The Nature of Dalit Literature and "The Life We Live" by Arun Kamble Anonymous College

Dalit literature, to which "The Life We Live" belongs, is essentially a type of Indian literature that voices the angst of the subaltern in India. The works of Dalit Literature are known for their stark portrayal of reality. They depart from the romantic notions of what life is and tell things in a realistic light. Dalit Literature is often compared to slave narratives. Its origin lies in the exploitation and consequent persecution of Dalits in the Indian terrain. Dalit literature is most often seen through the mechanism of protest literature, since it shares a lot of characteristics with protest literature. It is essentially a post-independent literary phenomenon that is used as a tool of social activism for elevating the position of Dalits in the society. This literature emanates from the margins. It answers the question, "Can the subaltern speak?", and the answer seems to be a defiant yes.

Moreover, Dalit literature invokes violent and disturbing imagery, foregrounding the texts in real narratives. This literature allows space for self-reflection of Non-Dalits over their treatment of the marginalised. This kind of literature goes hand in hand with social activism, formulating resistance against the oppression of the dominant...