The Glimpses of Human Rights and Society in the Novels “Untouchable” and “The God of Small Things”

Abstract

The present study aims to observe the role of human rights in the societies before and after the independence India. It is studied through the novels of Indian writing in English. Here, it is an attempt to study, discuss and find out the reflection and violation of human rights in Indian society during pre-independence and post-independence period through the Indian fiction in English with reference to the selected novels of Mulk Raj Anand and Arunthati Roy. For this study two novels have been selected, first is “Untouchable” and another one is “The God of Small Things”. Selection of these writers and novels is based on the particular principles and thoughts. The basic criterion of selecting these writers and novels is the issue of “Human Rights”. Both the novels belong to two deferent periods of Indian history still they have a common theme that is humiliation of mankind and violation of human rights in the society. As we know that Mulk Raj Anand is the pioneer of Indian writing in English. He is an eminent writer in the history of Indian English Fiction. He is the first Indian writer who dared to write and raised the voice of deprived people in pre- independent India. On the other hand, Arundhati Roy is an author who belongs to post- independent period of India. In her novel, she tries to show the real picture and approach of Indian literate society and its people towards the poor and backward people through the depiction of Indian cultures and societies. In her novel “The God of Small Things”, she depicted the real picture of Indian people and their approach towards the illiterate and backward class people.

            Above mentioned novels have been selected on the basis of following principles:

1. Both the novels focus on different cultures with common agenda.
2. The selected novels depict the plight and pathetic condition of downtrodden people in Indian society before and after the independence.
3. The writers of these novels have concern for underprivileged people.
4. Violation of human rights has been keenly depicted by these authors in above mentioned novels.
5. There is an ample scope for the study of human rights and its violation in India as shown in said novels.