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A Postcolonial Critique of the Unchosen and Things Fall Apart

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A Postcolonial Critique of the Unchosen and Things Fall Apart COLONIZATION, RESISTANCE AND TRANSFORMATION: A POSTCOLONIAL CRITIQUE OF THE UNCHOSEN AND THINGS FALL APART Rasib Mehmood (Reg #120955) DOCTORATE OF PHILOSOPHY in Linguistics and Literature DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AIR UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD March, 2016 ii COLONIZATION, RESISTANCE AND TRANSFORMATION: A POSTCOLONIAL CRITIQUE OF THE UNCHOSEN AND THINGS FALL APART Rasib Mehmood (Reg #120955) A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTORATE OF PHILOSOPHY in Linguistics and Literature To DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AIR UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD March, 2016 iii THESIS/DISSERTATION AND DEFENSE APPROVAL FORM The undersigned certify that they have read the following thesis, examined the defense and are satisfied with the overall performance of the following candidate: Thesis Title: COLONIZATION, RESISTANCE AND TRANSFORMATION: A POSTCOLONIAL CRITIQUE OF THE UNCHOSEN AND THINGS FALL APART Submitted By: Rasib Mehmood Registration #: 120955_ Name of Student Doctorate of Philosophy Degree Name in Full Degree Name in Full (Linguistics and Literature) Name of Discipline Dr. Riaz Hassan ______________________________ Name of Research Supervisor Signature Prof. Dr Wasima Shehzad ______________________________ Dean Signature Dr. Humaira Ahmed _____________________________ Examiner Signature Dr. Mushtanir Ahmed ______________________________ Examiner Signature ______________________________ Date iv CANDIDATE DECLARATION FORM I, Rasib Mehmood Son of Muhammad Bakish Registration No: 120955 Discipline: Linguistics and Literature Candidate of Doctorate of Philosophy at Air University, hereby declare that the thesis entitled COLONIZATION, RESISTANCE AND TRANSFORMATION: A POSTCOLONIAL CRITIQUE OF THE UNCHOSEN AND THINGS FALL APART submitted by me in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctorate degree, is my original work, and has not been submitted or published earlier. I also solemnly declare that it shall not, in future, be submitted by me for obtaining any other degree from this or any other university or institution. I declare that this written submission represents my ideas in my own words and where others' ideas or words have been included, I have adequately cited and referenced the original sources. I also declare that I have adhered to all principles of academic honesty and integrity and have not misrepresented or fabricated or falsified any idea/data/fact/source in my submission. I also understand that if evidence of plagiarism is found in my thesis at any stage, even after the award of degree, the work may be cancelled and the degree revoked. __________________ _________ Signature of Candidate Date __________________ Name of Candidate v SUPERVISOR THESIS APPROVAL FORM Of a thesis: COLONIZATION, RESISTANCE AND TRANSFORMATION: A POSTCOLONIAL CRITIQUE OF THE UNCHOSEN AND THINGS FALL APART Submitted by: Rasib Mehmood Registration No.: 120955 Discipline: Linguistics & Literature Candidate for the degree of: Doctorate in Linguistics and Literature This thesis has been read by me and has been found to be satisfactory regarding content, English usage, format, citation, bibliographic style, and consistency, and thus fulfills the qualitative requirements of this study. Dr. Riaz Hassan __________________ Name of Supervisor Signature of Supervisor _________________ Date vi Dedicated to my father and my mother vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I am thankful to God for His protection and for granting me the opportunity to do this kind of work. Special thanks are due to Dr. Riaz Hassan and Dr. Rubina Kamran, who guided and directed me. Their input and critical acumen helped in bringing this work to completion: in fact, it is because of them that it came into existence. For any faults I take full responsibility. I am equally thankful to Dr. Wasima Shehzad, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Air University, for her valuable insights in the completion of this research. She is a continuous source of inspiration for me. I am thankful to Dr Farzana Masroor, coordinator PhD who always encouraged. A large debt of gratitude is also owed to Dr. Muhammad Safeer and Dr. Mubina Talaat who first introduced me to colonial and postcolonial theories when I was in the M. Phil programme. Grateful mention is also made here of Mr. Nadeem and Dr. Sikander Ali, whose encouragement kept me on track to finish this undertaking. I am grateful for the ongoing encouragement of my friends, especially of Mr. Ijaz Ahmed, Chaudhary Akbar, Rana Sohail, Mr. Muhammad Ibrahim (Dany), Mr. Waqar, Mr. Shahid Imran, Mr. Fareed Ahmed, Mr. Shoukat Ali, Mr. Ashraf Nadeem and my roommate Mr. Abdul Rehman (Chacha). Their unfailing optimism motivated me to keep going. My family, especially my patient, ever-forgiving, ever-positive mother, deserves special mention. I am also deeply indebted to Professor Abida Hassan for her mentorship and for the important role she has played in my life. viii ABSTRACT Colonialism is a complex phenomenon which cannot be limited to physical colonization as it would fail to take into account the other facets of this phenomenon. Postcolonial writers have shown how colonization affected their society and challenged the notion of enlightenment and civilization. The current research aims at understanding this aspect through studying the concepts of colonization, resistance and transformation thought Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1958) and Hassan’s The Unchosen (2002). Moreover, the researcher also evaluates the role of power politics to examine how colonization was similar or different in Africa and the Subcontinent. For this purpose, textual analysis is the lens through which the selected texts are assessed. The designed research framework for analysis takes into account salient features of the postcolonial theory to explore the concepts of colonization, resistance and transformation in respective societies. To achieve the objectives of the research, colonization and resistance is scrutinized at three levels; i) physical, ii) cultural and iii) religious. Transformation which is a result of colonization and resistance is studied at two levels; i) cultural and ii) religious. The findings of the research show that colonization affected the social fabric of the society by undermining the values and traditions of the natives. Even though the natives in Africa and the Subcontinent resisted the policies enforced by the colonizers; such as the ideals of technology, education and progress are factors which led to the process of transformation. People of both the regions had strong affiliation with their traditions, cultures and religions, even then the colonizers identified different tools to overcome the resistance. Things Fall Apart (1958) identifies the religious polarity as one of the factors behind natives’ conversion to Christianity, which is in contrast to Subcontinent, where the discourse of religious division among natives worked in the colonizers’ favor. Both the novelists criticize the colonial powers, but they also take into account the weaknesses in both the societies which facilitated the process of colonization. The research also identifies that the writers have not only condemned the process of colonization but also discussed how it was beneficial for the natives as it provoked a sense of education and industrialization making them aware that they cannot progress without development in science and technology. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS PRELIMINARY PAGES TITLE PAGES i-ii THESIS/DISSERTATION AND DEFENCE APPROVAL FORM iii DECLARATION FORM iv SUPERVISOR THESIS APPROVAL FORM .v DEDICATION vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii ABSTRACT viii TABLE OF CONTENTS ix 1. 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.2 Colonization and its Effect 3 1.3 The Interests of Colonizers in Subcontinent 9 1.3.1 The Unchosen 12 1.3.2 The Summary of The Unchosen 13 1.4 The Interests of Colonizers in Africa 15 1.4.1 Things Fall Apart 16 1.5 Background of Study 17 1.6 Delimitation of the Topic 26 1.7 Statement of the Problem 26 1.8 Significance of the Study 27 1.9 Methodology/Theoretical Framework 27 1.10 Reasons for Undertaking the Research 28 1.11 Benefits of the Research 29 1.12 Research Objectives and Questions 30 1.13 Research Design 30 1.14 Structure of the Research .31 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 34 Section-1 2.1 Colonization and its Historical Background 34 x 2.1.1 Imperialism 36 2.1.2 Decolonization 37 2.1.3 Two Sides of a Colonial Coin 37 2.1.4 Western Concept of Colonization 38 2.1.5 Pro Colonial Writers and their Writings .38 2.1.6 Rudyard Kipling and Joseph Conrad 38 2.1.7 Non-European View of Colonization 42 2.1.8 Sub -continental colonization 43 2.1.9 Eastern Writers and their Writings 43 2.1.9.1 Aimé Césaire 44 2.19.2Frantz Fanon 45 2.1.9.3 Edward Said 46 2.1.9.3.1 Orientalism (1978) 47 2.1.9.3.2 Culture and Imperialism. 49 2.1.9.4 Albert Memmi 51 2.1.9.5 W. E. B. Du Bois 52 2.1.10 Subcontinent Postcolonial Writers 53 2.1.10.1 Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak 53 2.1.10.2 Homi K Bhabha 54 2.1.10.3 Salman Rushdie 55 2.1.10.4 Sara Suleri 56 2.1.10.5 Aijaz Ahmed 57 2.1.10.6 Ahmad Ali 57 2.1.10.7 Bapsi Sidhwa 58 2.1.10.8 Sidhwa’s Vs Ngugi Wa Thiango 61 2.1.11 African Colonization 63 2.1.11.1 Exploration 63 2.1.11.2 Occupation 63 2.1.11.3 Why British Came to Subcontinent and Africa 66 2.1.11.4 Role of Companies in Early Colonialism 66 2.1.11.5 Economic Companies in Africa 67 xi 2.1.11.6 African Postcolonial Writers .68 2.1.11.7 Ngugi Wa Thiango 69 2.1.11.8 Chinua Achebe 69 2.1.11.9 Things Fall Apart as a Reactionary Novel 70 2.1.11.10 Derek Walcott 72 2.1.11.11 Wole Soyinka 72 2.1.11.12 African and Indian Writers: Colonization 73 Section-2 74 2.2 Resistance 74 2.2.1 Resistance, Opposition and Representation 75 2.2.2 Postcolonial Literature and Counter Discourse 76 2.2.3 Unsettling the Empire 77 2.2.4 The Rhetoric of English India 78 2.2.5 Colonialism, Racism and Representation 78 2.2.6 Networks of Resistance 79 2.2.7 Power Politics: Manipulation of Religion 80 2.2.8 Power Politics: Manipulation of Culture 81 Section-3 82 2.3 Enlightenment and Transformation 82 2.3.1 Critical Opinion on Riaz Hassan and Chinua Achebe’s Works 84 2.3.2 Research Gap 87 3.
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