Abstract
This paper comparatively aims at exploring the bottom of the caste system in India and the apartheid system Jn South Africa in the literan; works of Bama's Karukku and Miriam Tlali's Muriel at Metropolitan. It argues that these two semi-autobiographical works constitute literan; resistance not only to the caste system and the apartheid system, but also to patriarchies. The social institutions of religion, law, politics, art and literature glorifi; the dominant ideology of the Caste Hindus and Race Whites. But, after centuries of suppression, Dalits and Blacks are now finding their voice, in literature as well as through political activism. In many ways an arm of downtrodden politics, literature lzave become an effective tool in expressing the protest of these communities against the domination of Caste Hindus and Race Whites. The protagonists of these novels take the radical step of rejecting and identift;ing themselves primarily as Dalits and Blacks. Through an analysis of these two texts, the article discusses the caste and race hierarchy prevalent in the world. It also explores larger ambiguities in the construction of an identity of Indian Dalits and South African Blacks.
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