Topic > The nature of Dalit literature and "The Life We Live" by Arun Kamble

Dalit literature, to which "The Life We Live" belongs, is essentially a type of Indian literature that gives voice to the anguish of the subaltern in India. Works of Dalit literature are known for their stark depiction of reality. They move away from 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 Indian territory. Dalit literature is often viewed through the mechanism of protest literature, as it shares many characteristics with protest literature. It is essentially a post-independent literary phenomenon that is used as a tool of social activism to uplift the position of Dalits in society. This literature comes from the margins. He answers the question, “Can the subaltern speak?”, and the answer appears to be a defiant yes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Furthermore, Dalit literature evokes violent and disturbing images, foregrounding texts in real narratives. This literature leaves room for non-Dalit self-reflection on the treatment of the marginalised. This type of literature goes hand in hand with social activism, formulating resistance against the oppression of the dominant classes. Dalit literature is therefore full of slang and casual language, which helps Dalit writers to portray the daily lives and struggles of Dalits. It does not glorify or romanticize reality, but is a projection of the community's subversive capacity. A work that stands out in the canon of Dalit literature is Arun Kamble's 'The Life We Live'. It is a work that expresses the reality of Dalì's life and juxtaposes it with that of the life of the "savarna". It has a prevalent tone of dissent and activism is deeply rooted in this work. It is essentially a justification of literatures from the margins and follows the process of active rewriting towards the center. This work documents the stark disparity between the lives of Dalits and those of upper caste people. POETRY (Excerpt) If you were to live the life we ​​live Then poems would be born from you. We: kicked and spat on for our piece of bread. You : We take the fulfillment and the name of the Lord. We: degraders of our heritage. You: its sole custodian, descendants of the sage. We: We never have a paisa to scratch our asses. You: the golden cup of offerings in your bank.. . It is very clear from the first look at the poem that there is an underlying anger and resentment in the poet. It essentially brings together elements of Dalit and 'Savarna' life, detailing the stark disparity in the lives they lead. This poem uses a mode of subversion by ultimately reversing the hierarchy of power. At the beginning the poet says, “If you lived the life we ​​live/Then poems would be born from you,” speaking to the fact that the very act of writing is a form of protest. The poems of people from the Dalit community are a manifestation of a latent and often unexpressed inner anguish. These are narratives of pain that help the community to speak out as an act of defiance and counter the mainstream narrative with their realistic portrayal of Dalit oppression. “Poems would be born from you” is an indication that their literature is the product of a legacy of oppression. The poet talks about how Dalits do not have access to a prosperous life and their path to happiness is hindered by constant oppression. Indeed, “Your bodies flame in sandalwood/ Ours are.