistake. He feels that the hatred shown by the Colonel’s wife was much greater than the Hindus he encountered that day. Unknowing where he is going he reaches the railroad station of Bulashah. A train seems to approach and all the people shout about the coming of Mahatma Gandhi. All of them are in white and are walking towards Golbagh where Gandhi is expected to address the gathering.

The term Mahatma creates great curiosity in the mind of Bakha wanting him to join the crowd. As Bakha does not have his tools, the crowd do not realize that an untouchable is standing amongst them. He observes that there are different kinds of people in the crowd. He could easily identify ‘who is who’ by their mannerisms and attire. As he looks forward, there are many people in front of him and he decides to take a shortcut from a nearby marsh. Some people follow him and they end up much closer to the oval [stage] where Gandhi would talk. Bakha decides to stay under a tree and leans against it.

The men around discuss about the struggles and achievements of Gandhi. They talks about the political progress he could bring and his dedication towards uplifting people who are called untouchables. Gandhi has done fasting for the sake of untouchables and Bakha is grateful that at least someone is trying to help them. A motorcar enters from which Gandhi along with his wife and daughter of a British admiral come out. He reaches the centre of the oval and greets the crowd.

Mahatma Gandhi begins by praying to the Gods and Bakha feels purged of all the filth of the day. He begins his speech with the mention of imprisonment for protesting against the rule of British. He agrees that the Government has let him out by making an agreement of ‘not speaking against’ British Government. Therefore, he declares that he would speak on another important problem i.e. untouchability. Gandhi says that the people are being oppressed both by the British rule and the unscrupulous principles followed in the society. He emphasizes:

“I regard untouchability as the greatest blot of Hinduism. The view of mine dates back to the time when I was a child.”

Gandhi relates a story from his childhood, where he would go to meet the untouchables and conceal the fact from his parents. Bakha listens many things about abandoning practices like drinking, scavenging, eating carrions and gambling. Although, they seem to criticize the untouchables he understands the importance of them. Gandhi says that untouchables should never take anything that is left over from plates. He states that only good food and grain must be accepted. Bakha feels that Gandhi should tell the same to his father so he could understand the importance of these things. Mahatma even declares that untouchables should have access to temples, schools, wells, etc. The speech ends and Mahatma Gandhi passes by Bakha. The boy is spellbound by the speech and remains near the tree.

Untouchable Analysis: Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi speaks of all the aspects that were causes of insults for Bakha. Therefore, Bakha is greatly influenced by the words coming out from a leader. The efforts made by Mahatma Gandhi to eradicate untouchability are great and it is the primary reason for Mulk Raj Anand to include his character. Further, Gandhi played a direct role in suggesting editions to the novel. Mulk Raj Anand removed almost three hundred pages from the manuscript and made modifications to the main character. All of these greatly collaborate the meeting of Bakha and Mahatma Gandhi.

Sohini is insulted at the temple, Bakha longs for education, bread is thrown to the ground while scavenging and other aspects create negative clouds in the mind of the protagonist. He finds no console in his own house or the society or in a new religion; the only thing that gives solace and drive away the dark clouds are the pure words of Mahatma Gandhi. However, he does not find an immediate solution for his problem as his day continues.

Untouchable Summary: The Muslim and the Poet

As Mahatma Gandhi slowly leaves with the crowd behind him a Muslim calls him a hypocrite. Bakha identifies him as a Muslim and the young man who protests such claims as a poet. The poet agrees that Gandhi has indeed made some mistakes but he has achieved a force to attract the nation towards freedom. He states that India is abundant in philosophy, resources and knowledge of living. Someone in the crowd identifies the poet to be Iqbal Nath Sarshar. The Muslim is identified as Mr. R. N. Bashir, a lawyer.

Bashir expresses his dislike towards the concept of eradication of untouchability by Gandhi. The dislike alone surprises Iqbal as he believes that the issue is the most legible of all. Then he explains about the origin of untouchables, which is the creation of some cruel Brahmins who do not know how to interpret the Holy texts. He emphasizes that such creations of men can be easily destroyed through proper effort. People are following the system based on the work done by the untouchables and according to Iqbal if people start to use the “Flush System” then there would be no need of human intervention. The latrines would be clean without humans and cleaning profession would completely vanish resulting in the eradication of the untouchables. Bashir cannot respond to the claims of Iqbal and they leave.

Bakha wants to listen to the discussion as it gives solutions to the problems in his mind. He is cleansed of all the bad things that happened on that day. Bakha then decides to follow the instructions given by Mahatma Gandhi. He understands that having a flush system would decrease the problems faced by untouchables and heads back home to say all these things to his father.

Untouchable Analysis: The Muslim and the Poet

The debate helps the purged Bakha to find a solution to untouchability. He is a happy soul with many conflicting happy thoughts in the mind after the debate. He decides to go back and relate the speeches to his father. He is no longer in confusion as he decides to follow the path of Mahatma Gandhi. Further, he realizes that religion has not made him an untouchable; but, it is the people who have created such a profession.

In Yajur Veda, it is written thus:

“Om Yadhemam vacham kalyani mavadhani janebyaha|

Brahmarajanyabhyam suudraya chaaryaya cha swaaya chaaranaaya||”

General Translation: The four Vedas are intended for the study of all Varnas [castes]. Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, Suudra, etc. and women can read, propagate and listen to the knowledge of Vedas. This will help to remove all the sufferings from life and help to live a harmonious life.

Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand clearly intends to show that Hindu religion is meant to perform on this Vedic Mantra rather than the fictional creation of some people. Bakha is in harmony with his life, for he has realized the truth through the two knowledgeable men he listens to – Iqbal and Mahatma Gandhi.

Untouchable

34 pages • 1 hour read

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Summary and Study Guide

Untouchable is a novel written by Muk Raj Anand. Published in 1935, it charts the path of one day in the life of a young man named Bakha . Bakha is a member of the Untouchables, a designation for people so far below even the lowest caste in Indian society that they are considered outside of the system. His job is to sweep streets and latrines for the upper class, who are forbidden from cleaning or touching human waste. Because he was born as an Untouchable, this will be Bakha's job for his entire life, unless there are reforms in India. The entire novel takes place on one day of Bakha's life, a day in which his tolerance for the mistreatment endured by the lower castes begins to erode.

Plot Summary:

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As the novel begins, Bakha is reporting for another day of latrine cleaning at the behest of his father, an ill-tempered bully named Lakha . While cleaning the latrine of a famous street hockey player named Charat Singh , the man invites Bakha to visit him later in the day. He promises to give Bakha a hockey stick as a gift.

When Bakha comes home, his sister Sohini leaves to get water for them. She travels to the communal well. However, the Untouchables are not able to dip their own water—the upper caste Hindus believe that the touch of an undercaste will pollute the well, which would then have to be subjected to lengthy and expensive purification rituals. A priest named Kali Nath arrives and, taken with Sohini’s beauty, agrees to pour water for her. He then invites her to the temple courtyard later in the day so that she can clean it.

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Bakha moves through the streets, sweeping. He accidentally brushes up against a Brahmin Hindu, who begins to shout that he has been polluted by Bakha. The man shouts at Bakha as a mob gathers, joining in the insults. The man slaps Bakha before a Muslim cart driver breaks up the fight and disperses the mob. The Muslim man does not care about the Hindu castes, since he is also treated as an Untouchable.

Bakha goes to the temple and looks inside, which is forbidden to him. But before he is caught, Sohini appears, crying. The priest who invited her to clean the temple is there, accusing her of polluting him with her touch. Sohini claimed that he sexually assaulted her by grabbing her breasts while she was cleaning the lavatory. It was only when she rejected him that he began shouting that she had touched him. Bakha tells her to go home and says he will take responsibility for gathering food.

He spends the rest of the afternoon begging for food, all while being subjected to various indignities and cruelties from the upper caste Hindus. He is increasingly disgusted with the mistreatment he suffers, and when he gets home he tells his father the story about the man who hit him. His father insists that the upper Hindus are good and kind, and reminds Bakha that when he was an infant, a Hindu doctor came to their home and saved Bakha's life when he had a fever.

Bakha attends the wedding of the sister of one of his friends. After he tells two of his friends the story of the man hitting him, one of them proposes that they take revenge on the man. Bakha considers it, but he understands that he will only get himself and his family in trouble if he retaliates. The Untouchables have no recourse for justice.

After collecting his hockey stick from Charat Singh, Bakha joins a game of street hockey. During the game, a fight begins and the two teams throw rocks at each other. One of the rocks hits a little boy in the head. Bakha picks him up and carries him to his mother, who recognizes him as a street sweeper. Even though he is trying to help she screams that he has polluted her son.

At home, Bakha's father is furious that Bakha has been away all afternoon. He kicks Bakha out of the house. Bakha makes his way to a train station where he hears a rumor that Mahatma Gandhi is coming there to give a speech. Bakha stays until Gandhi arrives. Gandhi's speech condemns the caste system and urges the people to follow his example of non-violent protest. Bakha is enthused by the speech, but does not know enough to determine whether Gandhi's suggestions are naïve.

After the speech, Bakha overhears two educated men, a poet and a lawyer, debating the merits of Gandhi's speech. The lawyer believes that Gandhi's aims are childish and irrational. Longstanding traditions are rarely overturned, and he believes that the caste system will endure despite protests for reform. The poet believes that the barbarism of the caste system will be eliminated, particularly in light of the fact that the flushing toilet is rumored to be coming to their town. Once the people have flushing toilets, there will be no need for the Untouchables to dispose of the town's refuse, which would require a rethinking of their role and duty to society.

The author's experience as an Indian, and the fact that Untouchable was written while the caste system was firmly in place, give the novel an authenticity and accuracy that make it easy to empathize with Bakha and his family. Untouchable is a unique opportunity for readers to experience the plight of the victims of the caste system. At the same time, the story identifies the complexities of Indian identity after the Great War as India emerges from postcolonialism to globalism.

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Untouchables

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Imagine this day in your life.

You were rudely woken up to work by your parents, on a day you wanted to sleep a little more. When you got to work and were working hard and sincerely at it, you got abused by your superiors for no fault of yours. Then you had to redo the work several times.

Then while you were on to your next work, you unknowingly committed a mistake and were slapped and abused in a public square due to your profession, by people who believe themselves to be superior. Then your sister was abused by one of these men, but you could not fight back, owing to your profession.

Then depressed when you went back home, your father drove you out of the house for not completing your given work. Angry and sad you walked out to join with friends, your only relief, and there you were accused of killing a child you dearly cared for only because of your profession.

Meanwhile, you have no proper food to eat, you live on stale/leftover food. You wear hand-me-downs from the so-called superior people. Your house in the dirtiest part of the city surrounded by gutters, an area meant for people in your profession.

This was the everyday for Bakha, an Untouchables/Harijans/sweepers/latrine cleaner.

And yet this boy managed to have dreams, worked hard at his job, found happiness in it, was humble, good-natured, sensitive and intelligent, and had a yearning for education.

The story of untouchable will easily touch your core. Bakha’s hopelessness, frustration, and absolute fury come through brilliantly via Mulk Raj Anand’s powerful writing. His innocence will melt your heart.

Mulk Raj Anand’s descriptive and expressive writing was so poignant that the incident of the woman throwing a piece of roti/bread towards Bakha while her son was relieving himself absolutely broke my heart.

As a Hindu, while reading this book, I felt ashamed of the inhuman treatment meted out to my fellow countrymen by my ancestors.

A Preface by E.M. Forster points out that this book is about the strange business of the human body relieving itself. A topic considered uncouth and not even discussion-worthy.

But my question is, how can it be about a strange business if it was the lifeline of another human being? The book raises some very basic questions and I think every one of us needs to read this book for self-introspection. 

So many people work for us in our houses, in our societies, in our offices. We need to read Untouchables to understand their side of the story.

Top Quotes from Untouchable

“Charat Singh was feeling kind, though he did not relax the grin which symbolized six thousand years of racial and class superiority.”

“How queer, the Hindus don’t feed their cows although they call the cow “mother”!’ Bakha thought.”

“His feelings would rise like spurts of smoke from a half-smothered fire, in fitful, unbalanced jerks when the recollection of some abuse or rebuke he had suffered kindled a spark in the ashes of remorse inside him.”

“Why, why is anyone superior to another? Why are we all sinners?”

“For, although he didn't know it, to him work was a sort of intoxication which gave him a glowing health and plenty of easy sleep.”

(1905-2004) One of the most highly regarded Indian novelists writing in English, was born in Peshawar. He was educated at the universities of Lahore, London and Cambridge, and lived in England for many years, finally settling in a village in Western India after the war. His main concern has always been for 'the creatures in the lower depths of the Indian society who once were mean and women: the rejected, who had no way to articulate their anguish against the oppressors.' His novels of humanism have been translated into several languages. 

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Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand

“Charat Singh was feeling kind, though he did not relax the grin which symbolized six thousand years of racial and class superiority.” 

The book follows a story of an ‘untouchable’ Bakha, who cleans toilets for a living. The profession has been passed onto him through generations. As the book is set in the pre-independence era, Bakha aspires to look like the English men, or Sahibs as he sees them as the only ones who don’t discriminate. The book follows Bakha into his ‘normal’ routine day and his confrontations with people in society. ‘Untouchable’ is a dark book, to say the least. The story dwells and explores the biases and discrimination innate in Indian society.

The book starts with an introduction by E.M. Forster, writer of A Passage to India , which sets the context to the upcoming themes. E.M. Forster gives a background to Mulk Raj Anand and explains why possibly the author was the most suitable person to write a book like this. Though, I always seek the answer to the question of ‘who should tell whose story. And, here too I don’t completely buy into E.M. Forster’s explanation. That being said, Mulk Raj Anand’s writing style of scrutinizing, and carefully examining the nature of his subject complements the third person narration. In one particular scene where Bakha steps out in the sun, the author invests almost a page and a half just to unravel the feeling of being in the sun for Bakha. 

Bakha is described to be a handsome man, with clear competency for his work. He is skilful in hockey and treats everyone with dignity except his Father. Even with these envious qualities, while he is roaming on the streets people shout insults at him. More often than not, you hear, in the book, people saying how one touch by him will pollute them, accompanied with some of the nastiest abuses.

“Why don’t you call, you swine, and announce your approach!“

The caste system, in its current state, endorses the barbaric treatment of fellow human beings with no logic or reason. It is rather unfortunate to see a book published in 1935, is still so relevant or rooted in the realities of today.

Written By Rajeev . He likes to know about human experiences and the evolution of society. And, if you don’t find him reading a book then, you’d find him watching a film.

You can connect with Ground Report on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Whatsapp , and mail us at [email protected] to send us your suggestions and writeups

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Ground Report English

Untouchable

Mulk raj anand, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

In 1933, as India’s independence movement gains new force, 18-year-old Bakha is just trying to get through the day. Like his father Lakha , his brother Rakha , and his little sister Sohini , Bakha is a sweeper , assigned to clean latrines and to sweep waste off the streets. Because Bakha’s work forces him into such close proximity to excrement, he is an outcaste , forced to the bottom of India’s hierarchical caste system. Like the other outcastes (including grass-cutters, barbers, and washer-men), Bakha lives in a cramped, dirty encampment outside the center of Bulashah, his town in the Himalayan foothills.

Bakha’s day begins when he wakes up shivering. But though his British-style blanket is not warm enough, Bakha refuses to get another one, insisting—like his best friends Chota and Ram Charan —that anything the “ Tommies ” (English) like is inherently “fashun.” Lakha scolds Bakha to get up and get to work, and Bakha reflects on happier times, when his mother was still alive and his father was less snippy.

After reflecting on all the British clothing and cigarettes that he would like to buy, Bakha goes to work, hurriedly and thoroughly clearing Bulashah’s rows of latrines. Despite his natural strength and elegance, Bakha is frequently scolded for working too slowly. One of the people who scolds Bakha is Havildar Charat Singh , a well-respected local hockey player who is known to struggle with hemorrhoids. Thrillingly, Charat Singh promises to give Bakha one of his hockey sticks later that day.

Meanwhile, Sohini goes down to the village well to get water for her family. Because the outcastes are labeled as “polluted” by the members of other castes, they are not allowed to draw water directly from the well; instead, they must wait for higher-caste Hindus to give them water. While Sohini waits in line, she is shouted at by Gulabo , a washer-woman and Ram Charan’s mother, who reminds Sohini that even among the outcastes, sweepers are still considered to be the lowest of the low.

Eventually, Pundit Kali Nath (a Brahmin priest) comes to the well, deciding to draw water for the outcastes because he hopes that the exercise might relieve his constipation. The Pundit takes a liking to Sohini, and he gives her water first, instructing her to come clean the village’s temple later in the day.

Bakha goes home to eat breakfast and then enjoys a moment of relaxing in the sun . As he chats with Ram Charan and Chota, Bakha spots the two higher-caste brothers that he sometimes plays hockey with. In a moment of inspiration, Bakha convinces the elder brother and younger brother to teach him to read, even though outcastes are not traditionally allowed access to education.

Now, Bakha heads back to his work, sweeping the bazaar and streets of Bulashah. Without realizing, Bakha bumps into a higher-caste man, who panics that he has been “polluted” by touching a sweeper. The touched man begins to verbally abuse Bakha, and even a kind Muslim rickshaw driver cannot stop the torment. When the touched man knocks Bakha’s turban off his head, Bakha finds himself craving revenge against the upper castes for the first time in his life.

Bakha arrives at the temple, and decides to peek inside, still in a frenzy from the events of this morning. Though no one spots Bakha, he hears Pundit Kali Nath crying out that he has been “polluted” by a sweeper—and Bakha realizes that the sweeper in question is Sohini. Sohini explains that the Pundit tried to sexually abuse her, and when she refused his advances, he cried out “polluted,” causing the rest of the high-caste worshippers to panic that they had been similarly violated. Bakha comforts Sohini and sends her home, lamenting that as an outcaste he is not even allowed to worship the Hindu gods.

Bakha goes looking for food, hoping higher-caste Hindus will provide him with a meal for his family. But the day has exhausted Bakha, and he winds up taking a nap on the steps of a local woman’s house. When the local woman spots Bakha, she shouts at him for polluting her house, telling Bakha she hopes he dies. The local woman throws bread on the ground, and Bakha reluctantly brings the scraps home for lunch.

Bakha returns home, but instead of finding sympathy from Lakha, Lakha only instructs his children to honor and defer to higher-caste Hindus. Feeling disgusted by the second-hand food and Lakha’s inferiority complex, Bakha decides to leave. Without anything else to do, Bakha crashes Ram Charan’s sister’s wedding, much to Gulabo’s dismay.

After the wedding, Bakha, Chota, and Ram Charan head to the hills, where Bakha gains strength and comfort from the natural beauty around him. After playing in the grass, Bakha returns to town, planning to get his hockey stick. Surprisingly, Charat Singh treats Bakha with more dignity than any other high-caste Hindu does: he allows Bakha to share his tea, and he gives Bakha a brand-new hockey stick.

With his new hockey stick in tow, Bakha, Chota, Ram Charan, and the elder brother play hockey together; impatiently, the little brother watches from the sidelines. A few minutes into the game, a fight breaks out between the two hockey teams, and they begin throwing rocks at each other. Unfortunately, the younger brother is hit by a rock and wounded (or possibly even killed). Somehow, Bakha gets blamed for this, too, even though he was not the one who threw the rock.

It is almost evening, and Bakha is filled with despair at the amount of abuse this single day has brought. Colonel Hutchinson , a white evangelist, spies Bakha looking sad and tries to proselytize to him. At first, Bakha is compelled by Hutchinson’s words—especially because the Colonel emphasizes that all people are equal in Christ’s eyes—but Bakha loses interest when the Colonel refuses to translate his hymns. Eventually, the Colonel’s wife spots them and starts spewing vitriol at Bakha.

Just when Bakha is about to go home, he hears the news that Mohandas K. Gandhi has arrived in Bulashah to give a speech. Bakha runs to the speech, brushing against members of all other castes in the frenzy. He is gratified that Gandhi’s speech centers on putting an end to the caste system; though Gandhi is sometimes patronizing in the way he talks about sweepers, Bakha also finds his call to action profoundly moving.

After Gandhi finishes and the crowd disperses, Bakha hears two men (British-educated R. N. Bashir and poet Iqbal Nath Sarshar ) discussing the speech. Bashir is critical of Gandhi for being anti-industrialization, whereas Sarshar thinks that Gandhi has some good ideas but that the most important step in abolishing the “ Untouchable ” category of the caste system is introducing the flush toilet to India (as it will eliminate the need for sweepers). As the sun sets, Bakha runs home to “tell father all that Gandhi said about us,” wondering what this new flushing machine might look like.

Untouchable

By mulk raj anand, untouchable study guide.

Published in 1935, Untouchable is Mulk Raj Anand ’s first major novel. The novel’s format is very simple—it follows the day in the life of an “untouchable,” a member of India’s lowest social caste. Despite its simplicity, Untouchable is a powerful work that exposed the “dehumanizing contradictions” and systematic oppressions inherent in India’s stratified society. Though intelligent and handsome, the book’s main character, Bakha, is an outcast and forbidden from improving his life situation because his touch and presence are considered impure and corrupting. Using Bakha's story as a vehicle, Anand challenges the barriers and rules that inhibit the lives of untouchables and argues for the education of untouchables.

Considered revolutionary because of how it champions the cause of the untouchables and exposes India’s social evils, Untouchable was well received and highly regarded both domestically and abroad. Within India, it caused a generation of educated Indians to think about how India’s internal colonialism was preventing the country’s progression to a modern civil society. Outside India, prominent novelists of the age such as E.M. Forster hoisted up Anand’s novel as having both historical and literary significance. Though India’s caste system is still in place today, books like Untouchable raised awareness about the crushing inequalities and injustices the system fosters. This has resulted in the passage of numerous anti-discrimination laws and affirmative action initiatives along caste lines in contemporary India. Furthermore, the appearance of one Mahatma Gandhi in the novel explicitly places the book in a distinctive historical context. Finally, from a literary standpoint, Untouchable stands out because of its inclusion of Punjabi and Hindu idioms in English.

Untouchable Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Untouchable is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Bakha as ideal brother and worthy son

I'm not sure he is the ideal son. His position as an untouchable has resulted in high levels of self-deprecation and depression. Bakha can be judgmental and at times helps perpetuate the very system that keeps him oppressed. Paradoxically, he...

On which day does the novel takes place?

Tuesday... this is revealed on pg. 72 of the text.

Bahak Carktar

Bakha, son of Lakha? Bakha is an 18-year-old Indian youth, who works as a sweeper and is the protagonist of Untouchable . Strong and able-bodied, he is fascinated by the life and ways of India’s English colonizers. His position as an untouchable...

Study Guide for Untouchable

Untouchable study guide contains a biography of Mulk Raj Anand, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Untouchable
• Untouchable Summary
• Character List

Essays for Untouchable

Untouchable essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand.

• Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable: Escaping Through Mimicry and Mimesis
• Jane Eyre and Untouchable Comparative Essay
• Biting the Forbidden Fruit: The Potential Pathway to Happiness
• The Natural Process of Dreaming: A Comparative Essay Between Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable

Wikipedia Entries for Untouchable

• Introduction
• Publication history
• Plot summary
• Critiques and Interpretations

Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand | Themes

Untouchable Novel Themes

Table of Contents

Introduction

Mulk Raj Anand as a novelist flourished during the thirties when Gandhian struggle for independence touched its highest limit, and he could not segregate himself from Gandhi’s compassion for the social pariahs, the suffering and the poor. Anand loved and appreciated the human concerns and values. His early novels reflect protest. They are window to the life of the oppressed and the oppressors and they emphasize human misery with realistic approach to the problem but he is a big fiasco when he does neither furnish any solution to the most critical problem of untouchability nor does show the possibility of a better future.

Anand with his entity is the creation of these influences. He pleads and believes in ‘art for art’s sake’ . His doctrine as a writer focuses on the amelioration of the plight of the have nots and elimination and eradication of social evils must be given top priority. Anand thinks artists can contribute to realize the creation of a world worth living for all without discrimination. Fancy and romanticism never yield any solutions to the burning problem of society. So Anand makes an instrument of his humanism to realize the making of an utopia on earth. Untouchable is no exception in this context.

Theme of Discrimination and Segregation

Anand is touched with pity at the deplorable plight of the untouchables. The untouchables are segregated and discriminated against the rest of society. The colony does have several outcastes including washermen and leather workers but the scavengers hold the lowest rank in the hierarchy of castes. They deserve least human love and sympathy as ordained by the age old Vedic tradition. They have been subjected to sub-human status. In some respects animals are better than untouchables because they are at large to use their surroundings without polluting them.

Anand never harps on theme of romantic love affairs. The very choice of the theme was an intrepid step towards discouraging untouchability. He sailed against the current by making a sweeper the hero of his novel and it earned him the wrath of orthodox and fanatic caste Hindus. Anand portrays this predicament vividly,

“The outcastes were not allowed to mount the platform surrounding the well, because if they were ever to draw water from it, the Hindus of the three upper castes would consider the water polluted. Nor were they allowed access to the nearby brook as their use of it would contaminate the stream. They had no well of their own. They had to collect at the foot of the caste Hindu’s well and depend on the bounty of some of their superior to pour water into their pitchers.”

Theme of Social Realism

Anand is not quixotic about his principles and ideology. He is very pragmatic and realistic in his approach to the problem of untouchability. The theme of the novel is based on his childhood experiences. Anand has firsthand experience of the untouchables and their surroundings. As a child he used to play with the untouchable boys. Bakha, the hero’s life is authentic. As E.M. Forster says,

“Untouchable could only have been written by an Indian, and by an Indian who observed from the outside. No European, however, sympathetic, could have created the character of Bakha, because he would not have known enough about his troubles.”

Theme of Untouchability

The cruelty and tyranny perpetrated on Bakha was peculiar to the untouchables alone although they shared the common hardship and indignity with other outcastes. Everybody detects them and loathes to accept anything from them or to give anything to them. The confectioner picks the coin after washing it when Bakha exchange it for some sweets. They wrap them in paper and throw as a butcher throws a bone to a dog; they are not entitled to relish fresh and good food so they subsist on leavings of food and stale food, considered sumptuous enough for the untouchables. They are denied entrance to temple even though they are Hindus. They believe that the untouchable could defile gods and goddesses and even the premises of the temple. This hypocrisy of Hindu tradition is well portrayed by Anand,

“Get off the steps, scavenger ! Off with you! You have defiled our temple ! Now we will have to pay for the purificatory ceremony. Get down, get away, dog !…”

The Vicious Circle

Thousand years of slavery has left an irrevocable marks upon the life and psyche of the untouchables. Weakness corrupts, and absolute weakness corrupts absolutely. Bakha , a scavenger boy is caught in a vicious circle from which there is no escape. Destined or subjected to clean dung and live in squalor, he has to survive on food left over by the caste Hindus and for water depends on the mercy of so called patrons of Hindu tradition. Health and hygiene are useless words for them. Neat and clean life is still a distant dream for them. The fact that they are untouchables seems to be the only reason to perpetuate the ostracism and their sufferings merge with eternity.

Theme of Servility

Lakha and Rakha are dormant, idle and lethargic. They sit idle and suffer but do not even dream of protesting against social injustice and exploitation. Bakha, who has a sense of self-esteem, has enough potential to protest against untouchability which has left him mortified but centuries of servility has paralyzed him and sucked away the zeal and vigour to retaliate. His senses are paralysed when a caste Hindu says, “Keep to the side of the road, You low-caste vermin” Suddenly he hears some one shouting at him, “Why don’t you call, you swine…”

It is servility of the untouchable which encourage Pundit Kali Nath to molest Sohini . Sohini’s docile and servile temperament prompts her to yield to the libidinous and hypocrite priest. She is too innocent to detect the malicious intention of the priest.

Impartiality and Equilibrium

Since Anand has excellent grasp over the psychology of both the caste Hindus and the untouchables, his portrayal of their intercourse and relationship is impartial and equipoised. He does neither overstate or exaggerate the injustice and cruelty perpetrated on the untouchable nor does deride and censure all caste Hindus for being callous and unscrupulous. His caste Hindu characters are not all tyrant nor all his untouchables praiseworthy and commendable. Pandit Kali Nath , a hypocritical character stands in full contrast of Habildar Charat Singh who is a generous caste Hindu and he has transcended himself beyond the limits of caste prejudices.

East-West Theme

The East-West theme has been accomplished through the Bakha-Tommies, Bakha-Hutchinson and Bakha-Iqbal-Bashir relationship. The alien characters specially Tommies cast very deep influence on Bakha. Bakha accepts them as his ideal. He tries to copy them. While copying the Tommies he experiences a state of emancipation and selfdignity. Although Iqbal and Bashir do not cast any significant influence on Bakha but Bakha likes them for their rational and radical thought. The most constructive aspect of western influence is that it facilitated all round change.

Anand has successfully distinguished himself in portraying the motif of untouchability in Untouchable . And eminence has been universally accepted as he introduced the real picture of Hindu tradition with all its merits and demerits to the rest of the world. E.M. Forster presents a glowing tribute to Anand’s greatness in the Preface of Untouchable.

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• Character Sketch of Pundit Kali Nath in Untouchable
• The Man-Eater of Malgudi Questions and Answers

4 thoughts on “Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand | Themes”

Which type of questions asked in exam of novels?? Any idea sir?

Appropriateness of the title untouchable?

Ok, I will upload it very soon

‘Untouchable’ by Mulk Raj Ananda. It is a fine social novel from an Indian perspective. I read the novel while I was a postgraduate student from 1994-1996.

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Untouchable Novel Summary

Read this article to know about the summary of the novel Untouchable written by Mulk Raj Anand.

Summary of Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand   

What comes to your mind when you read or hear the word ‘Untouchable’? It is not only the word but a complete sentence. The novel depicts a day in the life of Bakha, a young woman who cleans latrines, set in the fictional town of Bulandshahr.  

Bakha is a member of the lowest caste. Lowest caste people are confined to a life of dirty, labors of those higher castes people who don’t like to even touch them. Bakha awakes to his father yelling at him asking him to get out the bed and start cleaning the latrines of high castes people of the town.

First, he cleans the latrine of a high caste athlete Charat Singh, who tells him to get a hockey stick as a reward. The novel introduces Sohini, as Bakha’s sister, who goes to draw water for her thirsty and tired brother from the well.

The man starts hitting Bakha until a Muslim vendor who breaks it up. Bakha walks to the temple, where he finds that priest scolding Sohini of “polluting” him. Later, Sohini tells Bakha the priest sexually assaulted her. Bakha started wandering around town, begging for food and performing household works in return.

He comes back home telling his father about his day, about that high-caste man who hit him but his father makes him remind about that high-caste doctor once saved Bakha’s life. Bakha goes in the wedding of his friend’s sister and tells him about that high-caste man who hit him, and they ask Bakha if he wants to take revenge. But he refused as he knows it would be fruitless. 

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Suddenly, Bakha remembers his hockey stick and goes at Charat Singh’s home to get it. Singh invites Bakha inside happily and allowed him to touch his possessions. After getting the hockey stick, he joins the game of street hockey that quickly devolves into a brawl.

He agrees but Colonel’s wife sees him and pitches a fit about her husband bringing another “Blackie” to their church. Bakha leaves and wanders some more, ending up at the train station, where the crowd has gathered. Mahatma Gandhi is in Bulashah and takes the stage.

His speech condemns the caste system and discrimination against lower caste untouchables. Afterward, Bakha hears two high-caste educated friends discussing the speech. One, a lawyer, finds the speech impractical, other, a poet, strongly disagrees.

At the time of this novel’s publication, the caste system dominated India. The author imploring the high caste readers through his description of Bakha and his family are suffering, to consider the plight of their low-caste countrymen.     

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~~ To a better world - Untouchable - Book review~~. Review on Untouchable - Mulk Raj Anand

Untouchable - Mulk Raj Anand

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‘Untouchable’ is the first novel by Mulk Raj Anand. A classic! A novel which imprint a character sketch in our heart and then spell out some solutions too for the poignant states of affairs…Simply excellent!!!

( Cast system should go . It is over 60 years of independence and at least half of Indians are carrying the burdens of slavery in the name of casts. When will the government have the courage to abort the casts?? Untouchability - the problem still prevails especially in the central belt of India. If you notice, Maoism only spread in these states where the emotionally enslaved people are ready to go any extend to get freedom. If there is Maoism, the soil for it was watered by the cast system. Cast system should go.) Read Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable to see the sad sate of affairs!

‘Untouchable’ is the story from the life of of 18 year old Bakha, who lives in the pre independence era, as a Bhangi (one who clean toilets). Bakha is not weak, where he is `strong and able-bodied`. He is all enthusiastic and has his own set of dreams. His dreams vary from to dress like a ‘Tommie’ (Englishmen) in ‘fashun’ to play Hockey. However, his limited means and the circumstances force him to literally beg for the food and get humiliated in each turn of the road. The ‘dirty’ nature of their work pulls down‘bhangi’s to the last of the table of casts. They were not permitted even to take water from a well and had to wait for hours for the mercy of the upper caste. The food will be given to them by throwing and if they touch anybody by accident they will be punished. Even if they are ready to pay, nobody will teach them. The upper class however doesn’t find this untouchability when they molest their teen girls. It is a typical day in the life of the Bhangi, mixed with hunger, hope, small pleasures, insults and set backs. Add to all the problems, they have no right to protest or express their emotions!!

Deprived of hope and Fed up with humiliations, Bakha have a difficult day. Like in the story of good Samaritan, 3 options are placed in front of Bakha. First, a Christian missionary,who invite him to join Christianity so that the untouchability based on the caste can be removed. The second option he considers is the idea of sacrifice from Mahatma Gandhi, who came there to preach against the discrimination to the lower caste. The third option he considers as a solution to the entire problem is a flush system.

Mulk Raj Anand considers that the caste system can only prevail with the job one carries and the easy way to remove it is to upgrade the work environment and bring dignity to each work. We have no right to downgrade any work. The novel simply shows a way to solve two problems still lingers India. 1. Sanitation. (No need of explanation for this problem, if one travel by train in early morning or walk in a rainy day through the roads of a not so clean Indian metro…) 2. Castism.

The novel simply shook our conscience. The author criticizes the social injustice with his powerful words. He rips apart the hypocrisy of the powerful. Meaninglessness of worship and its uselessness when it is not practiced is stressed. The book is also a small reminder of ignorance of strength by the lower caste and the need for moral rejuvenation. Above all, ‘any social revolution should be practical’ is another message the book manages to convey.

On a larger canvas, the author must have viewed the untouchable living in all of us. Citizens deprived of rights and burdens with obligations. The hurdle we have to overtake and how the knowledge, civilization and technology can make a better world. However, I wish to believe that the obvious is the intended. We don’t have to imagine for the sake of it where the obvious give a handful of duty and responsibility.

There is another strong message I felt from the novel. Most of the problems of India were self created. The British could rule India only because the masses were not seriously disturbed by their presence. In the novel, the protagonist is not fearful of the British. This view only reiterates the conclusion that political freedom alone will not solve human misery.

‘Untouchable’ is a reminder for us to be aware of the unsolved questions. The message from this book, written in pre-independent era is still valid. The story is heart touching and the message is convincing. Recommended!!

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Blog – Posted on Friday, Mar 29

17 book review examples to help you write the perfect review.

It’s an exciting time to be a book reviewer. Once confined to print newspapers and journals, reviews now dot many corridors of the Internet — forever helping others discover their next great read. That said, every book reviewer will face a familiar panic: how can you do justice to a great book in just a thousand words?

As you know, the best way to learn how to do something is by immersing yourself in it. Luckily, the Internet (i.e. Goodreads and other review sites , in particular) has made book reviews more accessible than ever — which means that there are a lot of book reviews examples out there for you to view!

In this post, we compiled 17 prototypical book review examples in multiple genres to help you figure out how to write the perfect review . If you want to jump straight to the examples, you can skip the next section. Otherwise, let’s first check out what makes up a good review.

Are you interested in becoming a book reviewer? We recommend you check out Reedsy Discovery , where you can earn money for writing reviews — and are guaranteed people will read your reviews! To register as a book reviewer, sign up here.

Pro-tip : But wait! How are you sure if you should become a book reviewer in the first place? If you're on the fence, or curious about your match with a book reviewing career, take our quick quiz:

Should you become a book reviewer?

Find out the answer. Takes 30 seconds!

What must a book review contain?

Like all works of art, no two book reviews will be identical. But fear not: there are a few guidelines for any aspiring book reviewer to follow. Most book reviews, for instance, are less than 1,500 words long, with the sweet spot hitting somewhere around the 1,000-word mark. (However, this may vary depending on the platform on which you’re writing, as we’ll see later.)

In addition, all reviews share some universal elements, as shown in our book review templates . These include:

• A review will offer a concise plot summary of the book. 
• A book review will offer an evaluation of the work. 
• A book review will offer a recommendation for the audience. 

If these are the basic ingredients that make up a book review, it’s the tone and style with which the book reviewer writes that brings the extra panache. This will differ from platform to platform, of course. A book review on Goodreads, for instance, will be much more informal and personal than a book review on Kirkus Reviews, as it is catering to a different audience. However, at the end of the day, the goal of all book reviews is to give the audience the tools to determine whether or not they’d like to read the book themselves.

Keeping that in mind, let’s proceed to some book review examples to put all of this in action.

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Book review examples for fiction books

Since story is king in the world of fiction, it probably won’t come as any surprise to learn that a book review for a novel will concentrate on how well the story was told .

That said, book reviews in all genres follow the same basic formula that we discussed earlier. In these examples, you’ll be able to see how book reviewers on different platforms expertly intertwine the plot summary and their personal opinions of the book to produce a clear, informative, and concise review.

Note: Some of the book review examples run very long. If a book review is truncated in this post, we’ve indicated by including a […] at the end, but you can always read the entire review if you click on the link provided.

Examples of literary fiction book reviews

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man :

An extremely powerful story of a young Southern Negro, from his late high school days through three years of college to his life in Harlem.

His early training prepared him for a life of humility before white men, but through injustices- large and small, he came to realize that he was an "invisible man". People saw in him only a reflection of their preconceived ideas of what he was, denied his individuality, and ultimately did not see him at all. This theme, which has implications far beyond the obvious racial parallel, is skillfully handled. The incidents of the story are wholly absorbing. The boy's dismissal from college because of an innocent mistake, his shocked reaction to the anonymity of the North and to Harlem, his nightmare experiences on a one-day job in a paint factory and in the hospital, his lightning success as the Harlem leader of a communistic organization known as the Brotherhood, his involvement in black versus white and black versus black clashes and his disillusion and understanding of his invisibility- all climax naturally in scenes of violence and riot, followed by a retreat which is both literal and figurative. Parts of this experience may have been told before, but never with such freshness, intensity and power.

This is Ellison's first novel, but he has complete control of his story and his style. Watch it.

Lyndsey reviews George Orwell’s 1984 on Goodreads:

YOU. ARE. THE. DEAD. Oh my God. I got the chills so many times toward the end of this book. It completely blew my mind. It managed to surpass my high expectations AND be nothing at all like I expected. Or in Newspeak "Double Plus Good." Let me preface this with an apology. If I sound stunningly inarticulate at times in this review, I can't help it. My mind is completely fried.

This book is like the dystopian Lord of the Rings, with its richly developed culture and economics, not to mention a fully developed language called Newspeak, or rather more of the anti-language, whose purpose is to limit speech and understanding instead of to enhance and expand it. The world-building is so fully fleshed out and spine-tinglingly terrifying that it's almost as if George travelled to such a place, escaped from it, and then just wrote it all down.

I read Fahrenheit 451 over ten years ago in my early teens. At the time, I remember really wanting to read 1984, although I never managed to get my hands on it. I'm almost glad I didn't. Though I would not have admitted it at the time, it would have gone over my head. Or at the very least, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate it fully. […]

The New York Times reviews Lisa Halliday’s Asymmetry :

Three-quarters of the way through Lisa Halliday’s debut novel, “Asymmetry,” a British foreign correspondent named Alistair is spending Christmas on a compound outside of Baghdad. His fellow revelers include cameramen, defense contractors, United Nations employees and aid workers. Someone’s mother has FedExed a HoneyBaked ham from Maine; people are smoking by the swimming pool. It is 2003, just days after Saddam Hussein’s capture, and though the mood is optimistic, Alistair is worrying aloud about the ethics of his chosen profession, wondering if reporting on violence doesn’t indirectly abet violence and questioning why he’d rather be in a combat zone than reading a picture book to his son. But every time he returns to London, he begins to “spin out.” He can’t go home. “You observe what people do with their freedom — what they don’t do — and it’s impossible not to judge them for it,” he says.

The line, embedded unceremoniously in the middle of a page-long paragraph, doubles, like so many others in “Asymmetry,” as literary criticism. Halliday’s novel is so strange and startlingly smart that its mere existence seems like commentary on the state of fiction. One finishes “Asymmetry” for the first or second (or like this reader, third) time and is left wondering what other writers are not doing with their freedom — and, like Alistair, judging them for it.

Despite its title, “Asymmetry” comprises two seemingly unrelated sections of equal length, appended by a slim and quietly shocking coda. Halliday’s prose is clean and lean, almost reportorial in the style of W. G. Sebald, and like the murmurings of a shy person at a cocktail party, often comic only in single clauses. It’s a first novel that reads like the work of an author who has published many books over many years. […]

Emily W. Thompson reviews Michael Doane's The Crossing on Reedsy Discovery :

In Doane’s debut novel, a young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery with surprising results.

An unnamed protagonist (The Narrator) is dealing with heartbreak. His love, determined to see the world, sets out for Portland, Oregon. But he’s a small-town boy who hasn’t traveled much. So, the Narrator mourns her loss and hides from life, throwing himself into rehabbing an old motorcycle. Until one day, he takes a leap; he packs his bike and a few belongings and heads out to find the Girl.

Following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac and William Least Heat-Moon, Doane offers a coming of age story about a man finding himself on the backroads of America. Doane’s a gifted writer with fluid prose and insightful observations, using The Narrator’s personal interactions to illuminate the diversity of the United States.

The Narrator initially sticks to the highways, trying to make it to the West Coast as quickly as possible. But a hitchhiker named Duke convinces him to get off the beaten path and enjoy the ride. “There’s not a place that’s like any other,” [39] Dukes contends, and The Narrator realizes he’s right. Suddenly, the trip is about the journey, not just the destination. The Narrator ditches his truck and traverses the deserts and mountains on his bike. He destroys his phone, cutting off ties with his past and living only in the moment.

As he crosses the country, The Narrator connects with several unique personalities whose experiences and views deeply impact his own. Duke, the complicated cowboy and drifter, who opens The Narrator’s eyes to a larger world. Zooey, the waitress in Colorado who opens his heart and reminds him that love can be found in this big world. And Rosie, The Narrator’s sweet landlady in Portland, who helps piece him back together both physically and emotionally.

This supporting cast of characters is excellent. Duke, in particular, is wonderfully nuanced and complicated. He’s a throwback to another time, a man without a cell phone who reads Sartre and sleeps under the stars. Yet he’s also a grifter with a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” attitude that harms those around him. It’s fascinating to watch The Narrator wrestle with Duke’s behavior, trying to determine which to model and which to discard.

Doane creates a relatable protagonist in The Narrator, whose personal growth doesn’t erase his faults. His willingness to hit the road with few resources is admirable, and he’s prescient enough to recognize the jealousy of those who cannot or will not take the leap. His encounters with new foods, places, and people broaden his horizons. Yet his immaturity and selfishness persist. He tells Rosie she’s been a good mother to him but chooses to ignore the continuing concern from his own parents as he effectively disappears from his old life.

Despite his flaws, it’s a pleasure to accompany The Narrator on his physical and emotional journey. The unexpected ending is a fitting denouement to an epic and memorable road trip.

The Book Smugglers review Anissa Gray’s The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls :

I am still dipping my toes into the literally fiction pool, finding what works for me and what doesn’t. Books like The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray are definitely my cup of tea.

Althea and Proctor Cochran had been pillars of their economically disadvantaged community for years – with their local restaurant/small market and their charity drives. Until they are found guilty of fraud for stealing and keeping most of the money they raised and sent to jail. Now disgraced, their entire family is suffering the consequences, specially their twin teenage daughters Baby Vi and Kim.  To complicate matters even more: Kim was actually the one to call the police on her parents after yet another fight with her mother. […]

Examples of children’s and YA fiction book reviews

The Book Hookup reviews Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give :

♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 5 stars! I can’t imagine how challenging it would be to tackle the voice of a movement like Black Lives Matter, but I do know that Thomas did it with a finesse only a talented author like herself possibly could. With an unapologetically realistic delivery packed with emotion, The Hate U Give is a crucially important portrayal of the difficulties minorities face in our country every single day. I have no doubt that this book will be met with resistance by some (possibly many) and slapped with a “controversial” label, but if you’ve ever wondered what it was like to walk in a POC’s shoes, then I feel like this is an unflinchingly honest place to start.

In Angie Thomas’s debut novel, Starr Carter bursts on to the YA scene with both heart-wrecking and heartwarming sincerity. This author is definitely one to watch.

♥ Review: The hype around this book has been unquestionable and, admittedly, that made me both eager to get my hands on it and terrified to read it. I mean, what if I was to be the one person that didn’t love it as much as others? (That seems silly now because of how truly mesmerizing THUG was in the most heartbreakingly realistic way.) However, with the relevancy of its summary in regards to the unjust predicaments POC currently face in the US, I knew this one was a must-read, so I was ready to set my fears aside and dive in. That said, I had an altogether more personal, ulterior motive for wanting to read this book. […]

The New York Times reviews Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood :

Alice Crewe (a last name she’s chosen for herself) is a fairy tale legacy: the granddaughter of Althea Proserpine, author of a collection of dark-as-night fairy tales called “Tales From the Hinterland.” The book has a cult following, and though Alice has never met her grandmother, she’s learned a little about her through internet research. She hasn’t read the stories, because her mother, Ella Proserpine, forbids it.

Alice and Ella have moved from place to place in an attempt to avoid the “bad luck” that seems to follow them. Weird things have happened. As a child, Alice was kidnapped by a man who took her on a road trip to find her grandmother; he was stopped by the police before they did so. When at 17 she sees that man again, unchanged despite the years, Alice panics. Then Ella goes missing, and Alice turns to Ellery Finch, a schoolmate who’s an Althea Proserpine superfan, for help in tracking down her mother. Not only has Finch read every fairy tale in the collection, but handily, he remembers them, sharing them with Alice as they journey to the mysterious Hazel Wood, the estate of her now-dead grandmother, where they hope to find Ella.

“The Hazel Wood” starts out strange and gets stranger, in the best way possible. (The fairy stories Finch relays, which Albert includes as their own chapters, are as creepy and evocative as you’d hope.) Albert seamlessly combines contemporary realism with fantasy, blurring the edges in a way that highlights that place where stories and real life convene, where magic contains truth and the world as it appears is false, where just about anything can happen, particularly in the pages of a very good book. It’s a captivating debut. […]

James reviews Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight, Moon on Goodreads:

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is one of the books that followers of my blog voted as a must-read for our Children's Book August 2018 Readathon. Come check it out and join the next few weeks!

This picture book was such a delight. I hadn't remembered reading it when I was a child, but it might have been read to me... either way, it was like a whole new experience! It's always so difficult to convince a child to fall asleep at night. I don't have kids, but I do have a 5-month-old puppy who whines for 5 minutes every night when he goes in his cage/crate (hopefully he'll be fully housebroken soon so he can roam around when he wants). I can only imagine! I babysat a lot as a teenager and I have tons of younger cousins, nieces, and nephews, so I've been through it before, too. This was a believable experience, and it really helps show kids how to relax and just let go when it's time to sleep.

The bunny's are adorable. The rhymes are exquisite. I found it pretty fun, but possibly a little dated given many of those things aren't normal routines anymore. But the lessons to take from it are still powerful. Loved it! I want to sample some more books by this fine author and her illustrators.

Publishers Weekly reviews Elizabeth Lilly’s Geraldine :

This funny, thoroughly accomplished debut opens with two words: “I’m moving.” They’re spoken by the title character while she swoons across her family’s ottoman, and because Geraldine is a giraffe, her full-on melancholy mode is quite a spectacle. But while Geraldine may be a drama queen (even her mother says so), it won’t take readers long to warm up to her. The move takes Geraldine from Giraffe City, where everyone is like her, to a new school, where everyone else is human. Suddenly, the former extrovert becomes “That Giraffe Girl,” and all she wants to do is hide, which is pretty much impossible. “Even my voice tries to hide,” she says, in the book’s most poignant moment. “It’s gotten quiet and whispery.” Then she meets Cassie, who, though human, is also an outlier (“I’m that girl who wears glasses and likes MATH and always organizes her food”), and things begin to look up.

Lilly’s watercolor-and-ink drawings are as vividly comic and emotionally astute as her writing; just when readers think there are no more ways for Geraldine to contort her long neck, this highly promising talent comes up with something new.

Examples of genre fiction book reviews

Karlyn P reviews Nora Roberts’ Dark Witch , a paranormal romance novel , on Goodreads:

4 stars. Great world-building, weak romance, but still worth the read.

I hesitate to describe this book as a 'romance' novel simply because the book spent little time actually exploring the romance between Iona and Boyle. Sure, there IS a romance in this novel. Sprinkled throughout the book are a few scenes where Iona and Boyle meet, chat, wink at each, flirt some more, sleep together, have a misunderstanding, make up, and then profess their undying love. Very formulaic stuff, and all woven around the more important parts of this book.

The meat of this book is far more focused on the story of the Dark witch and her magically-gifted descendants living in Ireland. Despite being weak on the romance, I really enjoyed it. I think the book is probably better for it, because the romance itself was pretty lackluster stuff.

I absolutely plan to stick with this series as I enjoyed the world building, loved the Ireland setting, and was intrigued by all of the secondary characters. However, If you read Nora Roberts strictly for the romance scenes, this one might disappoint. But if you enjoy a solid background story with some dark magic and prophesies, you might enjoy it as much as I did.

I listened to this one on audio, and felt the narration was excellent.

Emily May reviews R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy Wars , an epic fantasy novel , on Goodreads:

“But I warn you, little warrior. The price of power is pain.”

Holy hell, what did I just read??

➽ A fantasy military school

➽ A rich world based on modern Chinese history

➽ Shamans and gods

➽ Detailed characterization leading to unforgettable characters

➽ Adorable, opium-smoking mentors

That's a basic list, but this book is all of that and SO MUCH MORE. I know 100% that The Poppy War will be one of my best reads of 2018.

Isn't it just so great when you find one of those books that completely drags you in, makes you fall in love with the characters, and demands that you sit on the edge of your seat for every horrific, nail-biting moment of it? This is one of those books for me. And I must issue a serious content warning: this book explores some very dark themes. Proceed with caution (or not at all) if you are particularly sensitive to scenes of war, drug use and addiction, genocide, racism, sexism, ableism, self-harm, torture, and rape (off-page but extremely horrific).

Because, despite the fairly innocuous first 200 pages, the title speaks the truth: this is a book about war. All of its horrors and atrocities. It is not sugar-coated, and it is often graphic. The "poppy" aspect refers to opium, which is a big part of this book. It is a fantasy, but the book draws inspiration from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Rape of Nanking.

Crime Fiction Lover reviews Jessica Barry’s Freefall , a crime novel:

In some crime novels, the wrongdoing hits you between the eyes from page one. With others it’s a more subtle process, and that’s OK too. So where does Freefall fit into the sliding scale?

In truth, it’s not clear. This is a novel with a thrilling concept at its core. A woman survives plane crash, then runs for her life. However, it is the subtleties at play that will draw you in like a spider beckoning to an unwitting fly.

Like the heroine in Sharon Bolton’s Dead Woman Walking, Allison is lucky to be alive. She was the only passenger in a private plane, belonging to her fiancé, Ben, who was piloting the expensive aircraft, when it came down in woodlands in the Colorado Rockies. Ally is also the only survivor, but rather than sitting back and waiting for rescue, she is soon pulling together items that may help her survive a little longer – first aid kit, energy bars, warm clothes, trainers – before fleeing the scene. If you’re hearing the faint sound of alarm bells ringing, get used to it. There’s much, much more to learn about Ally before this tale is over.

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One , a science-fiction novel :

Video-game players embrace the quest of a lifetime in a virtual world; screenwriter Cline’s first novel is old wine in new bottles.

The real world, in 2045, is the usual dystopian horror story. So who can blame Wade, our narrator, if he spends most of his time in a virtual world? The 18-year-old, orphaned at 11, has no friends in his vertical trailer park in Oklahoma City, while the OASIS has captivating bells and whistles, and it’s free. Its creator, the legendary billionaire James Halliday, left a curious will. He had devised an elaborate online game, a hunt for a hidden Easter egg. The finder would inherit his estate. Old-fashioned riddles lead to three keys and three gates. Wade, or rather his avatar Parzival, is the first gunter (egg-hunter) to win the Copper Key, first of three.

Halliday was obsessed with the pop culture of the 1980s, primarily the arcade games, so the novel is as much retro as futurist. Parzival’s great strength is that he has absorbed all Halliday’s obsessions; he knows by heart three essential movies, crossing the line from geek to freak. His most formidable competitors are the Sixers, contract gunters working for the evil conglomerate IOI, whose goal is to acquire the OASIS. Cline’s narrative is straightforward but loaded with exposition. It takes a while to reach a scene that crackles with excitement: the meeting between Parzival (now world famous as the lead contender) and Sorrento, the head of IOI. The latter tries to recruit Parzival; when he fails, he issues and executes a death threat. Wade’s trailer is demolished, his relatives killed; luckily Wade was not at home. Too bad this is the dramatic high point. Parzival threads his way between more ’80s games and movies to gain the other keys; it’s clever but not exciting. Even a romance with another avatar and the ultimate “epic throwdown” fail to stir the blood.

Too much puzzle-solving, not enough suspense.

Book review examples for non-fiction books

Nonfiction books are generally written to inform readers about a certain topic. As such, the focus of a nonfiction book review will be on the clarity and effectiveness of this communication . In carrying this out, a book review may analyze the author’s source materials and assess the thesis in order to determine whether or not the book meets expectations.

Again, we’ve included abbreviated versions of long reviews here, so feel free to click on the link to read the entire piece!

The Washington Post reviews David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon :

The arc of David Grann’s career reminds one of a software whiz-kid or a latest-thing talk-show host — certainly not an investigative reporter, even if he is one of the best in the business. The newly released movie of his first book, “The Lost City of Z,” is generating all kinds of Oscar talk, and now comes the release of his second book, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” the film rights to which have already been sold for $5 million in what one industry journal called the “biggest and wildest book rights auction in memory.”

Grann deserves the attention. He’s canny about the stories he chases, he’s willing to go anywhere to chase them, and he’s a maestro in his ability to parcel out information at just the right clip: a hint here, a shading of meaning there, a smartly paced buildup of multiple possibilities followed by an inevitable reversal of readerly expectations or, in some cases, by a thrilling and dislocating pull of the entire narrative rug.

All of these strengths are on display in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Around the turn of the 20th century, oil was discovered underneath Osage lands in the Oklahoma Territory, lands that were soon to become part of the state of Oklahoma. Through foresight and legal maneuvering, the Osage found a way to permanently attach that oil to themselves and shield it from the prying hands of white interlopers; this mechanism was known as “headrights,” which forbade the outright sale of oil rights and granted each full member of the tribe — and, supposedly, no one else — a share in the proceeds from any lease arrangement. For a while, the fail-safes did their job, and the Osage got rich — diamond-ring and chauffeured-car and imported-French-fashion rich — following which quite a large group of white men started to work like devils to separate the Osage from their money. And soon enough, and predictably enough, this work involved murder. Here in Jazz Age America’s most isolated of locales, dozens or even hundreds of Osage in possession of great fortunes — and of the potential for even greater fortunes in the future — were dispatched by poison, by gunshot and by dynamite. […]

Stacked Books reviews Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers :

I’ve heard a lot of great things about Malcolm Gladwell’s writing. Friends and co-workers tell me that his subjects are interesting and his writing style is easy to follow without talking down to the reader. I wasn’t disappointed with Outliers. In it, Gladwell tackles the subject of success – how people obtain it and what contributes to extraordinary success as opposed to everyday success.

The thesis – that our success depends much more on circumstances out of our control than any effort we put forth – isn’t exactly revolutionary. Most of us know it to be true. However, I don’t think I’m lying when I say that most of us also believe that we if we just try that much harder and develop our talent that much further, it will be enough to become wildly successful, despite bad or just mediocre beginnings. Not so, says Gladwell.

Most of the evidence Gladwell gives us is anecdotal, which is my favorite kind to read. I can’t really speak to how scientifically valid it is, but it sure makes for engrossing listening. For example, did you know that successful hockey players are almost all born in January, February, or March? Kids born during these months are older than the others kids when they start playing in the youth leagues, which means they’re already better at the game (because they’re bigger). Thus, they get more play time, which means their skill increases at a faster rate, and it compounds as time goes by. Within a few years, they’re much, much better than the kids born just a few months later in the year. Basically, these kids’ birthdates are a huge factor in their success as adults – and it’s nothing they can do anything about. If anyone could make hockey interesting to a Texan who only grudgingly admits the sport even exists, it’s Gladwell. […]

Quill and Quire reviews Rick Prashaw’s Soar, Adam, Soar :

Ten years ago, I read a book called Almost Perfect. The young-adult novel by Brian Katcher won some awards and was held up as a powerful, nuanced portrayal of a young trans person. But the reality did not live up to the book’s billing. Instead, it turned out to be a one-dimensional and highly fetishized portrait of a trans person’s life, one that was nevertheless repeatedly dubbed “realistic” and “affecting” by non-transgender readers possessing only a vague, mass-market understanding of trans experiences.

In the intervening decade, trans narratives have emerged further into the literary spotlight, but those authored by trans people ourselves – and by trans men in particular – have seemed to fall under the shadow of cisgender sensationalized imaginings. Two current Canadian releases – Soar, Adam, Soar and This One Looks Like a Boy – provide a pointed object lesson into why trans-authored work about transgender experiences remains critical.

To be fair, Soar, Adam, Soar isn’t just a story about a trans man. It’s also a story about epilepsy, the medical establishment, and coming of age as seen through a grieving father’s eyes. Adam, Prashaw’s trans son, died unexpectedly at age 22. Woven through the elder Prashaw’s narrative are excerpts from Adam’s social media posts, giving us glimpses into the young man’s interior life as he traverses his late teens and early 20s. […]

Book Geeks reviews Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love :

WRITING STYLE: 3.5/5

SUBJECT: 4/5

CANDIDNESS: 4.5/5

RELEVANCE: 3.5/5

ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3.5/5

“Eat Pray Love” is so popular that it is almost impossible to not read it. Having felt ashamed many times on my not having read this book, I quietly ordered the book (before I saw the movie) from amazon.in and sat down to read it. I don’t remember what I expected it to be – maybe more like a chick lit thing but it turned out quite different. The book is a real story and is a short journal from the time when its writer went travelling to three different countries in pursuit of three different things – Italy (Pleasure), India (Spirituality), Bali (Balance) and this is what corresponds to the book’s name – EAT (in Italy), PRAY (in India) and LOVE (in Bali, Indonesia). These are also the three Is – ITALY, INDIA, INDONESIA.

Though she had everything a middle-aged American woman can aspire for – MONEY, CAREER, FRIENDS, HUSBAND; Elizabeth was not happy in her life, she wasn’t happy in her marriage. Having suffered a terrible divorce and terrible breakup soon after, Elizabeth was shattered. She didn’t know where to go and what to do – all she knew was that she wanted to run away. So she set out on a weird adventure – she will go to three countries in a year and see if she can find out what she was looking for in life. This book is about that life changing journey that she takes for one whole year. […]

Emily May reviews Michelle Obama’s Becoming on Goodreads:

Look, I'm not a happy crier. I might cry at songs about leaving and missing someone; I might cry at books where things don't work out; I might cry at movies where someone dies. I've just never really understood why people get all choked up over happy, inspirational things. But Michelle Obama's kindness and empathy changed that. This book had me in tears for all the right reasons.

This is not really a book about politics, though political experiences obviously do come into it. It's a shame that some will dismiss this book because of a difference in political opinion, when it is really about a woman's life. About growing up poor and black on the South Side of Chicago; about getting married and struggling to maintain that marriage; about motherhood; about being thrown into an amazing and terrifying position.

I hate words like "inspirational" because they've become so overdone and cheesy, but I just have to say it-- Michelle Obama is an inspiration. I had the privilege of seeing her speak at The Forum in Inglewood, and she is one of the warmest, funniest, smartest, down-to-earth people I have ever seen in this world.

And yes, I know we present what we want the world to see, but I truly do think it's genuine. I think she is someone who really cares about people - especially kids - and wants to give them better lives and opportunities.

She's obviously intelligent, but she also doesn't gussy up her words. She talks straight, with an openness and honesty rarely seen. She's been one of the most powerful women in the world, she's been a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, she's had her own successful career, and yet she has remained throughout that same girl - Michelle Robinson - from a working class family in Chicago.

I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't benefit from reading this book.

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