''Coolie'' is a
novel
A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...
by
Mulk Raj Anand
Mulk Raj Anand (12 December 1905 – 28 September 2004) was an Indian writer in English, recognised for his depiction of the lives of the poorer castes in traditional Indian society. One of the pioneers of Indo-Anglian fiction, he, togethe ...
first published in 1936. The second book written by Mulk Raj Anand, Coolie reinforced his position as one of India's leading
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
authors. The book is highly critical of
British rule in India
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
and
India's caste system. The plot revolves around a 14-year-old boy, ''Munoo'', and his plight due to poverty and exploitation aided by the social and political structures in place. Anand here tries to break the traditional way of life.
In 2004, a commemorative edition including this book was launched by Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
References
Novels by Mulk Raj Anand
1936 novels
Novels set in India
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