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Radhakrishnan 1 Sachin Radhakrishnan History 4C Catherine Kudlick/Jay Rogers 16 March 2012 Kovaly and Kureishi: Split Visions on Power

The aftermath of the Second World War split the world between competing forces, with Europe facing the brunt of the ideological struggle. The continent was struggling to recover after a half-century of militarized conflict left it in ruins. The powers of Fascism and Communism competing with Democratic Capitalism had a big impact on the respective societies developing under each regime, which are contrastingly represented by Heda Kovalys autobiography Under a Cruel Star and Hanif Kureishis novel The Buddha of Suburbia. As each society lived under separate norms and values, the individuals of those societies reveal unique perceptions of power politically, economically, imperially and culturally. Even though Kovalys gruesome depictions of horror under fascist and communist regimes are degrees more oppressive than the conditions in Kureishis novel, her perspectives for individual power manifest in more positive ways compared to the protagonist in The Buddha of Suburbia because of greater expectations in the future for improvement of the individuals situation in the status quo. The books illustrate the different types of power and how the individual perceives his/her own impact on the ingrained power system predetermined by history. The course of history has had several defining events that profoundly affect ones power within society. The results of these events have entrenched into society prejudiced power relations between people of different class, culture, and ideology, reflective of unequal historical processes that include the imperialist conquests of Africa and Asia in the 1800s onwards into Adolf Hitlers reign of conquest in the 1930-40s. British imperialism

Radhakrishnan 2 targeted India in 1858 and held control over the nation for nearly a century. Though British rule brought such benefits as the railroad and opportunities to assimilate into British society, the culture of Anglo dominance was well established throughout the time period by claiming physical and mental differences in racist policy which incited the native population to rebel (Spielvogel, 2006, 760-761). This example of inequality resulting from empire-building relates to Czechoslovakias adverse encounters with Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in the 20th century. Adolf Hitler overran Czechoslovakia with ease and expanded his extermination of the Jewish population to provide more living space for ethnic Germans (844-45). After the end of the Second World War saw one tyrants downfall, Joseph Stalins Soviet Union engulfed Czechoslovakia and instilled an oppressive Communist system. Stalin forcefully repressed any opposition to his empire using military force. His tide of tyranny continued long after his death as the Red Army reversed reform fought for in the Prague Spring and once again brought Czechoslovakia under the heel of the Communist boot (892-916). In societies that trace its roots back to these historical events, daily life reveals the ingrained structure of unequal power distribution based on an individuals past relationship to being the oppressed or the oppressor. Heda Kovalys autobiography narrates the story of historical domination over Czechoslovakia and how this precedent, while culturally constraining and conflicting with her interests, does not defeat her belief for changing the present. Kovalys initial lines of the book introduce readers into the horrors of her reality and resilience of mind. Three forces carved the landscape of my life. Two of them crushed half the world. The third was very small and, actually, invisible. It was a shy little bird hidden inside my rib cage an inch

Radhakrishnan 3 or two above my stomach. Sometimes in the most unexpected moments the bird would wake up, lift its head, and flutter its wing in rapture. Then I too would lift my head because, for that short moment, I would know for certain that love and hope are infinitely more powerful than hate and fury, and that somewhere beyond the line of my horizon there was life indestructible, always triumphant (Kovaly, 1986, 5). Kovaly witnessed the deaths of her close friends and family to fascist and communist conquests led by Hitler and Stalin, respectively. She watched them conquer her surroundings and life as well as others with similar cultures, but she had also seen her oppressors swayed by emotions other than hate and fury, for example when she stands up to the Nazi officer and has a talk that ends up with his head in his palms (14-15). She even sees the hateful ideology convert people once appreciative to Jews to people spreading hate, saying that Theyre impossible to kill offnot even Hitler could manage it (46). Though Kovaly has experienced the forces of hate, she understands that these forces are only temporary, as the forces of love and hope show her strength. She copes with her position with optimism because with so much negativity already around her, only hope can improve her situation. Although people may view themselves as more powerful and superior to people like Heda Kovaly, she copes with the present by having hope that the future bears better fruit. Even if the state claimed to control the nation and its people, she still saw that not everybody took to the same hateful thinking as the oppressors which signifies that nor her entire culture was inferior to others above her. The basic commonalities of culture and custom that related her to other Germans and Poles revealed truth in the mighty powers of hope and love, and how force of imperialism will inevitably end because of the flawed logic behind it. Just as Kovaly interprets her painful experiences

Radhakrishnan 4 with a voice of optimism, Kureishis protagonist experiences cultural hate directed towards him and a similar theme of inequality derived from imperialism. In Kureishis novel, Karim Amirs British and Indian heritage through his parents implies an innate disadvantage in contemporary society as history predetermined an imbalance between the two cultures. From the opening lines of the book the protagonist introduces himself as, Karim Amir, [an] Englishman born and bred, almost. I am often considered to be a funny kind of Englishman, a new breed as it were, having emerged from two old histories (Kureishi, 1990, 3). Karim experiences the cultural differences between England and India and understands that his Indian half brings connotations of inferiority and being pitied. Because his lineage includes British blood, he finds himself belonging and not, which implies that he faces periods of good treatment, but clearly Karims mental and physical treatment at school by his peers who Didnt think that [I] could deal with books and tried to brand my arm with a red-hot lump of metal made Karim feel that he was ready to give in to societys racism (3, 63). The status quo to Karim seems unbending as he faces criticism for being Indian in the suburbs and disapproval from open-minded people in the city who ask him questions about India which he cannot answer (141). This constant tug and pull of both cultures in Karims life arouses hopelessness in his struggle for self-identity. In the beginning of the book, he realizes the arduous road of assimilation but believes his individuality will prevail. However, the actions of people in Orpington and London only prolong the racism borne from imperialism and prove him wrong. Rather than using commonalities in different cultures, the focus on the differences keeps the past power structure in place where Karim unfairly exists at the bottom. His culture is either rejected or revered for the wrong reasons and from a distance but Karim

Radhakrishnan 5 does not expect this treatment to change since he saw his father go through the same. He expects to face the same treatment in the future because British colonial rule represented a peak period of power for Britons, something they wish to hold onto for the future, which makes him feel pessimistic about ever assimilating into society. Karim attempts to escape this dichotomy of acceptance and rejection by venturing to America, a place is much more accepting in his eyes. This rejection of his own home finalizes his thinking that he is unable to eradicate the racist society around him in which he feels powerless, and seek power in a culturally forgiving nation. This cultural struggle borne from imperialism shows how prejudiced power structures can remain long after imperialism and also pushes forth imbalances in economic and political power. In addition to unequal cultural aspects of power in post-war European society, existing political and economic power structures lend themselves to historical processes of imperialism which create a struggle for oppressed individuals to overcome the inequality, something Heda Kovaly encounters but feels she has ample power to overthrow the structure. As Heda Kovaly narrates the scene in Prague following the end of German occupation in Czechoslovakia, she notices the change of feeling in those who were not persecuted by the fascists, going from fervor of celebration and mutual embrace to old ways of prejudice Guilt and fear of retribution soon bred hate and suspicion [towards] the real victims of the Occupation: the active and passive resisters, partisans, Jews and political prisoners; the honest people who had stood their ground and had not betrayed their principles even at the cost of persecution. The innocent became a living reproach and a potential threat to the guilty (Kovaly, 52). She later hypothesizes that Many of [her] people turned to Communism not so much in revolt against the existing political system but

Radhakrishnan 6 out of sheer despair over human nature which showed itself at its worst after the war, but all she wanted was A roof over [her] head (53). Political persecution persisted even when the waves of Communism came, as the list of accused in the Slansky Trial had 11 out of 14 people labeled as Jewish, including her husband (138). Kovalys homelessness and economic disadvantages were direct consequences of the Nazi Occupation, and while many of her fellow citizens fared well during the Occupation, they turned their backs on the lowly victims in order to maintain their own economic well-being. Even while chronically disadvantaged economically, Kovaly still finds herself in a position of power by embracing Communism, which would help better her current situation. Her poor conditions, fueled by unjust hatred, gave Heda the fire to embrace this ideology, along with many fellow sufferers which created the opportunity to directly better her own life. Though Stalinist Communism brought the death of her first husband, she continued to express her political opinions and saw the Prague Spring of 1968 bear victory of her efforts. Heda Kovalys continued demonstration of her will and resilience shows readers how an individuals power, while although hampered by history, is not strictly tied to its predetermined position in society. The evils throughout her life inevitably faced evil consequences and her own good nature saw the safe upbringing of her son and her own survival, which validates her previous statements of good usually ending up triumphant over evil. Her sole economic and political power exists because of pure belief that her future promises better offerings than the present, which influences her to exert that power, something that many people during her time failed to do so out of fear. Hanif Kureishis Buddha of Suburbia shows how economic and political power in a society lends the foundations of its structure to the forces of imperialism, engraining into a

Radhakrishnan 7 society a hard-nosed system of oppression in which Karim finds himself powerless. When Karim explains his encounters with racism in his school, he decides that instead of trying it would be better to Not have to do anything. [I] could just drift and hang out and see what happened, which suited me fine (Kureishi, 63). Karims schooling, which downplayed his intellectual prowess to pursue anything challenging to the mind, arouses his feeling of defeat. He believes in his disadvantage and aims to live life appropriately. Later on with Eleanors crowd, he notes that their Sophisticated ideas were in the air they breathed from birth, and this language was the currency that bought you the best of what the world had to offer. But for us it could only ever be a second language (178). Karims lack of faith in the British system and luck of opportunities take him to America, a place which he defends the political freedoms of citizens, citing the womens movement, Black rebellion, and gay militancy (240). Karim, while hailing from a well-off family in the suburbs, still sees his economic power in society at a disadvantage because of the unjust school system that believed his hands were of better use than his brain and an upper-class culture that seemed impossible to live up to. He realizes that no individual could assimilate into such a culture because membership requires birth. This signifies an inherent gap of economic power that reveals to an oppressed individual no prospects for improvement. Karims perception of this inequality is that its origins were predetermined by his social position and will continue to exist long after his death. Political power for Karim goes hand-in-hand with his economic disadvantages, as poor expectations for the future, while inciting Heda Kovaly to rise up, only tempt Karim into submission and a willingness to accept his place within British society. He does find political power when opportunities allow him passage to America, a

Radhakrishnan 8 place where history has determined that systems of inequality do not last long. Even though Karim goes to America, his return home shows his lack of will to change his political and economic status in society. He is fine with whatever history has preordained which while not the fairest system still provides some happiness in which he finds contentment. In conclusion, the historical processes that saw both the plundering of India by the British Empire and the conquering of Czechoslovakia by Communist and Fascist forces, created ingrained systems of inequality that permeated cultural, political, and economic struggles for many of the years following conquest. However, Heda Kovaly in her autobiography and Karim in Hanif Kureishis novel display opposite reactions to these systems that create such unequal power distributions, the former finding methods of effectively changing the system and the latter coming to ends with it and admitting an inability to do anything. These historical events, while creating systems of oppression that last long after, prove penetrable to such people who believe in the forces of hope and love but also prove impenetrable to other populations as they represent intimidating fortresses that cannot be toppled. Both works of literature provide readers with realistic insights into post-war European society, and the power struggle that ensued in those societies, but also serves as a promise and warning to hopeful and complacent individuals respectively. As the world faces new oppressive forces like Radical Islam, one can only hope that people will continue to rise up for justice and equality.

Works Cited 1. Kovaly, Heda. Under A Cruel Star: A Life in Prague 1941-1968. 1986. Holmes and Meier, New Jersey: 5-138.

Radhakrishnan 9 2. Kureishi, Harif. The Buddha of Suburbia. 1990. Penguin Group, New York: 3-240. 3. Spielvogel, Jackson. Western Civilization: Seventh Edition. 2006. Thomson Wadsworth, Belmont: 760-916.

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