Postcolonial Perspectives in Select Novels of Gabriel Garcia Marquez Dissertation submitted to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli-24 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English Submitted by C. Dhanabal Under the Guidance of Dr. T. Jayakumar Associate Professor of English PG & Research Department of English Periyar EVR College (Autonomous) Tiruchirappalli – 620 023 August 2011 Dr. T.Jayakumar Department of English M.A., M.Phil., B.Ed., Ph.D., Periyar EVR College (Autonomous) Associate Professor of English Tiruchirappalli- 620 023. Certificate This is to certify that the thesis entitled Postcolonial Perspectives in Select Novels of Gabriel Garcia Marquez submitted by C.Dhanabal to the Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English is his original work, based on the investigation carried out independently by him during the period of study under my guidance and supervision and it has not formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, associateship, fellowship or any other similar title, in any College/University. Signature Declaration I, the Research Scholar, hereby declare that the dissertation entitled Postcolonial Perspectives in Select Novels of Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a record of bona fide research work done by me during the period 2006-2011 under the guidance of Dr.T.Jayakumar, M.A., M.Phil., B.Ed., Ph.D., Associate Professor of English, PG & Research Department of English, Periyar EVR College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli – 620023 and it has not formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, associateship, fellowship or any other similar title in any College/University. Tiruchirappalli Date: C.DHANABAL Contents Chapter Title Page No. Certificate Declaration Preface A Note on Documentation I Introduction 1 II Magic Realism: A Postcolonial 37 Narrative Technique III Reconstruction of the Past: A Postcolonial 88 Search for Identity IV Violence: A Colonial Legacy in Postcolonial Nations 141 V Conclusion 184 Works Cited 206 A Note on Documentation In this process of writing the thesis on the basis of various sources, the following abbreviations have been used. Their expansion is given below. OYS --- One Hundred Years of Solitude OLD --- Of Love and Other Demons AOP --- Autumn of the Patriarch NWC --- No One Writes to the Colonel CDF --- Chronicle of a Death Foretold IEW --- In Evil Hour CS --- Collected Stories Preface Postcolonial studies have emerged as a major critical discourse in the study of literature. The world was once dominated by European empires. Till 1921, eighty four per cent of the surface of the earth had been colonized since the sixteenth century. The colonial powers destroyed the native tradition and culture; further, they continuously replaced them with their own. This often led to conflicts, when countries became independent and suddenly faced the challenge of developing a new nationwide identity and self-confidence. As generations had lived under the power of the colonial rulers, the Western culture was assimilated as their very own. Though, by the mid-1960s, most colonies were, formally, independent, the experience of the subsequent decades showed how much the ghost of colonization still loomed over the postcolonial world. A colonial cast of mind persists, one that geopolitical power relations make it very hard to shake off. The challenge for these countries was to find an identity of their own. They found it difficult to get rid of the western way of life and the western way of thinking. Now, there is a growing awareness and the colonized countries want to get rid of the colonial traces from their colonized minds, in order to start a new history and ‘set afoot a new man’ (Fanon). Postcolonial thinking, thus, stresses humanity-in-the- making, the humanity that will emerge, once the colonial spectre of violence and the racial difference have been swept away. The ultimate goal of postcolonialism is that of combating and removing the residual effects of colonialism on native cultures. It is not simply concerned with salvaging past worlds, but learning how the world can move beyond this period, towards a place of mutual respect. The postcolonial societies struggle to wriggle out of the colonial clutches and try to make their mark in the new world. All the same, the people of the liberated nations do not experience cultural freedom despite the achieving of political freedom. They are still chained and oppressed, not by the colonizer, but by their own men. Though there is freedom, it is not freedom at all. The purpose of this research is to create awareness in the colonized minds that the real freedom is yet to be achieved. A study of Garcia Marquez’s novels would explain the stance that though there is freedom, it is not freedom at all. Garcia Marquez has made his mark in the literary front with his magical realism which positions both the ‘centre’ and the ‘other’ on equal footing. The presentation of history in his novels serves a dual purpose. The true history of the land is brought out in place of the distorted version presented by the colonial forces. The picture of the past serves the colonized individuals to learn from their past mistakes. Violence is a legacy left by the brutal colonizers. The colonizers have sown the seeds of violence in the minds of the colonized in order to consolidate their power over the indigenous people. The native- born dictators and the corrupt politicians of the independent nations, knowingly or unknowingly, follow in the footsteps of the colonizers and make sure that there is violence in their lands for their personal and selfish gains. Unaware of the consequences, they spread violence, which mars the growth of the colonized nations into formidable powers. The colonized nations should wake up from their slumber, stoke the embers of their latent history and culture, learn from their past mistakes, realize their real potential and work towards a bright new world. This research work, Postcolonial Perspectives in Select Novels of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, which was born out of a desire to see the effacing of the colonial traces from the faces of the colonized nations, would not have come to fruition without the help of many people. First, I thank the Almighty, for showering His blessings upon me and enabling me to complete this project successfully. I register my heartfelt gratitude to my guide, Dr. T. Jayakumar, Associate Professor, PG & Research Department of English, Periyar EVR College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli-23, for nurturing this project at every stage with his valuable suggestions and critical insights. His constant encouragement and sustained motivation enabled me to complete this project in time. I extend my thanks to Prof.Pazha.Gowthaman, Principal i/c, Periyar EVR College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli-23, and Dr. A. Padmavathy, Head, PG & Research Department of English, Periyar EVR College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli- 23, for granting me permission to pursue my research in this college. My sincere thanks are to Dr.M. Marcus Diepen Boomination, former Principal, Bishop Heber College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli-17, who has been a source of inspiration for me to pursue this research work. I extend my thanks to Rev. Dr. P. Manoharan, Principal (i/c), Bishop Heber College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli – 620 017 for his support and encouragement during the course of this project. I am greatly indebted to Dr.Roopkumar Balasingh, Head, PG & Research Department of English, Bishop Heber College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli-17, for sowing the seeds of research in me on this marvellous author. I must also thank him for his valuable suggestions during my discussions with him. My heartfelt thanks go to Mr.P. Natarajan, former Head, PG & Research Department of English, Bishop Heber College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli-17, for his diligent proof-reading of this project. I thank the librarians of Bishop Heber College, Trichy, Bharathidasan Univerisity, Trichy and The American Library, Chennai -6, for granting me permission to use their respective libraries. Let me add a special word of thanks to Mr. Srinivasan Premkumar, Reference/Outreach (Promotional) Librarian, The American Library, U.S. Consulate General, Chennai- 6 and Mr. R. Prabu, Research Scholar, Department of Library & Information Science, Bharathidasan University, Trichy -24, for taking pains to provide material for my research. I thank my colleagues, Mrs. J. Baby Eliammal, Mr. S.Azariah Kirubakaran, and Mrs. Cheryl Davis, PG & Research Department of English, Bishop Heber College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli-17, for their timely help. I extend my thanks to Mr. Raja of Saratha Xerox, Trichy-17 for his technical support in typing and printing this thesis. I may fail in my duty, if I do not thank my wife, Mrs. Nalini Christina and my son Master. C.D. Jackin for providing me moral support during the course of my research work. I also thank my brothers, sister and all members of my family for evincing a keen interest in my research. Finally, I dedicate this work to my father (Late) Mr. S.Chelliah and my mother (Late) Mrs. Arputhamani Chelliah, for giving me good education amidst difficulties. C. DHANABAL Introduction The term ―Latin America‖ refers to the area that includes all of the Caribbean islands and the mainland that stretches from Mexico to the southernmost tip of South America. It includes those countries in the ‗New World‘ formerly colonized by Portugal, Spain and Italy. It also includes the countries that are located on the South American continent, and those countries which are in Central America. The main language of Latin America is Spanish. Latin America has a very long history, dating back to Columbus‘ discovery of the territory, in the late 15th century. Columbus landed in America in 1492. With the Spanish and Portuguese immigrants, Latin American culture is derived from the traditions of both its European newcomers and its native inhabitants.