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What Is The Theme Of We Could You Mr Birch Essay

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Kee Chuan Thye’s “We Could **** You Mr. Birch” is a drama set in the 19th century, portraying the days of the Malay Sultanate dilemma and the murder of British Resident, James Wheeler Woodford Birch in Perak. The screenplay revolves around the actors playing multiple characters; jumping in and out their roles from time to time and questioning the validity of the events while rehearsing the play. This study aims to scrutinize the colonial effects during British colonization from a postcolonial perspective. Postcolonialism employed into this text as the characters demonstrate great determination hindering the colonizers and enables the younger generation to experience the struggle and tribulation faced by the locals first hand during the dwell …show more content…

Throughout the story, the colonizers mock the locals on their rational conduct, therefore assuming the locals are barbaric. For example, Birch remarks the locals as “short –sighted hedonists” (Kee, 1998, p. 34) when they refuse to accept the transfer of power to collect taxes but in actual Birch wants to dominate the land. Governor Clarke perceives the natives as irrational because of the local fight over the tin mine in Larut. The British had to step in to solve the problem, thus presuming the locals are nonsensical. He is uncertain that the local is able to solve their problems when he refutes Mantri’s assertion on handling their own problems, “Even the matter of royal succession has not been properly settled” (Kee, 1998, p. 26). On the other hand, Resident Birch believes that he carries the responsibility of reconstructing the natives as he assumes they are uncivilized. Birch’s soliloquy, “We will lead the people to higher levels of achievement, make the land prosper. We must instil order and discipline. We must increase productivity. We must evolve a new breed of people who will be farsighted, innovative, ambitious, and industrious.” (Kee, 1998, p.33) substantiates the colonizers’ strong misjudgement on the …show more content…

The locals have been constantly opposed the British officials ideas and suggestion though they were forced to adhere to the commands. This is seen when the chiefs of Perak refuse the intrusion of British into their political affairs. Mantri refused the help of Governor Clarke appointing Raja Abdullah as the Sultan as the chiefs unanimously believes he is incompetent to be Sultan of Perak. Mantri was firm that they are capable of handling their own affairs because he knew the British’s intention and giving in to the British will further enhance the power of colonizer on their land. Apart from that, Raja Abdullah was forced to sign the proclamation to transfer Perak to the British Resident, Birch. According to Birch, he was hindered from carrying out his duty, thus, breaching the Pangkor Treaty.Sultan Abdullah did not agree to cooperate with British government because his sovereignty will be taken away. Unfortunately, Governor Jervois threatened Sultan Abdullah to replace his place with Raja Yusuf if he refuses to sign the proclamation. In order to redeem themselves from the colonizer, the chiefs collectively agreed to kill Birch as the last resort. Dato Maharajalela, believes killing

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