Essay on A Passage to India

Modernism, trailing after Realism, is a style that follows the mantra “Make it new!” It challenges previous styles, focusing less on spirituality and more on science and technology, becoming apathetic and less optimistic. Narrative style is a writing style that is presents all events in chronological order, and has a tendency to change focus going from one setting to another.

Paige Raibmon’s book “Authentic Indians” take a closer look at the concept of authenticity in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Focusing on the culturally diverse Aboriginal people of the Northwest Coast, Raibmon examines how both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people constructed and used the idea of the authentic Indian to achieve their goals. Drawing examples from three ‘episodes’ or stories about Aboriginal people of the Northwest Coast, Raibmon argues that authenticity is not a set marker that we can use to measure the distance between what an Aboriginal culture looks like today and what “real” Aboriginal culture looks like. Instead, Raibmon says that authenticity is an important and changing set of ideas that were used

1~ Even if the indias change in looks, in the hearts they are still savages

“Each funeral was a funeral for all of us”: Notions of Race, Identity and Mortality in Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Modernistic authors can be described as ones who embraced the nontraditional ideas being introduced into American society during the twentieth century, challenging long standing traditions concerning racism and socioeconomic status determining an individual’s future or success. Emancipation: freedom from restraint, control, power of another, or from any controlling influence was a major theme of the modernistic era. Another term commonly associated with modernism is juxtaposition: defined as two images that are otherwise not commonly brought together appear side by side or structurally close together, thereby forcing the reader to stop and reconsider them meaning of images, ideas, motifs and common practices or expectations associated with society. (There are many other terms associated with modernism.) Two authors, Ralph Ellison and Harper Lee both demonstrate many examples associated with emancipation and juxtaposition.

As they reach America at last, Amir’s wife introduces herself to Sohrab sweetly, but he just, “shift[s] on his feet and look[s] away” (358). Sohrab does not say much, do much, or move much at all. Imagery presented in this stage of the journey is quite gloomy, what with Sohrab’s blandly colored clothes, sallow face, and plain room. Amir and his wife seem gloomy as well, as they are always whispering, crying, or wondering what went wrong. The saving grace and the real transformation happens at the celebration of the Afghan’s New Year’s Day. After a day of muteness that has become regular, Amir and Sohrab finally connect through the kite flying contest. This is something to which Amir and Hassan dedicated their lives when they were children. Amir is overwhelmed with joy to see that, “one corner of his mouth had curled up just so. A smile” (370). It seems like nothing, but this truly is a breakthrough with this child. If it were not for Hosseini’s descriptive words that lend to pure joy and elation, the reader would not even realize what a momentous occasion this is. Hope may seem lost when traveling a guilt filled path, but if one’s intentions are honest and efforts are useful, forgiveness will find its way

In the US alone, there are more than 10,000 books challenged each year. Sherman Alexie’s novel, the Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, has not only been challenged but successfully banned in many states. In this book, a poor Native American boy named Junior is living with his family on an Indian reservation, hoping for a better future. To achieve this, he must leave the reservation and betray his community. Junior transfers to Reardan High School and gives us personal insight on how Indians are really treated. Nevertheless, the story has been challenged and banned for what people believe to be its sexism, racism, bullying, vulgarness, explicit language, violence, and the use of drugs/ alcohol. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian should not be banned because it exposes young adults to the reality of bullying, racism, and stereotypes in an educational manner.

The birth of the modernist movement in American literature was the result of the post-World War I social breakdown. Writers adopted a disjointed fragmented style of writing that rebelled against traditional literature. One such writer is William Faulkner, whose individual style is characterized by his use of “stream of consciousness” and writing from multiple points of view.

A maxim is a general truth or rule of conduct. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is filled with Maxims. From classics maxims about perception to more serious maxims about leaving your birthplace for opportunity and hope. In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Junior experiences much change in his life. He decides to transfer to a predominantly white farm school from the rez school. But, the rez was not happy with him transferring. In the process, he loses his best friend and family members. Junior learns many things about himself and how to lead himself through life. Throughout this essay, a few maxims will be highlighted that exemplify the lessons that Junior learns and the relation of his experiences to my own life. Throughout The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Junior teaches us and himself about Maxims and their life long value.

In a novel by Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, important issues are brought to light, such as poverty, racism, alienation, and more, with little to no sugar coating. It is a one of a kind novel due to the vivid descriptions and sense of humor that give a first-person perspective on the life of a teenage Indian struggling through life and pushing past all odds in search of success. This book focuses on a small isolated reservation in Wellpinit Washington. As it brings to light the issues that these isolated reservations face when it comes to economics and healthcare. This story may focus on one person and tribe but it depicts issues that have arisen due to the wrongdoings that all Native American tribes suffered through because of the United States government.

Juniors way of coping with harsh reality In the book “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie, the character Junior faces a lot of racism and poverty. Not only is Junior unpopular and alienated, but the victim of taunts and bullying as well. Poverty is shown prevalently throughout the novel through how Arnold lives on a day to day basis. Though to cope with these issues he draws and writes and tries to overcome them.

Before examining the modernist elements in the above mentioned novels, I would like to look at some of the features of Modernism.

Modernism is also characterized by the use of fragmentary techniques. Compared with earlier writing, modernist literature tends to omit explanations, interpretations, connections, summaries and distancing that provide clarity and continuity in traditional literature. The ideas of order, sequence, and unity are abandoned because they are considered by modernist writers as only expressions of a desire for coherence rather then truthful reflections of reality. A poem or a novel is built through an assemblage (or collage) of fragments, and a short work is a fragment itself. This fragmentation is meant to reflect the modern reality, a reality of flux and alienation. Fragments are drawn from diverse areas of experience. They can be vignettes of contemporary life, chunks of popular culture, dream imagery, religious symbols or symbols from the author’s own life experience. These various levels and different kinds of materials enable the modernist work to move across time and space, shift from the public to the personal and respond to different sorts of concerns of a larger audience.

This is not to say that texts of the modernist era have no events, or that their characters sit at home all day long thinking. Many

E.M. Forster’s classic novel “A Passage to India” tells the story of a young doctor, Dr. Aziz, and his interactions with the British citizens who are residing in India during the time of the British Raj. Throughout the novel, the reader gets many different viewpoints on the people and the culture of India during this point in history. The reader sees through the eyes of the Indian people primarily through the character of Dr. Aziz, and the perceptions of the British through the characters of Mr. Fielding, Adela Quested, and Mrs. Moore. Through the different characters, and their differing viewpoints, the reader can see that Forster was creating a work that expressed a criticism that he held of the behavior of the British towards their Indian subjects.