Salman Rushdie-Movie Frame studies/Review on Midnight's Children

Midnight's Children is a 1981 novel by Salman Rushdie. It portrays India's transition from British Colonialism to Independance and partition of India. It is a great example of post-colonialism, post-modernism and the magic realist literature. It also portrays the controversial issue of India, the emergency advised by Indira Gandhi and approved by Khurshid Ahmed Ali. Due to internal and external disturbances, the civil liberties were curbed, election suspended, press was censored etc.

The reunion of the mother and Saleem Sinai, the son after a very long time. 
As the novel is based on culture-counter memory, all characters of this novel more or less, are involved in and similarly it is the case of Saleem. Who is an eye-witness of the happenings in India during emergency.

Nadir Khan, an accused man, hid himself in Aziz Khan's underground in his own house. Though Naseem Aziz(his wife) was against this, Aziz determination is thrust upon her and she had to react accordingly.

If generally we see through Naseem's lens, the conflict between Aziz and Naseem seems to be denoting the idea of feminism. While on Aziz's part though seeming to be harsh at surface level, but have played a human's role, by rescuing Nadir.

India is known for its trains/one can say that as the train was discovered by Britishers, it is a reminder to the Indians that those were mere puppets in their hands, they had such capacity and stamina to evolve Bharat in somethingelse and thay did it.

During emergency period, 25 June 1975-21 March 1977(24 months) slum areas were shattered, forced sterilization was carried on and there was constant violation of civil rights. It was predicted that the this experiment of autocracy and violation of civil rights against Nehruvian Democartic Ideal, should be made socially open, so that the people being catalyst can reflect upon, concerning their own emotions and feelings.

The two special midnight children, born in midnight of 15th August, 1947(others who were assumed to be imbued with magic). Shiv and Saleem Sinai. Shiv was actually a muslim boy but due to inferiority towards the rich, the two were exchanged by Maria Parera and so Saleem was brought up as a Hindu boy, while Shiv as a muslim boy. Later on when Shiv(Saleem) is admitted in hospital and requiring some blood to heal his health, the blood didn't match with any of his parents and so it was suspected.

Happenings during emergency period.

The prosperous and affluent heritage of India. In this movie Parvati is considered as 'witch' who knows the magic and has the ability to make invisible anyone.

As Saleem's nose was considered to be abnormally big, it was cutted down through a small surgery.

In this novel we see many aspects in many characters. 

For example: Aziz like to talk for politics, while Naseem has soft corner(devouted)for religion and domestic chores of the house.

In a nutshell Salman Rushdie has tried to highlight in midnight's children, the happenings  in India, during the time of emergency. Where we got to know through the two characters Shiva and Saleem that both though belonging to a particular identity but fated to an unusual destinies. Which impels one to think that how such things are happening? Wasn't it good to be ignorant of real identity, than functioning likewise? Which is known where in the latter part of movie, the real identity is revealed and one can think when confronting the reality that it is good to be ignorant than living with double consciousness.

WORKS CITED 

 

Ania Loomba: Postcolonial Studies-Frantz Fanon, Aime Cesaire, Edward Said, Salman Rushdie

The Postcolonial Studies

Unit-1: Frantz Fanon
Black Skin White Mask

Unit-2: Aime Cesaire
A Tempest

Unit-3: Edward Said
Orientalism

Unit-4: Salman Rushdie
Imaginary Homelands

Unit-5: Ania Loomba
Colonialism/Postcolonialism

Note: In all five units, writers biography is linked(from wikipedia) on the given topic, you will find the exact content of the task given.

Salman Rushdie: Imaginary Homelands

Imaginary Homelands-Salman Rushdie

Introduction 

Salman Rushdie's Imaginary Homelands consistes of the below mentioned essays. Where the things which is seen through the writer, is already his own visited past that he had spent in India. Where he claims that he himself is neither a staunch follower of Islamism nor he gives more importance to Hinduism. How the scenario is when you remain at your land and how it gets changed when you're suddenly happened to arrive there. And when tried to inscribe, it will give you experience of fragmentation, which will turn into tiny pieces and give a symbolical effect.

 Imaginary Homelands

In this essay, Salman Rushdie is recalling his past through the frame, belonging to the life of 1946. A frame is described with apt description. Moreover he says that now at present, the present seems to me as foreign, 'while my past as lost home in lost city, in the mist of lost time'.

Going to the other country, isn't entirely a grave loss, it is the reward of your pains, struggles and troubles that you took to acquire something unique and this is what is confining beyond to the Ghetto mentality. But when by being there one is writing for his/her country it would be in fragmentation. As the writer has said: "He isn't only writing for Bombay, but also for Agra and Delhi along with it's people, clothes etc". It seems at first ad fragmentation but gradually by developing into tiny pieces, it is becoming a specific symbol. Which will have various interpretation.

For Example: T. S. Eliot's: The Wasteland, where first the concept of spiritual degradation is described but then it is followed by sexual perversion, which keeps on changing. It is ultimately concluded by philosophy of India, where three considerable words are emphasized: Da, Datta and Dayadhvam.

Furthermore he also discusses about his experince with Indian learned men, who perceives themselves as such and expects that Sanskrit language would be decipherable to those, who are learned. Which implores one to doubt oneself, if they are educated and learned or not?

It seems as the language which is used by the pioneers of Sanskrit language gives the westernized idea of domination through language. It also illuminates the idea that how the complex language is becoming something, which can be powered up.

Description in itself is seen as a part of politics. How poeple belonging to Africa and how people belonging to America, would describe America, is incompatible, concerning perspectives of these people.

For example: How India is seen through immigrants eyes, who had migrated earlier to different countries, how it is seen through the Indians and how it can be seen collectively. All perspectives would differ in their very nature.

All is directed through imagination and interpretations.

Attenborough's Gandhi

How Attenborough's Gandhi is represented in this essay, which is at some extent based on actuality and reality rather than mythology or implied imagination.

First and foremost, there are differences between Gandhi as well as in Jawaharlal Nehru's views. The latter is smartier, craftier and practical and serves an ideology of one nation. While the former believes in non-violence(in political area) and serves the ideology of worldly peace, rather than sticking to any particular parameter. It isn't the case that Nehru was disciple of Mahatma Gandhi, but were equal in persona.

Mahatma Gandhiji is vehemently criticized that how he was with a naked woman for one night, albeit abstaining from, which seems to be ideal state of mind as noone can refrain as such. 

How when Gandhiji was shot dead by Nathuram Godse, who was claim to be the member of fanatic RSS group and many interpretations surrounded with this that: Nathuram Godse was actually representing the crowd(as those were willing to do so), by shooting him dead. By crowd or through Nathuram Godse's point of view, Gandhiji was seen as a person, representing west and in loin cloth, while the crowd was representing East. It was also seen somewhere that as Gandhiji was adaptable to any situation, he had adapted very well to westernized culture.  Thus through people's point of view, Gandhiji was claimed as such and drastic shot was considered as representing the ideology of Christianity and therefore crucifixion of Jesus in loin cloth as after his crucifixion, people in and around him were able to live happily.

Commonwealth Literature doesn't exist

To break this binary against distinction, Salman Rushdie had introduced many examples confronted by him. Commonwealth literature comprises those who are Irish, belonging to United states and who are white Britons. While South Africa and Pakistan are excluded from this category and some countries are given recognition but not privilege of literary manifestation. In this manner this term is becoming topographical, nationalistic and representing racial prejudice thus therefore it is not called Ghetto but exclusive ghetto, that represents narrowness.

He talks about one of his experiences in 1983, happened in Cambridge conference, where he had confronted a lady and where he reflected the same as binary of two categories. Moreover he also talks about a person, who was asking him: "Isn't it advantageous to remain in periphery? The thing only is, you had to confront the various situations, you're put into, nothingelse and you're away from playing politics.

On the other hand he also talks about the writers gathered in a conference, that includes Shiva Naipaul, he himself, Anita Desai fr India, Buchi Emchatta from Kenya and Vaug Herk from Canada. Where he saw differences in all the writers, though all were belonging to commonality as per the Britishers point of view. 

For Example: In Orientalism how the Easterners are portrayed by the Britishers and had given the implications of commonality by portraying them filthy, exotic beings, conceiver of nudity etc.

Where Vaug Herk talked on the problem of creating imaginative roadmap of emptiness in Canada, Anita Desai whispered on the sensibility while Buchi Emchatta on politics by rejecting the English language and adopting Swahili. Thus the writer was wondering, if Anita Desai, 'the Indian writer' has that much courage.

Thus in this way the term can be justified that commonwealth literature doesn't exist, and it is the perception of some foreigners. That can be commingled by hostilities as well as niceties but the thing is yet remaining to be seen, how the person put into the situation can come out victoriously.

New Empire Within Britain 

As the essay is based on the writer's experience in Britain, how a sudden exile from your country has led you to confront such unwanted situation. Where doing away won't be made possible but you have to gradually swift from your pace and make each and every situations amiable and acceptable though it doesn't seem to be.

He himself was belonging to minority muslim group, then mohair of Pakistan and now an exiled person, migrated to majoritarian country, called Britain.

An experince was shared by the writer that how a tape was circulated in Britain, which was based on racial prejudice. Where he hadn't sensed, if it is being distorted or falsified by other people of different political dispositions, Howes and Tebbit, who accused Salman Rushdie for equating his adopting country with Nazi Germany, while it wasn't so. It was only about the racial prejudice and as it is popularly said that the things repeated frequently by virtue becomes true, similarly was happened in his case.

Thus in this manner people belonging to another country were falsely caught in terms of their being minority and so exploited in an unusual and unpleasant manner.

On Palestine

Where the land is of quicksand nature, always the water is splashed and in unwanted ways, it will swept all its citizens, the natural assets and all surrounding things at unknown place, because the matter wasn't resistible as it was in  Aime Cesaire's "Shakespeare": where Caliban was able to resist against Prospero and reestablish his identity with the nature of postcoloniality. While Santiago resisted against nature 'the was giving an idea of the survival of the fittest and man can be destroyed but can't be defeated'. Similarly can be seen through Contagion film, where due to deforestation the outcome of viruses is inspired, it is affecting randomly, not considering any relations or acquaintances but adopting it's very nature. In Virus(Malyalam movie) the person is trying to help the bat, but in return the very person is affected through this virus if it was well resisted with proper amount of immunity, the case would be different either, but it is an artistic representation of the producer, where the message is conveyed that it isn't how you responded the nature will respond you back but it is something different as conveying the message of individual deed, that what you did, was your own deed and what I'm doing, is my own deed.

Similarly with Palestinians it was happened, when they were suppose to alienated from their own homeland as 'the Israel country was established'. The unknown people happened to go to another country, where they had to cope up with various situation, some would succumb to, some would come out victoriously and from victory the new literature will emerged out.

Conclusion

Considering all the essays, it seems as Salman Rushdie has given all interrelated points integrated in imaginary Homelands. Where the perspectives seen through the poeple who experienced by being there as well as the poeple who by being an exiled how they had portrayed the entire situation. The two differences in descriptions can be witnessed as well as how a person belonging to minority group, though he has to cope up with many situations but parelelly he has many advantages of creation, which is actually supported but not denied for.

Works Cited

Cesaire, Aime., "A tempest: Shakespeare".

Hemingway, Ernest., "The oldman and the sea".

(As a support to arguments presented under 'On Palestine' section).

General Webresources

1. Movies

• Contagion
• Virus

Main Resource: Rushdie, Salman., "Imaginary Homelands".

1. Adopted References from this book

• Imaginary Homelands
• Attenborough's Gandhi
• Commonwealth Literature doesn't exist.
• The New Empire within Britain
• On Palestine

Ania-Loomba-Imperialism-Colonialism-Environmental-Studies

Introduction
With reference to Ania Loomba's book on colonialism and postcolonialism(3rd edition) we're trying to see what is colonialism, what is postcolonialism(how it can be seen in environmental and psychological context), what is neo-colonialism, modern colonialism and ultimately what is imperialism.

Colonialism slightly differs from other aspects, mentioned above. which we will elaborate further, with the aid of a definition given by (OED). Having considered colonialism as recurring and widely spreaded term, while not if happened in any era, can be differentiated from the other occurence of the same term. How it has captured the history since 2nd Bc and continues to influence until now.

Colonialism and Imperialism are often used interchangeably. The word 'colonialism' according to Oxford English Dictionary comes from Romans, which meant 'farm' or 'settlement' refers to the Romans, who settled in other lands, but still retained their citizenship.

According to OED: "A settlement in a new country...a body of people who settled in a new locality forming a community, subject to or connected with their parent state, the community so formed, consisting of original settlers and their descendants and successors as long as the connection with the parent state is kept up".

The above definition seems to be quite remarkably avoiding the reference to other than colonizers, those who prior than established colonies, were living there. Hence it evacuates the word ' colonialism' from any implication of encounter between peoples, domination and conquest. 

There is no hint of the new locality may not be so new and the process of 'forming a community' is unfair.

A question arises, what it can be considered now? Was the act of colonialism, a fair thing from colonizers side? So what was the intentions that new locality that their way of colonizing was not found unusual or unfair but something beneficial?

The very book says that it was with the intention of 'unforming' or 'reforming' the society and culture. While colonialism wasn't an identical process in different parts of world, but everywhere the original inhabitants and new comers were locked into complex and traumatic realtionships in human history.

For example: THE TEMPEST-Where Shakespeare had done a major edition in the form of allegory of colonialism. Where he had tried to portray a scence in such a way that after incident of shipwreck taking place in Bermudas, Prospero is arriving. Hence there are already inhabitants existing but to see what impact it is making after the colonizers reaching there. 

As it is the process of forming a community, it also involves wide range of practices, including trade, plunder, settlement, negotiation, warfare, genocide and enslavement. Such practices generated and were shaped by a variety of writings; public and private records, trade documents, government 
Papers, letters, fiction and scientific literature.

For example
Frankenstein: A sci-fi novel(In nineteenth century scientific works were much in demand in contradiction with Romanticism as it was there, depicted by Mary Shelley).

Madam'e Bovary: A novel by Flaubert, where also we see elements of Romanticism, depicted through the female protagonist.

And many more are there, which we're not going to discuss here.

Thus Colonialism can be defined as the conquest and control of the other people's land and good. But in this sense colonialism doesn't begin with expansion of Europearn powers into India, Africas and Americas from 16th century, while it is a recurrent and widespread feature of human history; beginning from 2nd BC until 18th and 19th century, yet in present we can see such movements.

A Narrative of Colonialism

Colonialism can take place anywhere, it can be a small house, a small firm/a big firm, an institution or anywhere. The thing is you must have something in more amount than others. It can be knowledge, money, land, mind etc..But what it requires for its usefulness is a musive and wise mind. If this movement can mar something than it can also make something.

A hollow figure, like Salman Rushdie's concept of Commonwealth literature doesn't exist appeared,

Limping, unsupportingly humming with frequent blinking eyes seems as seen the world in straight exacting but narrowed eyes.

But how one can make others to see likewise? 
They may be having their broadened eyes,
From where they can see, visualize far-sightedly and make sense of happenings in and around.

The postcolonialsim/neocolonialism describes the aftermath of colonialism. It can be in two ways.

In temporal manner(aftermath)
In Ideological manner(supplantation)

Which suggests economically and financially dependent world. Where one is required to take appropriate steps to recover all the things that is lost but it happens sometimes things are realised early while sometimes it takes lot of time or sometime forever unrealized.

It focuses on beyond extracting tribute, lands, goods etc. But by colonizing people, adopting their indentured labour to sustain their lives. In thus way as mentioned below it also has some touch of imperialism but not specified as such.

The OED defines imperial as pertaining to 'empire' and imperialism as 'the rule of an emperor' especially when despotic and arbitrary, the principle and spirit of empire, advocacy of what are held to be imperial interests.

It has connection with royalty. If in terms of East India company we see trade privileges were given to them through connection of Elizabeth 1 and James 1, otherwise they won't be treated so.  Thus in connection of royalty imperialism can be seen.

Lenin emphasise on Imperialism in context of capital development. In his book "the highest stage of Capitalism"(1947) he has argued that 'the growth of financial capital and industry in western countries had created an enormous "superabundance" of capitalism'. The money couldn't be profitably invested at home, where labour is limited. The colonies lacked capital but abundant in labour and human resources. Therefore it needed to move out and colonize non-industrialized countries to sustain it's own growth. Thus Lenin predicts, in due course the rest of the world would be absorbed by Europian  finance capitalists.

It can be interpreted that they might be doing so because they only found skilled workers in colonized countries rather than in their own countries. They had abundance of money, while the latter had human resources to produce. Therefore as it is considered to be the highest system of colonization, it is a global system and some commentators said to be prevailing prior to colonialism.

It can be defined in terms of temporaenity and spatiality. Considering the latter term, simply it means  a metropolis(metropolitan country) colonize other country and try to penetrate colonies. The only thing makes difference between colonialism and imperialism is; colonialism takes place with formal colonies, while in latter case, it doesn't happen as such.

Hence in this manner, Imperialism can be defined.

With the advent of colonialsim, postcolonial period was started. Due to administrative colonialism, industrialization happened whatever India or any third world country had in the form of resources was looted by the Europeans to made their way but when realized 'now it is over(resources can be used in such a way that those can keep on multiplying rather than getting instant depletion from the Earth, it seems they didn't have this sense) they demanded indentured labour of colonized people of third country.

Considering these all factors how badly the environment was distorted, the trees which are the sources of fresh air and oxygen are barrened, water is badly polluted by manufacturing factories and throwing harmful chemicals and solid wastage in river. Changes on Earth also leads to climate change. What is naturally considered is getting deteriorated gradually and that is what transforming naturality into artificiality, as a result of which we're having today biochemical fruits, crops(created by genetic changes) artificial water(for political purposes{Aro, canned oxygen etc}).

If refering conclusion part by Ania Loomba, there it is written that displacement of indigenous people and theft of the land is a feature of many spaces encroached by colonial settlers. Here we may have an example of: South Asia and Africa.

Mosop(movement for survival of Ogoni people): Where the rich oil-land was encroached by multinationals, which caused large scale displacement of indeginious people and wide-scale environmental destruction.

Narmada Bachao Aandolan: The NBA project,which was funded by multinationals and indigenous capital to develop the score of dams further, but it promoted protests by tribal people as they were forced to abandon their lands. While later on, the case was ruled by supreme court to support the development of dams.

"Chittaroopa Palit says she and her comrades learnt a lot about the structures and processes of globalization through this struggle. Especially the valuable lesson was"..

In above instance it is highlighted that though there was involvement from government and an abled support group, but they can't supplant the mass movement struggle on the ground. Albeit The refusal by SPD government in Berlin to Siemens, the Berlin multinationals, for Building up the dam in Maheshwar, it agreed to underwrite the company's involvement in Tehri Dam in Himalayas and in catastrophe of three gorges Dam in China. Both were as destructive as Narmada Project but in neither instance were there strong mass struggles on the ground.

Concerning this Naramda Project had made its distinctive marks from the rest of the movements.

Politicians discussing about climate change😂

How it is satiric! One can't allege another directly but in one or the another status quo, we sense that worldly matters, don't happen without mediation of politicians and where they themselves in one or the another way, are involved in destruction of climate, how many a times they pretend to be a concern part of the most disturbing area.

Thus are the factors seen in this particular period, there can be more facilitating with this type.

Summing up this entire part in nutshell, definition of colonialism changes concerning its different strategis, prevailing at particular times. While Imperialism has a linear difference from colonialism and environment can be studied in terms of postcolonialism.

Works Cited

Loomba, Ania., "Colonialism/postcolonialism", 3rd edition.

-Colonialism

-Pre-Capitalism

-Neo-Colonialism/Imperialism 

-Imperialism: As Finance Development.

-Post-Colonialism

-Conclusion

{Topics refered from the Cited book}.

 

Postcolonial-Reading-Aime-Cesaire-A-Tempest

       The Tempest Vs A Tempest

Introduction: Post-colonialism is generally defined as 'anything happened after colonialism movement' is called post-colonialism. But in literal sense it differs, post-colonial is something, that has started with the very advent of colonialism, because since then it started affecting people's senses, sensitized their minds though in proportionate manner but it affected people's psychology very badly. While colonized were thrushed in dilemma, whether to suppress themselves or to speak it up. And such kind of tendency of any era, gives way to generate an ample of narratives, one of which is 'A tempest' by Aime Cesaire that we're going to discuss here.

The Tempest-William Shakespeare

In aforementioned scrap of the entire book, we can clearly see how Prospero is making Caliban remember that though he is saying that he would have people in some other island. But It was Prospero, who pitied on him and gave her training how to speak, lodged him in his own cell, while it is alleged by Caliban that speaking was taught by Prospero to fulfil his won personal motives. 

But as constantly instigating in Caliban, Caliban later on realizes that yes Prospero is too powerful to be defeated, and he isn't enough capable of doing so.

This is how language of colonialism is used by Prospero for Caliban to make him colonized. If one is made remember the felicitations done by people for them, then they won't raise their voice but rather willingly surrender to the power. Likewise response is being given by Caliban in the Tempest.

[Not resisting but willingly subordinating]

Aime Cesaire's A Tempest 

On the contrary if we see here then Caliban is resisting, hasn't become subordinative as he has become in The Tempest. Thus in this aspect A tempest differs from The Tempest. A tempest by Aime Cesaire is portraying Prospero as usual as in The Tempest by Shakespeare as tyrant and despotic ruler, while Caliban as violent, brutish and cruel slave and Ariel a mullato(a honey like personality) who places faith in his master and ultimately the faith wins and it hasn't happened with Caliban.

Prospero seems as rigid, demanding and stubborn, always craving for people who can value him and place importance on him. While may be he himself isn't aware of what is actually the nature of importance, it can't be acquired, it is earned for which you need to look into yourself and improve accordingly.

Ariel by being faithful to his master, he knows very well his master and his ways of working but not saying anything as may be he knowing that there won't be any effect of saying as such. If said then he won't be able to realize or deny me the freedom, for which he had promised me. Therefore it is better to stay aloof and count what we are getting. Seems to be practical but somewhat selfish kind of approach. Anything matters here or in Caliban's case is the question of survival.

Caliban a brutish, black, compassionate and cruel is always crying in front of his master for freedom, but not given till last. May be in form of his resistance, he is providing oxygen to Prospero, so he doesn't want to free him from his own tyrannical clutches.

It seems that Prospero is bit possessive and doubt as per his nature as in the text he says to his daughter that 'she was given birth in Milan and years, he was here as a Duke and also allege later in the novel on 'Caliban' that "he had been out from your cave, because he had tried once to abuse his daughter". Otherwise he wouldn't have sent him into the ghetto, which Caliban claims as 'filthy' and Prospero suggests that If it is cleaned, it won't turn into 'ghetto'.

We see in this novel the resisting power of Caliban as he hurls blames on Prospero of being ingratitude and he had to bow down in front of him, though the land belongs to his mother 'Sycorax'(personified as Earth). How he himself snatched the entire land from him as other colonizers used to do, being an old cancer and old addicted of. While he himself was made to look down, by imposing on him the identities of being underdeveloped, incompetent, savage, brute. Which actually he wasn't. 

In twentieth century, with the advent of revolution against slavery, Aime Cesaire had tried to portray 'Aime Cesaire's Shakespeare'. Where he is shown as resisting against Prospero rather than succumbing to and eventually the end leads to a happy ending, where Prospero and Caliban would be equalized, considering the area of power or slavery or would be left mere as a humanbeings to discover their own journeys.

While in 'the Tempest of Shakespeare' Shakespeare has only highlighted the vices and virtues of Caliban as well as Prospero, haven't comment on colonialism as it was found that his most of the audience belongs to English people, so he himself was being considered as slave.

{Aime Cesaire's Shakespeare).

Conclusion

Hence it seems that narratives keep on changing from time to time and anything happened in particular era, can be seen through time and space only by situating it in particular design. At first it feels that we're not able to see anything as some aspects are emerging while some are still hidden, and needs proper edging to put in proper light.

Works Cited

Cesaire, Aime., "A Tempest/Une Tempete", 1969.

Shakespeare, William., "The Tempest", 1923.

Postcolonial Reading: On Black Skin White Mask-Frantz Fanon

 

BLACK SKIN WHITE MASK

A book published in 1952 by Frantz Fanon, a psychiatrist and intellectual.

Generally it is perceived that with the advent of Colonialism, Post-Colonialism begun but it isn't the case. Along with Colonialism, Post-Colonialism started because when in 1857, Britishers consolidated power in India, the impact was disastrous on the mind of colonised people.

Obviously it has affected their sensitivity, and in effect of brooding none can speak for their rights. For rights also one needs knowledge and equal courage, though it doesn't happen in many cases but yes in some  cases it worked effectively and its repercussions are incredible and beyond one's imagination.

As it is said: "A brave has always space".

That is an another thing but as India was backward then in education as well as having such people who were mostly unaware of the resources which India had, otherwise they would have utilized well. As we discussed in previous paragraph, it may be happening due to lack of knowledge of the things that India had. So when Britishers came to India and brought with them the idea of global language(English language) which was majorly concerning trade and finance, this made people realize where they are lacking. Even though only those who were able to identify, were facilitated with this langauge, the rest were still struggling or just we can say 'beating around the bush'.

How it is, when everything is open in front of you and you're not understanding anything?

How this can be considered? Have you deadened your consceince, that it isn't able to either work for reception or for transmission?

You're just not seeing, where you're and what you yourself is doing, but finding problems in everyone?

Is it so that such people are habituated? But how then they will compensate that great loss? With what measure? Or would they be able to realise or do so? 

That is remaining to be seen..

Postcolonial Film: Abdul & Victoria{Ngugi Wa Thiongo: African Literature}

 

Ngugi Wa Thiongo: African Literature.

The colonial history is very long, starting from 1BC to subsequent BC's and eventually to present times. But as we're concerned with African literature and Ngugi Wa Thiongo's point of views on, 'the language of African literature, the language of African theatre and the langauge of African fiction.

The langauge of African literature can't be discussed meaningfully outside the context of those social forces, which have made it both; issue demanding our attention and a problem calling for a resolution.

Imperialism continues to control the economy, politics and cultures of Africa. But on the other pitted against it, are the ceaseless struggles of African people to liberate their economy, politics and culture from Euro-American based stranglehold to usher a new era of true communal self-regulation and self-determination. 

Exactly, if one is trying to control, another should strive their best to liberate those foundational essentials, that contribute in making any country as well as when comes, can destroy also as is practised by Euro-American Imperialists. If tried a hand in likewise manner then only one may have hope, if they may be having an usher of new era in the form of self-regulative and self-determinative communities because noone likes to live under such power, if one is given reasonably enough rights of living  better in their countries, then why one won't prefer to? One should be what one is, rather than paying homage to others.

How it is disheartening when we people, though have control on our lives and suddenly someone came and says that now I'm proprietor of your life and you have to do, as I direct you! How it would be? Is this fair to digest? Even though it isn't fairly digestible, but we have to work accordingly..Is it in this stage, where we are forced to deaden our conscience? Then how it would be...like something was teeming with life, but a touch of grave reality, has dried its roots. Where only the chaf of dried grass is there that has turned into golden ashes, which is now devalued and it is now fated to dissolve into whatever substance, it wants to because it has now lost its effect and when one thing is becoming ineffective, it is useless to see or even observe, where it is restraining and where it is giving reaction with abundant force.

In this manner some conferences being held at that time where they were required though belonging to Africa country to represent their work in English Language. The experiences which were suppose to be narrated, hailed from Africa and the language of narration was of English(which was giving them othering effect). 

Associating African literature, many unwanted, unpleasant things are related with African theatre and fiction also for which Chinua Achebe has shared some of his references and African novels.

Thus in this partial manner, we can say that "It was African literature". It was also there that if there works are written in their language than those won't get that recognition which was given to English literature. So only choice was to have English as representational language.

Victoria & Abdul, is a 2017 British Biographical drama film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Lee Hall. The film is based on the book of same name by Sharbani Basu, about the real-life relationship between Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her Indian muslim servant Abdul Karim. 

It stars Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Michael Gambon, Feldie, Izzard, Tim Piggot, Smith and Adeel Akhtar.

Concerning two characters; queen Victoria and Abdul(a muslim servant) as the critique of this very movie says, that: Queen Victoria faced all antagonism against her friendship with Abdul by the courtiers, while treating Abdul as an exotic pet that gives him a new lease of life.

[We may say here that as Abdul belongs to muslim family and perhaps from literally backward class, he is unable to recognize or identify, what Queen Victoria is doing. Yes she is serving him as per her conveinity, but how long, for this later part Abdul has to think that how long he will allow himself to be a subservient rather than understanding his own position and try to improve it. Noone can live in such environment very long and it seems to be sophisticated colonization, because here indirectly your tongue isn't given voice, rather it is indirectly crushed under your master's feet and as you are served beyond your expectations you're becoming happy with that temporal phase of life].

Abdul is so much obsessed, serving the queen that he isn't able to realize what he is doing, though one of the Indian servants, hired by Britishers is dead and without faltering he continues his service towards the queen. It seems as he is just tumbled into Queen Victoria's feet and may incapacitated and lacks ability to perform well so behaving in subordinative manner, while one can't do such things willingly but here it seems as Abdul has made this peculiar choice of doing so(he kisses the ground where Queen steps). 

If applying here post-colonial reading of India, Britshers economized their Industrial revolution through plundering India, reducing the country's share of the world economy from 13 percent to 4. While during 1976-78 and 1999-90 due to exploitation of local produce(grain) led to unprecedented poverty under the British Raj and thought to have killed up to 10 million people each. An instance of Jalianwala Baugh massacre(1921) where non-violent Indian protesters were fired by the British Indian Army(over thousand dead and many more thousand wounded).

If we see this through Indian perspective then many Indians may be reading Abdul as anti-Indian with faulty conscience that how one can be so much subordinate that he can't differentiate for himself, whether what is good or bad and ignorantly like to be treated exotically but not asking himself the question and not even realizing.

Works Cited

Thiongo, Ngugi, Wa., "Decolonizing the mind: The Politics of language in African Literature".

"Abdul&Victoria: The Post Colonial Critique of the film". Written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Frears, 2017.

Source Adoption

Barad, Dilip., "Shashi Tharoor and Dark Era of Inglorious Empire", Monday, 10 Sept., 2018.