Postcolonial Theory

A theory on and lens for

life after foreign rule.
Before we begin
‡ If you don’t already have them out, get
out your notebooks and pens.

‡ You will be responsible for knowing this

information, as it will show up on your
exams and/or paper assignments.

‡ Once again, this is for your benefit so

please pay attention.
What puts the “post” in Postcolonialism?
‡ Considering “post” is a prefix meaning
after, we need to first discuss the history
behind colonialism.

‡ What is colonialism?

„ An extension of a nations rule over territory

beyond its borders
„ A population that is subjected to the political
domination of another population
To provide some context
‡ This is the world at what is considered the height
of colonialism. What do you notice?
Why were people colonized?
‡ Social Darwinism
„ Eurocentrism
„ Universalism
„ Colonialism is nature

‡ White Man’s Burden

„ What was thought to be an obligation to
“civilize” non-European peoples
A cartoon to emphasize the point
‡ What is going on here? What do you notice?
How long did it last and why did it end?
‡ 15th Century to 20th century (arguably, it
is still going on).

‡ WWII
„ Right to sovereignty
„ Lack of resources
„ Independence movements
Ok, so what is POSTcolonialism?
‡ Postcolonial theory attempts to focus on
the oppression of those who were ruled
under colonization.

‡ Factors include
„ Political oppression
„ Economic oppression
„ Social/cultural oppression
„ Psychological oppression
Who are the oppressed?
‡ Those who were formerly colonized.

‡ In postcolonial theory, the word colonized

can mean many things.
„ Literal colonization
„ More abstract “colonization”
‡ African-Americans
‡ Native Americans in the United States
How was the colonized oppressed?
‡ Postcolonial theorists believe that the
colonizers (generally Europeans):
„ Imposed their own values onto those colonized
so that they were internalized
‡ Example?
‡ Social/Cultural - Spanish language/Catholic religion in
the Caribbean
‡ Political – Drew the boundaries of Africa based on
European politics rather than tribal interests
What’s going on here?
Political divisions of Africa
How did the oppressed escape?
‡ Postcolonial theorists also analyze the
processes by which those who were
colonized resisted the colonizers
„ Examples?
„ Haiti
„ South Africa
„ India
Otherism
‡ Postcolonial theorists also try to identify
examples in which the colonized and their
values were “otherized”
„ What does “otherism” mean?
„ Us-civilized-Western
„ Them-the others-colonized
Eurocentric beliefs and language
‡ First World v. Third World
„ Developed v. Developing

‡ The Canon
„ What defines a great literary work?
„ Did the colonized have an opportunity to write
“great works?”
„ If so, did they have the opportunities to spread
their words like the colonized did?
Orientalism
‡ A concept introduced by Edward Said (1978)
„ Attempted to explain how the European/Western
colonizers looked upon the “Orient”
„ What is the Orient?
„ A mystical place that was stereotyped due to lack
of knowledge and imagination
„ A “lumping” together of Asia
‡ Examples?
„ Literature helped perpetuate this
‡ Lawrence of Arabia
An example of Orientalism
The aftermath
‡ What happens after colonization?
„ What language do you speak?
„ What culture do you follow?

‡ Hybridization and Double Consciousness

„ Two terms to describe the results of
colonization on those colonized
„ Awareness of culture before colonized and
during colonization and what emerged as a
result
The aftermath (continued)
‡ Unhomeliness/Exile
„ What is home to you?
„ A state of limbo, without a certain or definite
identity
„ Being caught between cultures
„ Being literally moved as a result of colonialism
(“On Exile” – Edward Said)
Postcolonialism: the critical lens
‡ Examining colonizer/colonized
relationships in literature
„ Is the work pro/anti colonialist? Why?
„ Does the text reinforce or resist colonialist
ideology?

‡ Tries to introduce/expose “otherized”

works
„ Works by the colonized
„ Resisting/Revising the canon
Postcolonialism: the critical lens
‡ Explore the dynamics of colonization
through literary works
„ How did it come about?
„ How did it end?
„ How does the text explain this?

‡ Looking at the “otherized” characters

„ Example?
„ Chief Broom Bromden in Cuckoo’s Nest
„ Frankenstein’s “monster”
Refer to your packet!
‡ Make sure to refer to the packet for more
ideas about how you can view works from
a postcolonial lens

‡ Questions?