Colonial representation in Robinson Crusoe, Heart of Darkness and A Passage to India

This internship report is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in English, 2013.

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Nourin Binte Saeed
Other Authors: Islam, Sayed Monjorul
Format: Internship report
Language:English
Published: BRAC University 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10361/2579
id 10361-2579
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spelling 10361-25792019-09-30T03:50:37Z Colonial representation in Robinson Crusoe, Heart of Darkness and A Passage to India Nourin Binte Saeed Islam, Sayed Monjorul Department of English and Humanities, BRAC University Colonialism English and humanities This internship report is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in English, 2013. Cataloged from PDF version of Internship report. Includes bibliographical references (page 65 - 66). Representation can be defined as the presentation of an object, individual, idea or entity not by drawing it as it is but by “representing” it or preparing it in a new structure or a new form. The discourse of colonialism defines “others” as colonial subjects by constructing them in a process of representation. Colonial representation presents semiotic meanings in which words, characters or situations often express contradictory or complementary impulses, attitudes. The various forms of representations like visual, textual actually show calculative “images” which are connected with power of inequalities and subordination. Colonial representation is a political representation that cannot be “natural” or “true”. It is constructed with false images, images that relate with colonizers ideology. In this dissertation my intention is to explore colonial representation through the novels of three European writers, E. M. Forster, Joseph Conrad and Daniel Defoe. These three writers deal with colonial discourses which reveal foreign cultures as “dark” and “depraved”. Representation of the minority image again and again comes as evil where European images are considered pure and superior. In the first chapter I will look at the colonial aspects of Robinson Crusoe where an Englishman asserts and reasserts his Christian moral and British superiority in order to consider his sense of identity and I will also show how subjugation, domination, profit and power are reflected in the adventure fiction. In the second chapter I will discuss how Conrad represents Africa in Heart of Darkness and establishes an imperialist ideology that represents the colonists and the colonized in a binary opposition. I will also show how Conrad portrayed the people? The west as rational and superior while the Africans - other as inferior. In the third chapter I will explore the politics of representation of India and the colonial background of the novel A Passage to India which represents a masterly study of racial antagonism- two great races with different heritage and history, neither understanding other, nor even desiring to do so. Colonialism is a practice of the powerful over the less powerful. It is defined as an occupation of workers territory by a stronger nation or state for “political domination” “economic exploitation” and “civilizing mission.” Through these novels these three authors deal with imperialism, racism, class and cultural conflict to show how colonialism creates false illusion to believe that the West is “self” and the East is “other”; one is “superior” other is “subaltern”. Representation is an important aspect of colonialism and according to Edward Said representations of the Orient both visual and textual is a kind of illusion not real rather than biased and constructed by “Western Ideology.” Nourin Binte Saeed B.A. in English 2013-06-06T06:13:40Z 2013-06-06T06:13:40Z 2013 2013-04 Internship report ID 10363004 http://hdl.handle.net/10361/2579 en BRAC University Internship reports are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. 69 pages application/pdf BRAC University
institution Brac University
collection Institutional Repository
language English
topic Colonialism
English and humanities
spellingShingle Colonialism
English and humanities
Nourin Binte Saeed
Colonial representation in Robinson Crusoe, Heart of Darkness and A Passage to India
description This internship report is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in English, 2013.
author2 Islam, Sayed Monjorul
author_facet Islam, Sayed Monjorul
Nourin Binte Saeed
format Internship report
author Nourin Binte Saeed
author_sort Nourin Binte Saeed
title Colonial representation in Robinson Crusoe, Heart of Darkness and A Passage to India
title_short Colonial representation in Robinson Crusoe, Heart of Darkness and A Passage to India
title_full Colonial representation in Robinson Crusoe, Heart of Darkness and A Passage to India
title_fullStr Colonial representation in Robinson Crusoe, Heart of Darkness and A Passage to India
title_full_unstemmed Colonial representation in Robinson Crusoe, Heart of Darkness and A Passage to India
title_sort colonial representation in robinson crusoe, heart of darkness and a passage to india
publisher BRAC University
publishDate 2013
url http://hdl.handle.net/10361/2579
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