The Strange Ride of Morrowbie
“Morrowbie inside the Caste”
In Rudyard Kipling’s story “The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes” there are many aspects of the India’s traditions and customs. But one custom that is strongly present though out the story is the role of the Indian caste system. Within each character you are taken into the five levels of the caste system. The caste system has been present in Indian culture for as far back as their history can be traced. The five levels that are present with in the characters in the story are Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, and Harijans (www.csuchico.edu)
According to Indianchild.com the India caste system is a hierarchical society. In the Indian caste system, no matter where you live or what religion you are everybody is ranked into one of the five levels. The caste system is respected and followed by all who live within the system. No matter where you live everyone knows their caste ranking, and they behave towards each other according to their ranking.
We are first introduced to Morrowbie, who is a man that is placed in the caste system known as Vaishya. According to Caste System, the Vaishya are known as the Krsi (who are the people for grow the food grains), the goraksha (who are the cow protection), the vanijyam (who do the trading), the Vaisya karma (people who work), and svabhavajam (are the people who are born of his own nature). The Vaisyas were known as the land-owners, money-lenders and influential traders. Morrowbie is known as a man with an education and career as a civil engineer. Due to his successful career he is known as a land-owner. It is evident though out the story that Morrowbie knows of his high class level and the caste level of the people around him. When he first falls into the hole he finds himself in the middle of a crowd. He states that the people are scantily clothed and can be associated with the Hindu mendicants (p.24). According to the Indian caste level the merchants are considered to be one level below
In Rudyard Kipling’s story “The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes” there are many aspects of the India’s traditions and customs. But one custom that is strongly present though out the story is the role of the Indian caste system. Within each character you are taken into the five levels of the caste system. The caste system has been present in Indian culture for as far back as their history can be traced. The five levels that are present with in the characters in the story are Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, and Harijans (www.csuchico.edu)
According to Indianchild.com the India caste system is a hierarchical society. In the Indian caste system, no matter where you live or what religion you are everybody is ranked into one of the five levels. The caste system is respected and followed by all who live within the system. No matter where you live everyone knows their caste ranking, and they behave towards each other according to their ranking.
We are first introduced to Morrowbie, who is a man that is placed in the caste system known as Vaishya. According to Caste System, the Vaishya are known as the Krsi (who are the people for grow the food grains), the goraksha (who are the cow protection), the vanijyam (who do the trading), the Vaisya karma (people who work), and svabhavajam (are the people who are born of his own nature). The Vaisyas were known as the land-owners, money-lenders and influential traders. Morrowbie is known as a man with an education and career as a civil engineer. Due to his successful career he is known as a land-owner. It is evident though out the story that Morrowbie knows of his high class level and the caste level of the people around him. When he first falls into the hole he finds himself in the middle of a crowd. He states that the people are scantily clothed and can be associated with the Hindu mendicants (p.24). According to the Indian caste level the merchants are considered to be one level below
Cited: Caste System in India." Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. <http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/3800331>. "Caste System in India." A Parent 's Guide to Internet Safety ::Indianchild.com. 24 Nov. 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. <http://www.indianchild.com/caste_system_in_india.htm>. "CHICO STATEMENTS." Home - CSU, Chico. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. <http://www.csuchico.edu/pub/cs/fall_99/departments/d.expandedbookshelf.html>. "History of the Indian Caste System - ENotes.com Reference." ENotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. <http://www.enotes.com/topic/History_of_the_Indian_caste_system>. Kipling, Rudyard. The Man Who Would Be King, and Other Stories. New York: Dover Publications, 1994. Print.