Right from the beginning, Indian English fiction has been exploring the human situation, giving due emphasis on the diversifying facets of Indian life and reality. With the exemption of a few historical/novels, the novels written during the earlier phase are essentially social novels, portraying the social scene realistically. Notwithstanding the common themes like the national struggle for Independence, the impact of Gandhism, the partition of India, and the growing national consciousness, writers like Mulk Raj Anand, R. K Narayan, Bhabani Bhattacharya, Kamala Markandeya and Manohar Malgoankar -were also chiefly concerned with the portrayal of realistic themes like poverty, suffering and endurance of the poor and the down-trodden, widespread social evils, and the corruption prevalent in the society.