Burmese Days by George Orwell - Paper Example

Published: 2021-08-15
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Carnegie Mellon University
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George Orwell, British writer, published the novel, Burmese Days in 1934 in the United States. The story tells on the times when British colonialism when the Burma got governed as a section of the Indian empire. That is, "a portrait of the dark side of the British Raj." Orwells service in Burma for five years inspired this novel. The manuscript acts as an examination of a specific remote station in a particular isolated and small lumber town located in Burma town.

Based On Selection Of George Orwells Burmese Days, Explain The British Attitudes Towards The Colonials

The center of the story is John Flory, who is an individual seen to be lacking, alone and trapped within a system that is bigger and undermines human natures better side. The attitude of the British in this novel was that natives were natives and inferior people. It is a stultifying and stifling world that the settlers live in, a system whereby every thought and every word gets censored. Speaking freely is unthinkable, and the rule of law dictates opinions.

In the Burmese Days, the ways of the Empire are unchanging, hypocritical, brutal and greedy. During the period between 1922 and 1927 when George Orwell served in some Burmese towns, with the system involved being typically draining away the good from other people and their properties in return for a false social network and modernity which began as slavery. Flory had envisioned a time when the future would be much more fruitful with slavery and oppression out of the way. Were it not for the junta in Burma that was bloodthirsty and ran them oppressively; this future would be realized much earlier.

How Do You Account For The Virulent Racism Of These Men?

In the entire book, a stark contrast is noticeable between the race sentiments among the English. With most of the members of the English club, precisely Mr. Lackersteen and Ellis have a strong distaste for the natives from Burma and views them as "black, stinking swine." We also read that Ellis claims that he would rather "die in the ditch" than belong to a similar club with the natives.

The white men had a tendency of talking down to the natives. The main character in the Burmese days is not a dangerous man although he belongs to a club of the Europeans which was the proud boast of nearly alone clubs in Burma which had never before admitted to oriental membership. John Florys membership in the club does not necessarily qualify him as a racist on any level; however, his submissive recognition of the absolute hate speech of his companions shows how passive racism condones racism that is essential.

What Does This Story Suggest About Women In The British Colonial World?

No matter how females were expected to be revealed, they were always seen to be subjects to the subjugation or suppression of male power. The actions of Ma Hla May and Elizabeth from the Burmese Days were empowering the females by getting back the masculinity power back to the ladies. For instance, from the book, we see Elizabeth at the hunting scene getting closer to power. When she holds the gun, she wields power, which gets interpreted as a show of masculinity.

Women from the story are seen to internalize their repressive roles without their knowledge. Concerning this, they cannot accomplish true power and escape the male-controlled domination. To a certain extent, Peiyi thinks that ended up in a more powerful and advantageous position, which I what she wanted although the masculine principles still subdued her.

Work Cited

George Orwell Burmese Days 1934. Worlds of History, volume 2 edited by Kevin Reily, Bedford-St. Martins, 2013, pp.849-857.

 

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