Cultural Mobility and the Fragmented Self: Exploring Migration and Multicultural Encounters in Mulk Raj Anand’s Coolie

Abstract

Mulk Raj Anand’s Coolie stands as a seminal work in Indian English literature, offering critical insight into themes of migration, cultural mobility, and the fragmentation of self. This article examines how Anand, through the journey of his protagonist Munoo, interrogates the intersection of identity and displacement as he traverses diverse cultural and social landscapes shaped by colonial legacies and economic exploitation. Anchored in postcolonial theory and the concept of cultural mobility, the study explores the instability of Munoo’s identity, shaped and reshaped through encounters marked by fluid hierarchies and shifting socio-political contexts. Through close textual analysis, the paper investigates Anand’s critique of socio-economic structures of inequality and considers the transformative yet destabilizing impact of migration on the formation of individual identity. The study foregrounds the emotional and psychological dimensions of Munoo’s journey—marked by alienation, nostalgia, and cultural hybridity—emphasizing how multicultural interactions simultaneously generate conflict, synthesis, and resilience. By situating Coolie within the broader framework of migration literature, this research contributes to contemporary debates on globalization and identity politics. It addresses critical gaps in the understanding of cultural mobility within Indian English fiction, offering a nuanced reading of Anand’s engagement with colonial modernity and its enduring effects on subjectivity. Ultimately, the paper advocates for renewed critical engagement with Anand’s work, underscoring its continued relevance to discussions of self-fragmentation and intercultural encounters in a globalized world.