Assignment: How does George Orwell's "Burmese Days" support some of the generalizations made by Jurgen Osterhammel in "Colonialism"? How does it deepen one's understanding of dual society, the European club, and colonial racism?
1. The teacher has a very strict grammar policy, and HATES passive voice, hanging quotations, contractions, improper apostrophe format, and other grammatical imprecisions. I did my best to omit these on this draft, but please let me know if I missed anything.
2. I want to make sure that I fully answered the question and fleshed out all of its parts, however, the paper can't be more than 750 words.
3. I know that the citation format is kind of imprecise, but it's the format that she requested so I just go with it, haha!
European colonialism dramatically altered the political and social landscape of its new territories. By the end of the 19th century, European "free trade" imperialism included much of Southeast Asia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Africa within a swiftly growing world mercantilist economy (p. 277-278). European entrepreneurs entered these developing colonies with the intention of dominating the native peoples, which swiftly alienated the two societies. Fear of native rebellion, as well as European perceptions of racial superiority prompted colonial leaders to form new "dual societies," in which natives were completely segregated from their white overlords (p. 278-279). These new, segregated societies completed the transition from a time of partnership to one of subordination in colonized lands. Jurgen Osterhammel's "Colonialism" outlines the social order and class rivalry present between European and native society during the colonial epoch. George Orwell's "Burmese Days" supports Osterhammel by looking into these dual societies within the context of fiction, portraying colonial racism and the establishment of exclusive "European clubs" that served to isolate native society from the social and political hegemony of Europeans. Taken together, "Colonialism" and "Burmese Days" provide a detailed account of European racism within dual colonial society through the exclusivity of the European club.
According to Osterhammel, European attitudes of racial superiority stemmed from Christian Eurocentrism, which made it seem base and wrong to maintain an equal relationship with non-Europeans (p. 279). This sentiment manifested itself through the British interregnum of Java from 1811-1816. According to the British, cultural mixing with Asians had infected the Batavian Dutch, necessitating a cultural decontamination. The British decreed that whites and mestizos must become "civilized Europeans," separating themselves from the barbarisms of the Javanese natives (p. 279). Orwell's "Burmese Days" mirrors this sentiment. The primary conflict within "Burmese Days" resides in a proposed "oriental" addition to the European club. Mr. Macgregor, a Club secretary, writes that Dr. Veraswami should be included within the ranks of the Kyauktada Club, despite being a non-European citizen (p. 285). Maxfield, one of the more vocal members of the group, immediately voices his distaste by saying, "Little pot- bellied n----s breathing garlic in your face over the bridge-table. Christ, to think of it! [We have] got to hang together and put our foot down on this at once" (p. 285).
Osterhammel's "Colonialism" also states that many Europeans detached themselves from the native environment, precipitating the formation of European clubs. One example of this detachment existed in India, where the British remained very separate from the indigenous populace. British cultural isolation intensified once the status of Eurasian Anglo-Indians had deteriorated after the 1780s. The European club served as an escape from that awkward existence, and guaranteed the British overseers a place where they could be not only separate from outsiders, but also superior in their own right (p. 279-280). Ellis, a character in "Burmese Days," personifies this detachment. Ellis demonstrates the perceived sanctity of the European club by describing it as ". . . the only place where we can enjoy ourselves" (p. 286). In the eyes of Ellis, the club represents an escape from colonial drudgery, and a last defense of European superiority.
"Burmese Days" and "Colonialism" both highlight the various tensions between European colonization forces and the indigenous peoples of the colony. Jurgen Osterhammel's "Colonialism" highlights this racial tension pervading dual society through an etic perspective and lists the effects of this tension upon Europeans, namely the inception of race-excluding clubs. Analysis of the sentiments displayed by fictional British characters within "Burmese Days" provides a fictional basis for Osterhammel's essay. Orwell's characters, on the whole, express extreme distaste for native peoples, which both fuels and necessitates a barrier between the two cultures. This barrier manifests itself through the European club organization, which allows no foreign incursion into its ranks. Threats to this sacred barrier incite vehement protest from many within the club, as well as vicious racism. Together, the two accounts of European and native dual society paint a portrait of violent racial tension that stretched the fabric of colonial society, the repercussions of which still plague the modern world.
some of the generalizations made by Jurgen Osterhammel in "Colonialism"
The first thing that comes to mind is that I would need to begin by explaining the generalizations made in "Colonialism." I might use some paragraph topic sentences to express generalizations made in Osterhammel and then use the rest of the paragraph to describe examples from Orwell.
Jurgen Osterhammel's "Colonialism" supports Orwell's suppositions by outlining the social order and class rivalry present between European and native society during the colonial epoch. ---- oops, I thought we were talking about how Orwell supports Osterhammel, not vise versa.
Each story provides a deeper understanding of the social upheaval present within European colonies as foreign intruders struggled to maintain their cultural superiority over subject peoples.--- as a thesis statement, this is a little too general and obvious. The question you were asked was "How do they deepen...?" and you answer it with a thesis statement that says "Both deepen..." when your thesis
should instead answer by saying "Both deepen
by doing ... (what)"
For example:
Each story provides a deeper understanding of the social upheaval present within European colonies as foreign intruders struggled to maintain their cultural superiority over subject peoples, and this is accomplished through ____, ______, and ________.
According to Osterhammel, this attitude of racial superiority stemmed from Christian Eurocentrism, which made it seem base and wrong to maintain an equal relationship with non-Europeans (p. 279). -------> Ellis further demonstrates the perceived sanctity of the European club by describing it as "... the only place where we can enjoy ourselves" (p. 286). --- these are good sentences for expressing how they portrayed generalizations. Your writing is great.
"Burmese Days" and "Colonialism"
each both highlight the...
This is strong writing, but consider using a topic sentence to introduce a point made by Osterhammel, and then using the rest of the para to show how that point is supported by Orwell.
Know what I mean!! ?? I don't know how well I explained that, or if maybe I am mistaken...
:-)
