Orientalism is overtly mentioned in The God of Small Things when discussing the tourist trap much of Ayemenem has become is Rahel's absence. The demolition of the History House as well as the sad lifestyle the traditional actors now live shows the obvious downsides of the Western fascination with the novelty of their culture. What's more subtle however, is how the orientalist mindset has seeped into the minds of the higher caste Indians in the novel. Chacko is held in high regard due to his English education despite his obvious character flaws, while Baby Kochamma's life has been largely derailed by the enjoyment of Western television. Perhaps the most dramatic case however, is that of Sophie Mol.
Upon her adoptive father's death Sophie makes her first trip to India to escape the turmoil. Although she lives a Western lifestyle, the premise of visiting her family and perhaps reconnecting with her culture isn't an inherently orientalist one. She doesn't seem to view the trip from a touristy perspective like many other English kids might, yet the way her family treats her forces her into this East/West binary. While she is initially off-put but some of her family's foreign customs and foods, Sophie has no opposition to playing with her Indian cousins and bonding with them. The issue arises in how her Indian family puts her on a pedestal for her whiteness, reinforcing her as "better" despite the child's best attempts to reconnect. It seems as though Roy is criticizing Indians for buying into this white superiority mindset just as much as she's criticizing the Westerners who promote it.
It wouldn't be right to blame the negative effects of orientalism on those subjected to it, yet The God of Small Things certainly reveals another angle that Said seems eager to overlook. Whether it be due to promises of status, wealth, or "civility" many individuals have been sold on orientalism and have thus unintentionally propagated the downfall of their own society. In this book alone we see the commercialization of traditional culture and the judgment dealt by fellow Indians in accordance with Western values, all misguided forms of self-deprecation. As stated before, it's hard to place the blame for this on the Indians themselves, yet it remains a sad and often overlooked aspect of colonialism that affects many nations to this day.
I found your post really insightful. I was thinking many of the same things about the other side of Orientalism, but haven't been able to verbalize it in such an effective way. I think there are arguments on both sides, and it's hard to 100% one culture for something that effects that many people.
ReplyDeleteI agree Jacob, and I think your perspective brings us back to the central idea that weaves its way through each book we have read this year: Jessica Benjamin's mutual recognition. As you suggest, mutual recognition between people from the East and West is prevented not only by the West's superior attitude, but also by the East's acceptance and assimilation into Western culture, thereby denigrating their own.
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