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2009-10 AM Fictions of India - Expert Group on (Post-)Colonialism

2010-01-30T13:32:13Z

AnnaS: /* Expert Group on (Post-)Colonialism */

==Expert Group on (Post-)Colonialism==

'''Group: Representations of India'''

'''''Kim'''''

- Kim‘s journey with the lama starts in Lahore (which today belongs to Pakistan)
- Come as far as Benares
- Make an excursion into the Himalayas, to the very edge of India (quests reach a climax)
- Return to the plains => No borders that hinder Kim‘s travel

- Connection of places through the Grand Trunk Road and by the railway
“The Grand Trunk Road at this point [at Benares] was built on an embankment [...], so that one walked, as it were, a little above the country, along a stately corridor, seeing all India spread out to left and right.” (p. 63)
- The Grand Trunk Road (former Sadak-e-Azam (“great road”) was improved by the British during their colonial rule and renamed “Grand Trunk Road”, one of the major roads in India and Pakistan)
- The “te-rain” (railway introduced by the British) ->essential to ensure British colonial rule? – readable as “terrain”?
“[...] at every few kos is a police-station.” (p. 57)

Postcolonial readership creates its own perception of the Indian society as they tend to give equal opportunities for everyone to be mentioned and recognized:
Open questions: Should the Secret Service (Great Game) be on the same place as the other parts of society -> postcolonial reading?
Or should it be above everything else -> imperialistic reading?

'''''Untouchable'''''

- Portrayal of outcaste colony of an unnamed town in colonial India
- Creation of two worlds
- After Bakha‘s talk to Colonel Hutchinson he comes to see a mass of different people who want to attend a speech by Ghandi
-> Grand Trunk Road and railway mentioned
“It was the Grand Trunk Road near the railway station of Bulalash.” (p. 134)

- Only situation in the novel in which social harmony is explicitly stated
“Men, women and children of all the different races, colours, castes and creeds, were running towards the oval.” (p. 136)

- Symbolic meaning of the Grand Trunk Road? (>comparable to its function in Kim ?)

- No major focus of British colonial rule?

'''''Midnight's Children'''''

- Significance of mobility
- Saleem’s family moves house frequently
-> Acts of moving house linked to negative events
- From Kashmir to Amritzar: People are killed during a peaceful morning (p.62), the hummingbird is killed (p.50)
- To Pakistan: Saleem’s family is killed by a bombing raid
- To India: Magican ghetto is destroyed (p.599), midnight’s children are sterilized (p.612)

- As opposed to Kim and Untouchable, Midnight’s Children does not only covers India’s colonial period

- Various settings linked to historical events
- Illustration of separation of India
- Representation of India and Pakistan
- Saleem and Shiva as opponents in India in every respect

- Position of the British?

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

2010-01-30T13:29:43Z

AnnaS: /* 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?

Representations of India and of Colonialism:

The European and especially the British built up their own diverse culture within the Indian country. The British way of life is organised through institutions such as schools or the army. The army is set to counteract against other colonial powers and not specifically against Indians. Their purpose is stabilisation for Indian natives and the British by working against different colonial powers. Kim becomes part of the Great Game even though he comes from the lowest level of society. He also got educated according to Western standards (e.g. Christian education and developing a certain dislike towards natives).

'''''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?

2009-10 AM Fictions of India - Expert Group on Identity/Hybridity

2010-01-30T13:26:07Z

AnnaS: /* Expert Group on Identity/Hybridity */

==Expert Group on Identity/Hybridity==

'''What are Kim’s two sides? Is it Indian and English or any of his roles he slips into? Does he just put on a mask, but still be Kim? Or does he really live this role?'''

Kim is neither fully English nor fully Indian. He grew up in India, he is familiar with the living in the country but he is also considered English. One has to decide whether he is more or less Indian or rather English. It always depends on the situation.
The roles he can slip into are just roles they are not a full part of Kim. Anyway which disguise he has inside it is still Kim.

'''What is Kim’s identity? Is he an impossible character because he has so many talents?'''

Kim knows how to use his talents in a smart way. But one has to keep in mind that his talents are supported by every encounter with new people, for example people of the Great Game. So, one can argue if his talents have been evolved to a near perfect level, it makes Kim seem like an impossible character. He has been formed by people like Lurgin Sahib or his education at St. Xavier’s.

National Characteristics and Cultural Identities in "Kim":

The novel “Kim” represents a great diversity within the Indian culture. Different cultures and origins, such as Orientals, Bengali, Sahibs, Kunjiri, Jhampanis, Indian, Irish and British are represented. Kipling therefore suggests “Unity in Diversity” (Bose, S., Jalal, A.: “Modern South Asia”. Dehli. OUP. 2004.) Although white Europeans are considered as Sahibs, there is a distinction of different kinds of Sahibs (e.g. British non-agents, British agents, French, Russians). Kim himself is called “The friend of all the World”, having powerful native friends (e.g. Mahbub Ali).
Representations of India need to be considered from different view-points. The two extremes are the lama’s and the author’s view-point. The lama for example would take the Holy Ones into consideration and then everyone else in the wheel. One could argue Kipling’s viewpoint as being imperialistic by setting the British colonizers on top, other Europeans below and native Indians at the lowest level. The two extremes represent the divide between the spiritual and the materialistic outlook which lead through the book. For Kim’s viewpoint we might have to distinguish between his perception of society before and after attending school.