碩士 / 淡江大學 / 西洋語文研究所 / 90 / This thesis is divided into three chapters, focusing on the discussion of colonial strategies and anti-colonial resistance in A Passage to India from postcolonial perspective. In Chapter One, I first examine how E.M Forster represents the "postcolonial self" delineated by Fanon and Gandhi through the depiction of Dr. Aziz's transformation from a Moslem doctor at the Government Hospital to the Muslim nationalist. Besides, I also draw my attention on the discussion of remolding mechanism in colonial strategies constructed by the colonizer in order to hold their superior identity and to keep the colonized as a degenerate and inferior population in the novel. And that "postcolonial self," in other words, the rejection of cultural colonialism and acceptance of indigenous tradition, are considered the origin of anti-colonial activities since the colonized's liberation must be carried out through a construction of self and of autonomous dignity.
In Chapter Two, I discuss the mystery in Marabar Caves as the representation of "local knowledge" from postcolonial perspective. For postcolonial critics, they points out that while the European colonizer proposed the request of universality in philosophy and culture, they never considered the knowledge of other countries and their ignorance toward non-European world. The mystic characteristic of Marabar Caves can just represent the so-called "deterritorialised knowledge" in postcolonial theory, and such native culture and knowledge which express the unique difference from the dominant knowledge has become not only a major threat for the colonizer while they practice colonial strategy but also the theoretical foundation for the colonized to have anti-colonial battle.
In Chapter Three, I discuss the chance for anti-colonial movement provided by the law in this novel. Originally, the function of law is usually served as the discursive knowledge power for the colonizer to stretch their colonial privilege and realistic strategy. However, in A Passage to India, it not only becomes the obstacle of colonial domination but also the excuse and platform for Indians to have demonstration and resistance in terms of the mimicry, the "excess" concealed in the textual performance. While Aziz get the verdict of no guilt, Forster has let the result of the trial become a victory for anti-colonial resistance; moreover, it also intensifies the confidence of Indian for anti-colonial movement.
Then, I conclude that by reading the novel from postcolonial perspective, "epistemic violence" and the possibility of counter discourses will be gradually probed and that will produce "a new spirit…, which no one in the stern little band of whites could explain"(214), which is believed as an important spirit for the colonized Indian to achieve cultural decolonization and then fight for their national independence.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TW/090TKU00154006 |
| Date | January 2002 |
| Creators | ChengYih Chen, 陳政義 |
| Contributors | Huang, I-min, 黃逸民 |
| Source Sets | National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in Taiwan |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | 學位論文 ; thesis |
| Format | 119 |
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