Micro-level Manifestations of Casteism in Select Malayalam Dalit Short Stories

Abstract

Kerala’s social sphere is well-stocked with the elements of modernity like literacy, democracy, equality and fraternity, which makes it difficult to identify and classify casteism and its effects. The projected image of modernity makes Kerala’s public sphere more accessible and permissible to minority groups when compared to other states. The state’s emergence after independence manifests through its learning and employment institutions. These motifs of development camouflage the existing casteism present in the state, thus making it invisible. Here, Dalit literature becomes pivotal as it becomes a storehouse of implicit caste references and stereotyping, which the statistics often fail to see. The article puts into perspective two Dalit short stories, ‘Mea Culpa’ and ‘Karthik Immanuel’s Spiritual Musings’ written by Raju K. Vasu and Prince Aymenem, respectively. They represent a public sphere where no explicit casteism occurs, whereas its repercussions are nevertheless felt. The stories showcase how micro-level manifestations of casteism occur, which are neither identified nor quantified. Taking the concept of microaggression proposed by Psychologist Derald Wing Sue, the research attempts to do a narrative analysis of the primary texts, delving deep into the invisible but pervading casteism.