World Literatures in EnglishWorld Literatures in English世界英文文學與電影中的

南亞

加勒比海地區

非洲

移移民民

Fall, 2011 Kate Liu

成長故事成長故事

Outline

Let’s start with three pictures. . . What are “

World Literatures in English”? Main Concerns:

– (de-)colonization; – migration;– identity Stories of Growth

Difficulties and Relevance 2 examples References

What do you think about these three images?

 ( 中正紀念堂〉，《台北謠言》

阮義忠先生

攝

慈湖

Three significant images in the history Taiwan’s colonization or decolonization?

聯合報記者 曾吉松／攝影 http://udn.com/NEWS/NATIONAL/NATS3/4162779.shtml

Yes and no.

Yes, because they do mark three important changes in the usages of a sign of political (colonial?) authority.

No, because – KMT is not from a “foreign” country. – De-colonization is impossible—or an ongoing

process and Taiwan’s democratization is not yet well-developed.

Are you “colonized”? How is studying English literature

connected with colonization?

English literature and Colonial Education

1. Colonial Education/Civilization = done thru’ missionary, medicine and literature, etc.

2. The purpose of colonial education: Macaulay: "We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern; a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect." (source)

3. In India: first the Bible, and then English literature, done thru the East India Company.

English literature and Colonial Education

India -- “Studying English literature was seen as a way of 'civilising' the native population. By 1835, this tactic was made law by the English Education Act, which officially required Indians to study in English and to study English literature. ” (Eaglestone 11)

Taiwan -- In Taiwan: translation of American Modernist literature in the 60’s. (reference:美援文化傳播下的現代主義文學)

Colonization (or neo-colonialism) is inevitable, but we can be self-aware and selective in receiving its influences. One way to do it is to broaden our perspective and avoid US/Japan/Korea fever by understanding more cultures than just the dominant ones.

What are World Literatures in English?

Two kinds of misunderstanding -- English literature and World literature

Definitions (see course intro.)

Mapping World Literatures in English

World Literatures in English: Major Concerns

1. (De-)Colonization

2. Migration, Diaspora

3. Identity + Language, Nation, Racial & Gender Stories of Growth

Major Concerns (1) Colonization

What is it? Colonization= one nation’s

exploitation, control and possession of another nation on the levels of culture, politics and economy.

e.g. Slavery and Racism

World Literatures in English

History of European Colonization in Brief –Beginning

From exploration to trade and invasion/settlement.

Columbus’s ‘discovery’ – 1492 (Before him, some Vikings.)

One in three of the indigenous population of Hispaniola were dead within two years of Columbus’s arrival; in 30 years they had all been wiped out. (causes: disease [small pox], torture, imprisonment and mass suicide, Walder 25)

(image source)

The Effects of Smallpox Decimated The Americas When The Europeans Helped Spread the Disease in the 16th Century, As Depicted In This, The Florentine Codex

Major Concerns (1): Physical and Cultural Colonization

Slavery & Racism

World Literatures in English

(Left) a boat for the Middle Passage;

Image source: Identity and Difference 323

Example: (slavery) Mansfield Park

Physical and Cultural Colonization

Slavery & Racism

World Literatures in English

(Right and Left) evidence for scientific racism

Image source: (right) Identity and Difference 308 (left) “scientific racism”

Major Concerns (1):

Effects of Colonization

Unequal Power Relations

– caused by and/or related to the two above

– between different cultures, men and women, the colonizer and the colonized, the haves and have-nots, etc..

Stereotyping

World Literatures in English

Example (skipped):

--The English Patient-- Sheltering Sky, -- Out of Africa, -- Heart of Darkness

Major Concerns (1): Effects of Colonization –

Stereotyping the natives We were wanderers on prehistoric earth, on an earth

that wore the aspect of an unknown planet. We could have fancied ourselves the first of men taking possession of an accursed inheritance, to be subdued at the cost of profound anguish and excessive toil. But suddenly, as we struggled round a bend, there would be a glimpse of rush walls, of peaked grass-roofs, a burst of yells, a whirl of black limbs, a mass of hands clapping, of feet stamping, of bodies swaying, of eyes rolling, under the droop of heavy and motionless foliage. The steamer toiled along slowly on the edge of a black and incomprehensible frenzy. The prehistoric man was cursing us, praying to us, welcoming us – who could tell? (Heart of Darkness –to be cont’d)

World Literatures in English

Major Concerns (1): Effects of Colonization --

Stereotyping

We were cut off from the comprehension of our surroundings; we glided past like phantoms, wondering and secretly appalled, as sane men would be before an enthusiastic outbreak in a madhouse. We could not understand because we were too far and could not remember, because we were travelling in the night of first ages, of these ages that are gone, leaving hardly a sign – and no memories. (Heart of Darkness 68 – 9)

World Literatures in English

Major Concerns (1): Implicit Colonization

Dominance of English people(e.g. A Passage to

India –The Bridge Party that creates a gap) Narrow definitions of English and Eng.

Literature– white man’s burden (assimilationism)

(e.g. My Fair Lady—English Language)

“The Empire Writes back” --with englishes, parodies, distinct or a mixture of cultures.

World Literatures in English

Major Concerns (2): Migration and Diaspora (離散族群 )

Five kinds of Diaspora: Victim(e.g. Jews, Africans,

Armenians), Labour (e.g. Indian, Chinese), Trade (e.g. Chinese and Lebanese), Imperial (e.g. the British), Cultural diasporas—most of our

literary writers & some of our relatives and friends.

World Literatures in English

Source: Global Diaspora: An Introduction ix

Major Concerns (3):

Identity --Who am “I”?

1. National, Cultural/Racial, & Gender Identities-- are all influenced and challenged by colonization, civil wars and (multiple) migration– e.g. multiculturalism & double identity– e.g. “What is Worth Knowing”

Look for (1) the signs of Indian culture; (2) the “Western” signs of displacement

World Literatures in English

Major Concerns (3):

Identity --Who am “I”?

2. Asserting one’s Identity thru’– Language, Literature as well as

Different Ways of Living and Acting.– e.g. Caliban ““You taught me

language, and my profit on 't / Is I know how to curse.”

– e.g. “Situation” Note: allusions Max Mueller Bhavan -- All the

institutes in India, is known as Max Mueller Bhavan – in honour of Max Müller (1823-1900), a scholar of comparative religion and co-founder of modern Indian studies.

World Literatures in English

Review: Course Title: (1) World Literatures in English

(see syllabus)

English ≠ UKAmerican ≠ USForeign Film ≠ Hollywood Film

Postcolonial Literature: Main Concerns?

1. Cultural Colonization and its Impact (Civil War included) on Race, Gender and Class Relations

2. Diaspora and Global Migration

3. Identity

Maps and Areas of Focus

(source)

World Literatures in English: Possible Difficulties & Relevance

Difficulties1. Language

2. Culture and History

3. Some “Postcolonial” Styles

RelevanceChinese Diaspora and Taiwan’s

experience of multiple colonization

Course Title: (2) Stories of Growth

1. Children: vulnerable and receptive to influences of

their environment like an innocent mirror posed to society

2. Experience of growth(genre: bildungsroman) “turning points,” rite of passage (first day of

school, most embarrassing moment, wedding)

with thoughts and needs we can relate to.

Points of Access: Sameness & Difference Building a context to connect

Example 1: The Peace Tree

Festival of lights: Diwali (in Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism), Hanukkah (Judaism) and Christmas

Ramadan ( 齋月 ) Peace Tree – a child’s way of wishing

for peace in the world But can the world’s conflicts be solved

thru’ celebrating different festivals together?

One Example: P. By Elaine Ko

P. – What’s impressive? What’s the main point?

French Open and

Tornado “Help Find Will Norton”

personal pains

Worldly disasters

-- e.g. wars in Syria, etc.

numbness

-- How do we put things into perspective? creating larger contexts

-- How do we relate to others’ pains?

References

Eaglestone, Robert. Doing English : A Guide for Literature Students. London ; New York Routledge, 2002.

Walder, Dennis. Post-Colonial Literatures in English: History, Language, Theory. Blackwell P, 1998.

Cohen, Robin. Global Diaspora: An Introduction. Seattle: U of Washington P, 1997.