Poverty and Power: A Socio-Literary Analysis of Oliver Twist and Untouchable in the Light of the Un's SDG-1

This study focuses on poverty as reflected in real life and in literature. It looks at how two famous novels, Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand, show the poor people suffering in two different cultures—England and India. They show that poverty is more than just not having money; it also brings shame, pain, and lack of dignity. Each novel is set in a different place and time—Oliver Twist in 19th-century England and Untouchable in 20th-century India. But the pain of poverty is the same. Both stories show how poor people are treated as if they are less than human. Oliver is treated like a criminal because he is poor. Bakha is treated harshly even worse than animals because of his caste. OBJECTIVES: To explore how poverty is shown in both real life and fiction through the selected novels. To compare how Dickens and Anand portray the struggles of poor people in their societies. To link the novels' messages to SDG-1 and the global effort to end poverty LITERATURE REVIEW In Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens shows the hard life of orphans and poor children in 19th-century England. Oliver experiences many painful situations. Dickens uses Oliver’s story to criticize the English social system. Dickens exposes flawed systems as workhouses and unfair courts. Dr. John Bowen observed that Dickens used powerful emotions and lifelike situations to highlight social injustice. His research shows that Dickens helped readers feel sympathy for poor children and raised awareness about the need to improve the workhouse system. In Untouchable, Mulk Raj Anand tells the story of Bakha, a young boy from a low caste in India. Bakha is treated with hate and disgust by others. Anand writes about the pain of caste-based discrimination and poverty. The scholar Meenakshi Mukherjee found that Anand gave voice to the untouchables and helped readers understand their silent pain. Her outcome proves that Anand’s novel raised social awareness and respect for lower caste people. The scholar Meenakshi Mukherjee notes that Anand presents a deep human picture of the pain and humiliation faced by lower castes in society. PROBLEM DEFINITION AND STATEMENT Poverty is a crucial problem in the world nowadays. Millions of people worldwide lack basic needs like food, water, shelter, education, or jobs. Literature reflects what happens in the real world. Writers often focus on the life of poor people to let others understand their daily struggles and hidden pain. This paper will discuss two novels—Oliver Twist and Untouchable—that show poverty in two different societies, in two different centuries. These books help readers feel the pain and suffering of the poor. They also help us think deeply about how literature can be a voice for the voiceless. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The paper will compare the two novels and study how they present poverty. It will use both real-world data and literary analysis. It will include facts from the United Nations about poverty and its effects. Two theories will be used: Marxist theory to study class differences and the conflict between rich and poor in Oliver Twist. Postcolonial theory to highlight caste and power struggles in Untouchable. The study will focus on the main characters, their pain, and the way society oppresses them. It will also look at how the authors use their stories to raise awareness about poverty and injustice. EXPECTED OUTCOME The research explores that poverty affects people in different ways such as no money, pain, and how people are dehumanised. In Oliver Twist, Oliver suffers because the system does not support poor children. He is lonely and consequently is pushed into crime. In Untouchable, Bakha is poor and also faces discrimination because of his caste. He is not allowed to touch others, or even get water from public wells. Both characters suffer because of systems that were built to benefit only the rich and powerful. The novels affect the readers to sympathise with the poor and stand against this unfair treatment. This research highlights that poverty must be addressed in both real life and in education. Reading such novels should be encouraged, as they help us learn about compassion, justice, and humanity.