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A  Web of Complex Colonial Relationships : A Postcolonial Analysis of A Passage to India by E.M. Forster

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India through the lens of postcolonial criticism, with a specific focus on Edward Said’s theory of Orientalism. It explores the complexities of colonial relationships in India during the British Raj, examining themes of power dynamics, cultural dominance, and racial discrimination. By drawing from key postcolonial theorists such as Edward Said and Frantz Fanon and other writers like Albert Memmi, the essay explains how Forster’s narrative exposes the influence of Western superiority and the perpetuation of cultural disparities between the colonizer and the colonized. It underscores the portrayal of Chandrapore as a microcosm of colonial tensions, where privileged English settlers dominate over the marginalized native population. The essay also discusses Forster’s critique of colonial conditions and the accidental reinforcement of Orientalist stereotypes. Ultimately, it concludes that A Passage to India effectively portrays the clash between Eastern and Western cultures within the colonial context, thereby highlighting the expressed urgent and significant desire for autonomy.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:hig-44379
Date January 2024
CreatorsAl-Khadra, Shahla
PublisherHögskolan i Gävle, Avdelningen för humaniora
Source SetsDiVA Archive at Upsalla University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeStudent thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text
Formatapplication/pdf
Rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

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