2009-10 AM Fictions of India - Expert Group on (Colonial) Power

Expert Group on (Colonial) Power

Group: Representations of India

Kim

- British colonizers represented as minor elite

- Kim

     - Of Irish origin (Ireland as part of British empire)
              • Parallel to colonized Indians?
     - Called “The friend of all the World” has powerful native friends (e.g.  
       Mahbub Ali)
     - Becomes part of the Great Game and the ruling elite although he  comes from the lowest      
       level of society + receives education
             • Reason: Kim’s heritage and his talents/abilities - natives like Mahbub Ali and 
               Hurree Babu are also educated according to Western standards and belong to   
               the Great Game 
             • BUT are portrayed inferior to the British?

“He [Hurree Babu] became thickly treasonous, and spoke in terms of sweeping indecency of a Government which had forced upon him a white man’s education and neglected to supply him with a white man’s salary.” (p. 237)

- REMEMBER: nostalgic and harmonious portrayal of India environment and society
  
 => British imperialism as a positive state?

Untouchable

- Bakha

- Apparently all ways out are blocked by Hindu society for Bakha since he is branded as ‘impure

(-> denied access to education, supposed to stay in the outcastes’ colony, ...)

- Positive portrayal of British colonial power?

- Bakha‘s affection for British and Western culture

“The Tommies had treated him as a human being [...]” (p. 9)

- Initial positive viewpoint of British colonial rule is counterbalanced at the end of the novel

“ ‘It is India’s genius to accept all things’, said the poet fiercely. ‘We have, throughout our long history, been realists believing in the stuff of this world [...] The Victorians misinterpreted us. It was as if, in order to give a philosophical background to their exploitation of India, they ingeniously concocted a nice little fairy story: “You don’t believe in this world [...] Let us look after your country for you [...] We know life. [...] We can feel new feelings. [...] Our enslavers muddle through things. We can see things clearly. We will go the whole hog with regard to machines while they nervously fumble their way with the steam-engine. And we will keep our heads through it all.” (p. 152-153)

- The idea of inward colonialism

- Outcastes’ COLONY

Midnight's Children

- Focus on Saleem and his counterpart Shiva

- Due to the interchange after birth Shiva has to grow up in poor conditions while Saleem grows up in a wealthy family

- Shiva becomes a war hero

- Saleem is treated like an animal in the army

- Although Shiva had to grow up in poor circumstances he is more successful than Saleem

- Diverse social circumstances portrayed within the novel (Midnight’s Children conference)

- Equality among the members

          -> Access to power determined by birth or fate?