Priyanka Yadav

Research Scholar

Dept. of English, J. P. University, Chapra.

Abstract:

Indian English fiction has emerged as a significant literary space for exploring the complex relationship between power, identity, and marginalization in postcolonial society. As India continues to undergo rapid social, economic, and cultural transformations, questions of inclusion, exclusion, and representation have gained renewed importance. This paper examines how selected Indian English novels represent the movement from marginality to mainstream visibility, focusing on the negotiation of power and identity among historically disadvantaged individuals and communities. Through an analysis of Kiran Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss, Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things, and Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger, the study explores how these texts portray struggles against social hierarchies rooted in class, caste, gender, and economic inequality. Drawing on postcolonial theory and cultural studies, the paper argues that these novels challenge dominant narratives of progress and nationhood by foregrounding marginalized voices and highlighting the ethical implications of social mobility. While the protagonists seek recognition and empowerment, their journeys reveal the limitations and contradictions of mainstream inclusion. The study demonstrates that contemporary Indian English fiction functions as a critical medium for interrogating power structures and reimagining identity in an unequal society.

Keywords: Margins, Mainstream, Power, Identity, Indian English Fiction, Marginalization, Postcolonial Studies, Social Inequality, Representation

Introduction

The transition from marginality to mainstream participation is a central concern in postcolonial societies marked by historical inequalities and uneven development. In India, centuries of caste hierarchy, colonial exploitation, and economic disparity have produced deep-rooted social divisions. Although independence and constitutional democracy promised equality and justice, structural barriers continue to restrict access to power and resources for large segments of the population. As a result, the movement from margins to mainstream remains fraught with tension, conflict, and compromise.

Indian English literature has played a vital role in articulating these social realities. From its early nationalist phase to its contemporary global presence, this literary tradition has engaged with issues of identity, belonging, and power. In recent decades, novelists have increasingly focused on marginalized individuals and communities whose experiences challenge celebratory narratives of development and modernization. Through their stories, writers expose the complexities of social mobility and question the moral foundations of success.

Kiran Desai, Arundhati Roy, and Aravind Adiga are among the most prominent contemporary writers who examine these issues. Their novels depict characters who inhabit social, economic, and cultural margins and attempt to negotiate entry into mainstream society. The Inheritance of Loss explores globalization and cultural displacement. The God of Small Things examines caste and gender oppression. The White Tiger critiques neoliberal capitalism and class exploitation. Together, these works provide a comprehensive perspective on the dynamics of power and identity in modern India.

This paper seeks to analyze how these selected novels represent the journey from marginality to mainstream visibility and how power relations shape identity formation in this process. It argues that while these narratives highlight possibilities of resistance and self-assertion, they also reveal the ethical and psychological costs of social mobility. By adopting a comparative approach, the study aims to demonstrate how contemporary Indian English fiction functions as a critical discourse on inclusion, exclusion, and social justice.

Theoretical Framework: Power, Identity, and Marginality

The relationship between power and identity has been a central concern in social and cultural theory. Michel Foucault conceptualizes power as a pervasive force that operates through institutions, discourses, and everyday practices. Rather than being concentrated in a single authority, power circulates within social networks and shapes subjectivity. Individuals internalize dominant norms and values, often reproducing their own subordination.

In postcolonial contexts, power is further complicated by colonial legacies and global inequalities. Scholars such as Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak have emphasized how representation and discourse influence the construction of identity. Colonial and nationalist narratives often marginalize subaltern voices, portraying them as passive or inferior. Postcolonial literature seeks to challenge these representations by foregrounding alternative perspectives.

Identity is not a fixed essence but a dynamic process shaped by social interactions and historical conditions. Stuart Hall argues that identity is constructed through difference and negotiation rather than through stable origins. For marginalized individuals, identity formation involves constant negotiation between imposed labels and personal aspirations. The desire for mainstream acceptance often requires conformity to dominant norms, resulting in tensions between authenticity and adaptation.

Marginality refers to social positions characterized by exclusion from political, economic, and cultural power. Marginalized groups include lower castes, women, ethnic minorities, migrants, and the urban poor. Their experiences are shaped by limited access to education, employment, and representation. Literature provides a crucial space for articulating these experiences and contesting dominant ideologies.

This paper draws on postcolonial theory, cultural studies, and sociological perspectives to analyze how Desai, Roy, and Adiga represent power and identity. It focuses on narrative voice, characterization, spatial settings, and symbolic structures to explore how marginalized subjects negotiate their positions within unequal social systems.

Globalization and Cultural Marginality in Kiran Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss

Kiran Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss offers a nuanced portrayal of globalization and its impact on individual identities. Set in Kalimpong and interwoven with the immigrant experience in the United States, the novel explores how economic and cultural forces reshape social relations. Desai presents globalization as a contradictory process that generates both aspiration and alienation.

Biju, an undocumented immigrant, represents the marginalized global laborer. His migration to America is driven by the hope of economic mobility and social recognition. However, his reality is marked by exploitation, insecurity, and invisibility. Working in restaurant kitchens under harsh conditions, Biju remains excluded from mainstream society. His experience reveals how global capitalism depends on cheap, disposable labor.

In India, the judge Jemubhai Patel embodies internalized colonialism and elite alienation. Educated in England, he rejects his cultural roots and family relationships. His obsession with Western norms reflects a desire for mainstream acceptance shaped by colonial hierarchies. Yet, this pursuit results in emotional isolation and moral emptiness.

Sai and Gyan represent a younger generation negotiating hybrid identities. Their relationship is affected by political unrest and social insecurity associated with the Gorkhaland movement. This movement reflects regional marginalization and struggles for recognition. Desai portrays it as an expression of frustrated aspirations rather than a coherent political project.

Through these interconnected narratives, Desai illustrates how the journey from margins to mainstream is marked by loss and compromise. Her characters seek belonging within global and national frameworks but encounter structural barriers and emotional dislocation. The novel suggests that mainstream inclusion often requires the suppression of cultural and emotional authenticity.

Caste, Gender, and Social Exclusion in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things

Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things presents a powerful critique of caste and gender hierarchies (Roy 275). Velutha represents the most marginalized figure in the novel, excluded from social mobility despite his abilities (Roy 286). His death symbolizes the violent enforcement of social order (Roy 290).

Ammu’s marginalization reflects patriarchal oppression and economic vulnerability (Roy 223). Her tragic fate exposes the limitations placed on women in postcolonial society (Loomba 156).

Estha and Rahel’s fragmented identities reflect social disintegration under modern pressures (Roy 210). Roy’s non-linear narrative challenges dominant historical discourse (Said 91).

Velutha, an Untouchable carpenter, represents the most marginalized figure in the novel. Despite his technical skills and political awareness, he remains excluded from social mobility. His relationship with Ammu violates caste boundaries and provokes violent repression. Velutha’s death symbolizes the brutal enforcement of social order and the silencing of subaltern aspirations.

Ammu’s marginalization reflects the intersection of gender and class oppression. As a divorced woman without economic independence, she occupies a precarious position within patriarchal society. Her emotional strength and intellectual capacity cannot protect her from social stigma. Her tragic fate exposes the limitations placed on women within both traditional and modern frameworks.

The twin protagonists, Estha and Rahel, experience psychological fragmentation resulting from social conflict and familial breakdown. Their dislocated identities mirror the disintegration of social cohesion under modern pressures. Roy’s non-linear narrative structure reflects this fragmentation and challenges conventional historical representation.

Roy’s novel emphasizes that movement from margin to mainstream is systematically obstructed for certain groups. Caste and gender function as rigid boundaries that restrict social mobility. At the same time, Roy highlights small acts of love, memory, and storytelling as forms of resistance. These acts preserve marginalized identities within hostile social environments.

Class Mobility and Ethical Ambiguity in Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger

Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger presents a stark portrayal of class inequality in neoliberal India. Through the voice of Balram Halwai, the novel exposes the structural barriers that prevent social mobility. Adiga adopts a confessional narrative style that allows the marginalized protagonist to articulate his own experience.

Balram originates from rural poverty and systemic neglect. His early life is marked by hunger, child labor, and limited educational opportunities. Despite his intelligence, institutional constraints restrict his advancement. The novel challenges the myth that hard work alone can ensure success in a competitive society.

Working as a driver for a wealthy family, Balram gains insight into elite lifestyles and moral hypocrisy. His employers embody the contradictions of modernity, combining Westernized habits with feudal attitudes. Corruption and exploitation are normalized within this system, reinforcing class divisions.

Balram’s decision to murder his employer and establish his own business represents a radical attempt to enter the mainstream. By rejecting servitude, he asserts his agency within an unjust system. However, his success is achieved through violence and deception, raising ethical questions about the nature of empowerment.

Adiga does not present Balram as a heroic figure but as a product of structural inequality. His transformation exposes the moral costs of upward mobility in a society that rewards ruthlessness. The novel suggests that mainstream inclusion under neoliberal capitalism often requires complicity in exploitation.

Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger critiques neoliberal inequality through Balram’s narrative (Adiga 147). Balram’s background in poverty reflects structural neglect (Adiga 32). His employers’ corruption exposes elite hypocrisy (Adiga 89).

Balram’s murder of his employer represents a radical attempt to escape servitude (Adiga 176). However, his success raises ethical concerns (Foucault 104). Adiga presents him as a product of systemic injustice (Adiga 181).

Comparative Perspectives on Power and Identity

All three novels critique dominant narratives of progress (Young 144). Desai focuses on emotional displacement (Desai 194), Roy emphasizes caste and gender violence (Roy 286), and Adiga highlights economic exploitation (Adiga 176).

Their narrative strategies differ significantly, reflecting varied ideological positions (Nayar 138). Together, these texts suggest that movement from margins to mainstream is uneven and morally complex (Hall 231).

Desai emphasizes emotional displacement and cultural hybridity, portraying marginality as a condition of existential uncertainty. Roy foregrounds caste and gender oppression, presenting exclusion as violently enforced. Adiga focuses on economic exploitation and class conflict, depicting resistance in pragmatic and confrontational terms.

Narrative strategies also differ. Desai employs lyrical prose and multiple perspectives to convey fragmentation. Roy uses experimental structure and symbolic imagery to challenge linear history. Adiga adopts a satirical and confessional voice to provoke critical reflection. These stylistic choices shape how power and identity are represented.

In terms of agency, Desai’s characters remain largely constrained, Roy’s characters resist but are defeated, and Adiga’s protagonist succeeds through transgression. This variation reflects different ideological positions regarding social change. Together, these narratives suggest that movement from margins to mainstream is uneven, precarious, and morally complex.

Conclusion

The selected novels of Kiran Desai, Arundhati Roy, and Aravind Adiga provide profound insights into the dynamics of power and identity in contemporary India. Through diverse narrative techniques and thematic concerns, these writers explore how marginalized individuals negotiate their positions within unequal social systems. Their works challenge celebratory narratives of modernization and development by foregrounding lived experiences of exclusion and struggle.

By tracing journeys from marginality to mainstream visibility, these novels reveal the ethical, emotional, and psychological costs of social mobility. They demonstrate that inclusion within dominant structures often requires compromise, conformity, and moral ambiguity. At the same time, they highlight the resilience and creativity of marginalized subjects who resist erasure.

This study affirms that contemporary Indian English fiction functions as a vital site for interrogating social hierarchies and reimagining identity. Desai, Roy, and Adiga not only represent social realities but also reshape literary discourse to accommodate marginalized voices. Their narratives invite readers to reconsider prevailing notions of success and progress and to envision more equitable and humane forms of social organization.

In a rapidly changing society marked by persistent inequality, these novels remain deeply relevant. They remind us that true movement from margins to mainstream requires not only individual effort but also structural transformation and ethical commitment.

Works Cited

Adiga, Aravind. The White Tiger. HarperCollins, 2008.

Ashcroft, Bill, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin. The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post-Colonial Literatures. 2nd ed., Routledge, 2002.

Bhabha, Homi K. The Location of Culture. Routledge, 1994.

Desai, Kiran. The Inheritance of Loss. Hamish Hamilton, 2006.

Dugaje, Manohar. Migration and Psychological Experience of ‘Resettlement’ in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Mistress of Spices. Research Review -An International Multidisciplinary Journal. Vol. 04, Issue No. 57. Jan. 2018. https://www.researchreviewonline.com/issues/volume-4-issue-57-january-2018/RRJ973131

Foucault, Michel. Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings, 1972–1977. Edited by Colin Gordon, Pantheon, 1980.

Hall, Stuart. “Cultural Identity and Diaspora.” Identity: Community, Culture, Difference, edited by Jonathan Rutherford, Lawrence & Wishart, 1990, pp. 222–237.

Loomba, Ania. Colonialism/Postcolonialism. 2nd ed., Routledge, 2005.

Roy, Arundhati. The God of Small Things. IndiaInk, 1997.

Said, Edward W. Orientalism. Vintage Books, 1979.

Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. “Can the Subaltern Speak?” Marxism and the Interpretation of Culture, edited by Cary Nelson and Lawrence Grossberg, U of Illinois P, 1988, pp. 271–313.

Young, Robert J. C. Postcolonialism: An Historical Introduction. Blackwell, 2001.