postcolonial literature
1) Below are a number of terms that you have been introduced to in this course. Choosing one of them, develop an essay of 1600 words by applying it to two of the texts studied in this course. (Remember to analyse the evidence present in the texts and to develop the main idea generated by the chosen term to its logical conclusion. In other words, these terms should be a starting point for the analysis, or the organising principle, in your essay):
The term indigenous proves problematic once examined under close analysis. Like a prism it reflects multiple lights, and the outcome is solely dependent upon the angle it is studied. In addition to its complexity of viewpoints, other words have been considered similar, if not used in the same context as indigenous, such as ‘aboriginal’ and ‘native.’ Therefore, in analysis, these terms too must be considered. The texts studied; H. Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart illustrate the juxtaposing of this terminology. Although they are written from opposing attitudes1, the arguments converge; both show the prevailing of an alien (in these cases western) culture, over the indigenous culture, which is consequently destroyed. “It seemed as if the very soul of the tribe wept for a great evil that was coming- its own death2” (Pg 136). The title of Achebe’s novel3 epitomises the effects of colonisation in both texts. Death and erosion of the native way appears to loom round every corner, as the indigenous cultures seem to dissolve and “Fall Apart.”
The word indigenous is commonly coupled with the word ‘people’, in order to describe a racial or tribal group, who historically date back as the earliest inhabitants of a geographical territory. It is not tied to a specific racial group. This is seen commonly with the word aboriginal, which is used to describe the native inhabitants of Australia. Native itself seems tied to the Americas, and is less racially crude than terms such as, Red Indians and
The term indigenous proves problematic once examined under close analysis. Like a prism it reflects multiple lights, and the outcome is solely dependent upon the angle it is studied. In addition to its complexity of viewpoints, other words have been considered similar, if not used in the same context as indigenous, such as ‘aboriginal’ and ‘native.’ Therefore, in analysis, these terms too must be considered. The texts studied; H. Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart illustrate the juxtaposing of this terminology. Although they are written from opposing attitudes1, the arguments converge; both show the prevailing of an alien (in these cases western) culture, over the indigenous culture, which is consequently destroyed. “It seemed as if the very soul of the tribe wept for a great evil that was coming- its own death2” (Pg 136). The title of Achebe’s novel3 epitomises the effects of colonisation in both texts. Death and erosion of the native way appears to loom round every corner, as the indigenous cultures seem to dissolve and “Fall Apart.”
The word indigenous is commonly coupled with the word ‘people’, in order to describe a racial or tribal group, who historically date back as the earliest inhabitants of a geographical territory. It is not tied to a specific racial group. This is seen commonly with the word aboriginal, which is used to describe the native inhabitants of Australia. Native itself seems tied to the Americas, and is less racially crude than terms such as, Red Indians and
Bibliography: 2. Haggard, H. Rider. King Solomon’s Mines (penguin popular classics), 1994 3 2. Johnson, David, Poddar, Prem - A historical companion to postcolonial literatures in English (Edinburgh University Press), 2005 3 4. Daniels, Patsy J: The voice of the oppressed in the language of the oppressor : a discussion of selected postcolonial literature from Ireland, Africa, and America (Routledge 2001) 5