Living under a demeaning title like "untouchable" has considerable effects on the actions of the people. Untouchables have a lack of confidence, self-pity, and believe that their feelings should not be shared. The reader can see that Bahka exhibits these types of feelings through his choice of silence. In many cases, Bahka chooses not to defend himself. For example, when Bahka bumps into a man on the street by the market, the man publicly shames him and even slaps him across the face. The stream of consciousness following this event alerts the reader of his intense feeling of hatred, though no action is taken in order to defend himself. Not only does Bahka have trouble defending himself, but this also extends to his family. When his sister is violated by the town's priest, Bahka is insanely mad and suggests that he should beat him up. However, this never happens because he knows that he is an untouchable. Even in the less extreme circumstances, Bahka's title causes him to remain in silence. At the market, Bahka notices that the cashier weighs his candy incorrectly and overcharges him for the food. Bahka says nothing. As you can see, the title of "untouchable" is very limiting not only in the written social rules, but also in their self-image. The theme of silence throughout Bahka's day helps to represent the real untouchables living in India. Since many people are not aware of what is happening in India, the untouchables are suffering in silence. They cannot defend themselves on their own because of their low status, and even those who have extremely high standards for themselves, like Bahka who dreams of being British, cannot defend themselves.
I agree with what you are saying Caleigh! The Untouchables by being treated like nothing begin to feel like they are nothing and deserve nothing. We see this after Bakha encounters this run in with the man and is slapped he says to himself, "That's the word! Untouchable! I am Untouchable!". In this moment I feel that Bakha has lost his spirit, his sense that he could be more and that he is more than just a sweeper boy. After this moment and realization that no one in the crowd stood up for him and that he could not even stand up for himself because of the backlash it would bring, he is broken. He comes to except his place as a untouchable. I also agree that his idea of suffering in silence is very important to the purpose that Anand tries to display through the novel. That is that these people are suffering in silence while half of the world has no idea that this caste system even exists. With this notion Anand hopes to enact change in India and this horrible treatment of Untouchables. As we know, however, this book has not yet brought about change in India.
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