Postcolonialism, After Empire? Flashcards
context and background, "Lawley Road", "Girls At War", "Ruins of a Great House"
What are the different arguments for the beginning of Postcolonialism?
- When people started building colonialism
- When colonies became independent
- When resistance began
Imperialism vs. Colonialism. What is the difference?
Imperialism:
empire, expanding
domination, control
ideology -> attitude
Colonialism:
formal colonies
appliance of ideology
colonialism is a practice
What are contact zones in colonial discourse? What is the outcome of colonial encounters on the two colliding cultures?
- social space where colonies meet, clash and grapple
relations of domination and subordinates
–> when two meet, both change: transformation, transculturation, fusion, amalgamation, creolization
What are the aims of Postcolonial writing in general and when it comes to the English literary canon?
- writing back (remembering culture)
–> speak up against dominant culture; emancipation; memorisation
Where is the setting of the story “Lawley Road”?
- fictional town Malguldi: blend of traditional Indian and British colonial influence
- postcolonial India: reflects social/political changes in India
after independence -> cultural identity, modernisation
The Talkative man said:
introduces and humorous observations, blending fact and fiction in way that reflects the oral storytelling tradition of India
What is the narrative perspective of the text “Lawley Road”?
1st person narration from talkative man (unreliable, yet insightful)
The story of “Lawley Road” is preoccupied with the statue of Mr. Lawley. What happens to the statue? What purpose does it serve in a Postcolonial discourse within the text?
- exposes the indecision
- highlights absurdity of hasty decisions by political agendas rather than informed reflection
- dealing with colonialism not as straightforward as erasing all physical symbols; requires deeper understanding
What is the setting of the story of “Girls at War”?
- set during Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970)
- conflict between Biafra and Nigerian Government
- reflects harsh realities of war
What is the narrative situation in the text “Girls at War”?
3rd person limited perspective; primarly focusing on the viewpoint of the protagonist Reginald
The two main characters in “Girls at War” meet several times. What changes between each encounter?
1st encounter:
* Glady: patrionism -> wants to volunteer
* Reginald: government official
later:
* Glady: pragmatic, on survival mode
Reginald: hypocrite -> promises her easy life; laughs about his friends who enjoy it
The characters in Girls at War are morally questionable. How so? How do these moral questions relate to Postcolonialism?
Reginald:
* disconnected from everyda suffering of war
* questions Glary’s morals even though he is the one with no humanity
–> hypocrite -> meeting her for sex
Gladys:
* uses charm and beauty for personal gain rather than national service
Postcolonialism:
* tested by harsh realities
* face ethical dilemmas and internal contradictions
What is the setting around the lyrical I in “Ruins of a Great House”? What are its connotations?
funeral poem -> place has died decades ago
- surrounded by decaying remnants of colonial plantation
-> symbolising decline of imperial power - serves as metaphor for both personal and collective historical reflection
-> evoking feelings of abandonment, struggle with painful memories
How does Walcott use the English canon in his poem “Ruins of a Great House”?
- references to works by Milton and Marvell
–> highlights contradictions of colonial heritage - critiques imposition of colonial values while acknowledging their influence on his own artistic identity
Where do we see the concept of Transculturation in the poem “Ruins of a Great House”?
- using both Carribean and European imagery, language and literary references
–> shows how cultures interact and shape each other - reveal tension between embracing and resisting colonial influence
