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Applying Postcolonial Theory to Text.pdf
Applying Postcolonial Theory to Text.pdf
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Applying Postcolonial Theory to Text.pdf
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- 2. PostcolonialTheory Applying postcolonial theoryto a literary work involves analyzing how the text reflects, challenges, or supports the power dynamics of European colonialism. The emphasis is not on the time period in which the book was written but rather on its “worldliness,” ،how it engages with the history of empire.
- 3. Analyzethe"Gaze"andRepresentation Be attentive tothe speakers and the way the "Other" (the non-European) is portrayed. Postcolonialism frequently draws on Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism, which suggests that the West constructs a romanticized or "savage" image of the East as a way to justify colonial rule.
- 4. Application Determine if thetext presents the colonized as "exotic," "primitive," or "irrational" in comparison to a "civilized" European center. In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the author frequently describes African characters using terms like “shapes,” “shadows,” or “savages,” without offering them names or distinct voices. A postcolonial interpretation, particularly by Chinua Achebe, suggests that this dehumanization reduces Africa to merely a "backdrop" for the psychological breakdown of the European protagonist.
- 5. IdentifyBinaryOppositions Colonial discourse operateson binary oppositions: White vs. Black, Civilized vs. Savage, Rational vs. Emotional, Center vs. Margin. Postcolonial criticism aims to deconstruct these dichotomies.
- 6. Application Identify where thetext establishes "us vs. them" dynamics and determine whether the author reinforces these divisions or attempts to break them down. Example: In E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India, the "muddle" of the Marabar Caves disrupts the "order" of British logic. The narrative explores the contrast between English "rationality" and Indian "mysticism," ultimately questioning whether the two can ever meet as equals.
- 7. ExamineLanguageand"WritingBack" Many postcolonial writersutilize the language of the colonizers, which is often English, but they "colonize" it in return by integrating local dialects, untranslated words, and indigenous rhythms. This approach helps them assert their own identity. This practice is commonly known as "Writing Back to the Center."
- 8. Application Look for "Englishes"(plural) instead of just "Standard English." Notice if the author chooses not to translate certain cultural terms, compelling Western readers to enter their world. Example: In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Achebe employs the English language while incorporating Igbo proverbs and metaphors. This approach demonstrates that the Igbo language and culture are complex and sophisticated, effectively countering the colonial notion that African languages were merely "primitive grunts."
- 9. LookforHybridityandMimicry Homi Bhabha's conceptsof hybridity, which refers to the mixing of cultures, and mimicry, where the colonized imitate the colonizer, are essential tools for understanding colonial discourse. Mimicry is often "double-edged"; it may appear to be a form of submission, but it can also serve as a means of mockery or subversion.
- 10. Application Seek characters whoexist between two worlds. Explore whether they feel like "tragic hybrids" or if their dual identity provides them with a unique power. Example: In V. S. Naipaul’s The Mimic Men, characters often struggle with being half-and-half, reflecting the fragmented nature of post-independence India.
- 11. Recoverthe"Subaltern"Voice The term "subaltern,"popularized by Gayatri Spivak, refers to individuals who are so marginalized that they lack a voice within dominant colonial and nationalist structures, such as poor women and peasants.
- 12. Application Consider the "silences"in the text. Who is not allowed to speak? If you are reading a colonial-era text, try to imagine the story from the perspectives of the silent characters. Example: Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea serves as a postcolonial "prequel" to Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. It takes the character of the "madwoman in the attic" (Bertha Mason), who remains a voiceless figure in the original English text, and gives her a voice, a name (Antoinette), and a history as a white Creole woman in Jamaica.