The main theme of Coolie is the exploitation of the poor by the rich in early twentieth century India and the human suffering that this brings about. In his descriptions of Munoo’s experiences after leaving his village, Mulk Raj Anand offers the reader a vivid portrayal of the shocking treatment meted out to those who are socio-economically disadvantaged by those in positions of power and privilege.
One could also see Anand as offering a critique of the kind of labor that robs a life of all its joy and its dignity. Munoo’s childhood effectively ends when he becomes a servant.
Furthermore, “Munoo” is but one of many “Munoos”; he is but one coolie among many coolies — there is a kind of fatalism in that he had few options but to follow this particular path of servitude from the moment he was born. In this book, Anand uses his characteristic realism to expose the stark reality of a country where one’s position at birth guarantees one’s trajectory in life. This arguably makes the suffering even deeper because there is absolutely no hope of a better future.