Exploring the Picaresque: A Comparative Analysis of R.K. Narayan's 'The Guide' and Mulk Raj Anand's 'Coolie'

This research paper delves into the seminal works of Indian literature, R.K. Narayan's "The Guide" (1958) and Mulk Raj Anand's "Coolie" (1936), to examine their portrayal of socio-cultural aspects of early 20th-century Indian society. Narayan's novel is explored for its focus on spiritual and religious themes, while Anand's work is analyzed for its depiction of poverty, exploitation, and social injustice experienced by the lower classes. Through the lens of social realism, the paper scrutinizes the significance of these novels in Indian writing in English, highlighting how Anand's "Coolie" serves as an early example of the picaresque novel in Indian literature.