Post-colonialism in The Dead and Possessing the Secret of Joy - Essay Example

Post-colonialism in The Dead and Possessing the Secret of Joy Post-colonialism is one of the most important theoretical frameworks through which literary works are understood. It has gained in prominence in the latter half of the twentieth century and has helped in the understanding of the imperialistic forces that operated in the world. It has also enabled a greater understanding of the imperial forces that existed in works that were produced before it actually became a recognized discipline. Works of the colonial era, such as The Dubliners by James Joyce, are examples where post-colonial theories can be applied to achieve a better understanding of the text. Post-colonialism aims to unveil the economic and cultural effects of the imperialistic forces that sought to subjugate nations across the world. The actual effects of colonialism were not limited to the economic aspects of things and post-colonialist theories seek to bring in the dichotomies that came to exist in the minds of the colonised. Theorists like Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak and Homi Bhabha have tried to explain the effects of colonialism. Amidst a number of voices that speak of the United States of America as a post-colonial state, Alice Walker is a prominent one. Her novel, Possessing the Secret of Joy, talks of the problems that the protagonist of the novel, Tashi faces as a result of the multiple identities that she finds in herself. Torn apart by the tensions that exist between these identities, Tashi is driven to a state of madness. Texts that talk of a colonial past often speak of confusion regarding the identity of the self. Walker’s novel reveals this confusion in the mind of the protagonist, Tashi, who is unable to decide upon her identity which is both Western and African. Walker seems to suggest that both these identities co-exist in the nation of the United States of America where various cultures and nationalities had come to mix. The melting-pot culture of America is referred to here and the choice that Tashi has to make is one that is relevant for many members of the American nation (Walker). Calls for the resurrection of pre-colonial identities only strengthen this dichotomy that exists in the minds of the erstwhile native. Proponents of the Negritude Movement such as Aime Cesaire talk of such a return to a pre-colonial identity where, in the African context, black would emerge as the new definition for beautiful. This is a reversal of colonial hierarchies where white European cultures were considered to be superior to colonised cultures which were branded as uncivilized and bestial (Ashcroft, Griffiths and Tiffin, 19). Such a reversal would serve no end rather than to divide an already fragmented sense of identity that people have. Writing in such an intellectual climate is a tricky affair. A writer like Derek Walcott accepts this and proclaims the fact that he is unable to articulate a single side of him- black or white. The language that many post-colonial writers use- English, is held up by Walcott as an example of the fact that a complete decolonization is impossible as it would not be possible to turn history backwards. He speaks of this in his poem, “A Far Cry from Africa”- I who have cursed The drunken officer of British rule, how choose Between this Africa and the English tongue I love? (Walcott) This inability to choose is what plagues Tashi. She makes the decision to embrace her Olinkan identity through a wilful acceptance of the circumcision ritual. This does not, however, solve her problems and she is still faced with the uncomfortable problems regarding her identity. Walker seems to suggest that in the multicultural world that exists today, it is not possible to live with a monolithic identity that would prevent one from understanding the complexity of the various identities that one is a part of. At a very biological level, any claim to a monolithic identity cannot be verified. At a cultural level, with the increasing use of technology, and westernization in the world, monolithic identities are not possible and can be said to be a thing of the past. It is necessary, however, to collect data regarding indigenous cultures so that the process of historiography may be carried out in a more objective manner. Post-colonial writing gives rise to works like Possessing the Secret of Joy which seek to map the experiences of subaltern communities. According to subaltern theorists, such narratives have the ability to enable a rethinking of conventional historical records and add to them (Chakrabarty, 473). Joyce’s The Dead, too, is one such work that seeks to add information regarding the life of Dublin. Ireland was in effect a colony of Britain and the effects of this can be seen in the character of Gabriel Conroy. The protagonist of the short story, he is constantly concerned about the erosion of the cultural values of the Irish. At the same time, he is reluctant to be an extremist at a point of time when the Irish nationalist movement was at its height. Joyce paints a portrait of the city of Dublin and places his protagonist in the midst of it. Conroy laments the state of his generation and observes that they lack the “qualities of humanity, of hospitality, of kindly humour which belonged to an older day” (Joyce). He however, refuses to stay nostalgic completely. He is, thus, torn between two worlds. Even at the end of the story, he is unable to turn completely sentimental in the way that his wife does. Apart from being a comment on the ennui of modern life, this is also a remark on the nature of the colonized subject who is confused about his or her own loyalties. The colonizer and its own culture are looked upon both as that of the self and of the other. A partial erasure of the indigenous culture of the colonized also leads to the growth of the confusion in the minds of the colonized. It is this erasure that is seen in the subaltern subject. A lack of respect for the indigenous culture as a result of the colonial education that is received is also mocked in Joyce’s story. Miss Ivors represents an extreme form of nationalistic fervor. She however, is also able to reveal the fact that Conroy feels reluctant to visit his own lands and would rather go to European destinations. While this in itself would not be significant, the fact that Conroy attempts to wriggle out of any suggestion to visit his native districts is indicative of the influence that popular culture and imperialist propaganda has on the minds of people. The problems of religion are another aspect of the story that highlights the colonial aspect. The society that Conroy meets at the party is made up of a variety of people who come from different backgrounds. The intermixing of different people from different positions in life is an aspect that the story sheds light on. Gabriel Conroy and Tashi Johnson are characters that are not unique in literature. Colonized subjects and their identities are subjects that have been dealt with to a great extent in modern and postmodern literature. The anxiety that this causes in the modern man is documented in subaltern theory as well. Writers like Walker and Joyce are able to incorporate these confusions in identities with other problems of gender and nationalism. They are, thus, able to present a nuanced portrait of the problem. These texts and their characters reveal the complexity of life in a post-colonial world and the difficulties that the erstwhile colonised subject has to face. People of the erstwhile colonies feel this in their everyday lives as well. The forces of neo-colonialism that affect the post-colonial world are those that operate on the basis of economic and cultural imperialism on the part of nations that are more affluent. As a result, native cultures are often erased from official accounts. They are however, not erased from the memories of individuals and communities. This discrepancy results in the creation of the tensions that have been discussed in this paper. These pull the individual and the community apart, often creating centers of power that did not exist in earlier societies. The problems of bilingualism and multilingualism also surface in these societies. This can be seen in Miss Ivors’ insistence on the knowledge of the Irish language. Her greeting to the members of the party is an indication of this. The colonizer’s language is often the official language and the language of power in erstwhile colonies. Such novel institutions within the society are often confusing for the natives of a nation. The importance of these features lie in the fact that the very mental landscape of entire communities is turned on its head in these situations whereby they have to change the way they think and act in the most basic of situations. Writing about such societies is often a complicated matter and requires a sensitive understanding of the issue at hand. An anthropological and linguistic analysis is essential for these writers. Only a rigorous analysis of these features will enable a realistic and sensitive portrayal of these societies. Works Cited Ashcroft, Bill, Gareth Griffiths and Helen Tiffin. The Empire Writes Back. New York: Routledge, 2008. Print. Chakrabarty, Dipesh. “Minority Histories, Subaltern Pasts”. Economic and Political Weekly 33 (9), 1998. Web. 25th April, 2012. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4406471 Joyce, James. “The Dead”. The Literature Network. Web. 25th April, 2012. http://www.online-literature.com/james_joyce/958/ Walcott, Derek. “A Far Cry from Africa”. Derek Walcott. Web. 25th April, 2012. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-far-cry-from-africa/ Walker, Alice. Possessing the Secret of Joy. New York: Random, 1993. Print. Read More