Report on Colonialism (Girl and The Gold Watch)

        It refers to the policy of seeking to extend one’s government authority over foreign lands and other people who do not fall in the own country. This is done mainly to exploit trade opportunities. The colonizing country are basically economically well off and reap off benefits of creating a colony whereas the ones being colonized somehow are deprived of development. In other words many describe it as a domination of a foreign minority (also called foreign invaders) over the local majority for the vested interests of the foreign country.  History is full of examples of colonialism and continues to affect the mindset and thinking of people to date. The countries which were colonized and are independent today are have to be said a colonial mindset. Also there has been a long debate about the benefits of the colonialism. Colonialism has affected the demographics and the mindset of people. Many historians urged that colonies were not well developed and the resources in the colonies were going to waste but it was the colonizer who developed the right infrastructure to take out the resources and introduce it to the world. Having said that they argue that the colonizer invested in infrastructure and developed the colonies by training the labors and enforcing discipline in their lives.  The argument is negated by the fact that colonizers were ruthless and dictatorial in nature. Rather than developing they exploited the local community. Asian countries, America, African regions and others have been a part of colonial rule.

The colonial mindset

        The two stories we will be discussing reflect the colonial mindset of people and how it has affected in private dealings and not limited to the public sphere only. The colonial mindset has taken over the minds of people affecting their perception how they see themselves and still seek validation by the standards of the ones who colonized them. It refers to the cultural damage. The colonial mentality refers to the internalized mentality of thinking inferior of one’s own heritage and culture as a result of colonization. One thinks the cultural beliefs and heritage of the colonizer are more superior and of more value. They would trust the people of colonizer more than the locals and seek validation from them rather local people.  This continues to affect the dealing of people in private lives in how they raise kids and how governments deal with their people. The colonial mindset is the major setting in both the stories and I will be discussing how colonialism plays a good or bad role in the private lives of people in the context of the stories given. I shall give arguments about the harms colonialism has done to cultural and personal values of these people even after years of independence they find it hard to go of this colonial mindset.

        Before moving on I will be summarizing both the stories and then discuss the themes and their relation with colonialism and the colonial mindset. Stories under discussion are “Girl” and “The Gold Watch”

Girl

        The short story Girl is a brief story and doesn’t really have a plot as it more of an advising piece. The story revolves around two characters which are having a conversation more like the elder woman ordering or telling the younger one on how to conduct her own self in different affairs of life. The elder woman is unnamed and is the mother of the young lady. Although this has not been stated in the story but this is what makes sense about the conversation. The mother communicates to the daughter about how adult women conduct themselves and handle different social situations. She wants to train her daughter so she doesn’t bring shame to the family. Her advices range from social conducts to chores at home to sexual advices to the daughter.

        The story is set and believed to be the writer’s relationship with her mother. The setting of story is in the West Indian context given how the mother describes different stuff to the daughter. The story starts with the introduction followed by a long monologue by the mother to the girl. The mother is advising her daughter to put the white clothes on a stone heap and wash the color clothes on Tuesday. This is followed by telling some other household chores and how and when to do them. The girl is instructed on how to soak salt fish and how to cook pumpkin fritters. The role of woman is limited to chores in the story as the mother goes on to tell and teach the girl about ironing the clothes of her father properly. This continues as she tells her more about growing vegetables and taking care of the house by maintaining yard and sweeping the house properly. The story is conveyed by third person and we hear nothing from the daughter till now.

        The daughter is said to be maturing and growing up. The mother continues to advice the daughter on telling her about the menstrual cycle and how to handle her clothes after her period. The mother establishes and categorizes women. She senses her daughter wants to be what she calls a “slut”. She now continues to instruct the girl on her social conduct and advices to avoid singing and not to talk to boys. One of the odd advices she gave was not to eat fruit as it will make the flies follow her home. The mother is subtle in conveying her message to the daughter and her sexual advices are mingled with advices on conducting affairs of house. The mother’s aim is that her daughter doesn’t end up being a “slut” or at least perceived as one. She tells the daughter about the medicine related to abortion. She advices the young lady to give up without regret if her directions about loving a man do not work. All of these sexual advices are covered under social advices by the mother to not sound explicit.

There is a tension between the mother and the daughter when the mother is handing on the instructions to the girl. The story is given in a tone that defines the dos and donts. The daughter asks the mother different questions but it’s the mother who has the final say.  The mother is concerned about the daughter being able to have a nice adult hood and is not treated elsewise.

The Gold Watch

        The Gold watch is a selected short story from the works of Mulk Raj Anand. The story explores different themes and the author has tried to express the themes through his words. The story is about a man and his job which affects his relationship with his son. It is narrated in third person which is unnamed. The main character Srijut is shown dependent on the decision of his employer. Theme of control is shown in this story.  The story is based on the retirement and issues relating to it for Srijut.

        Srijut is being dictating by the employer on what direction must he take to proceed. Srijut who believes he has five years of service remaining before retirement is being forced to take that decision earlier. It is not the discretion of Srijut to retire or not. He is shown helpless in this scenario. Mulk Raj Anand has taken a dig at the effects of colonialism on people like Srijut who have no control over their preferences. Srijut works for Henry King & co. Mr Anton is the one behind Srijut enforced decision to retire this shows how the Indians have been ruled and subjected to authoritarian rule by the ones in power.

        Mulk Raj Anand shows the harm of colonial mindset by telling how Srijut is taking the whole situation. Srijut is trying to find the positives in the whole situation. Srijut thinks that some reward maybe waiting for him as his employer referred to the idea of something interesting waiting for him. Upon his last meeting with Mr Anton, Srijut is gifted a gold watch by him. This leaves Srijut in awe as he doesn’t know how to react. Srijut is not being asked to retire but is being laid off by Mr Anton. Srijut realizes this and is now panicking.  This causes him anxiety and when he expresses the concern to Mr Anton it is of no avail. Srijut is helpless and has no other option to walk out. He reaches home to his wife and son Hari. He gifts his old silver watch to Hari.

        Srijut this entire time has anxiety and is fearful of the future. He doesn’t know what to do and is out of sorts. Srijut is trying to make peace with what has happened and giving himself different reasons why all this happened. He finds it in the best interest of the company to have him retire at the age of 50 so he doesn’t become a liability to the company.  He accepts the decision of Henry King & co as superior and well thought. He accidently breaks his gold watch which refers to the idea that he doesn’t need a watch now because his time is over and is of no importance now as he has no job.  Srijut is disappointed and leaves Henry & co with a heavy heart. He feels failed by the system who has left him ill prepared for the future. He had been a loyal employee for all these years but he didn’t get the reward he deserved rather being considered useless at the age 50. Despite all this he passes the symbolic gifts to his son Hari which shows transmission of colonial mindset from one generation to another.

References of Colonialism (Girl and The Gold Watch)