Spivak - A Critique of Postcolonial Reason

 Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak

1.     A Critique of Postcolonial Reason Chapter 3: History

a.     Discussion on the dominant culture through colonialism.

                                               i.     Epistemic Violence: Term used to describe the forcible replacement of one structure of beliefs with another.

b.     Author wants to explore not necessarily “true” realities, but how one explanation of reality is established and becomes the normative one.

                                               i.     Examples can be illustrated with the British codification of Hindu Law.

c.     Hindu law was broken into four texts that staged the body of ideas defined by the subject’s memory.  The system provided four ways of resolving an issue.

                                               i.     The change is to a binary British vision of resolution.  The Brits looked for Indians who were:

1.     Indian in color but English in taste, morals, opinions and intellect.

2.     So they could take the vernacular and inflections of English language and translate them to Indian language for instruction.

d.     The author questions if the subaltern speak.  In other words, to the people outside of the hegemonic landscape have a voice.

                                               i.     When studying a people, the studying must me done in context with the dominant influence over the people.  Their history occurs within the hegemony of the dominant culture.

                                             ii.     Many members of India’s elite are intellectuals and natives and offer their perspectives and opinions in their writings and conversations with intellectuals in other parts of the world.

1.     These intellectuals tend to fit in with the hegemonic environment.

2.     The masses tend to be heterogeneous.

3.     Spivak calls into question how accurate the accounts are.

                                            iii.     Subaltern studies must look at the “buffer zone” of the elite.

1.     Marginal views are a deviation from the ideal.

2.     How far deviations can occur, without punishment, from the standards of the elite, must be understood as they provide context for investigating the marginalized people.

                                            iv.     The statement being made is that without including and understanding the indigenous people, history is only speaking from the voice of the dominant culture.

                                             v.     Another layer of oppression can apply to women who have already been marginalized.

1.     The ideological construction of the sexes keeps men dominant.

2.     If the native population has no voice, then the female are pushed further into the shadows.

                                            vi.     Example of Bhubaneswari, an Indian woman, hanging herself.

1.     The hanging occurred due conflicting emotion of not being able to commit an assignation and continued trust. 

a.     She had chosen the time to hang herself when she was menstruating.

b.     She knew her actions would be classified as illegitimate passion and pregnancy.  A dominant view.

c.     She physically waited until menstruating to displace that notion.

d.     The idea of her suicide due to an affair was acceptable.   It fit within hegemony ideology.

e.     The other idea was considered a lack of insanity.  Her voice was snubbed due to the dominant perspective of things.  It could even be said that her actions were looked over because the hegemonic view could not see further than itself.

                                          vii.     We must understand that we mute the marginalized view by our own perspectives.

                                         viii.     Simply by being postcolonial or the member of an ethnic minority, we are not “subaltern.”  It is reserved for sheer heterogeneity of decolonized space.

1.     When a connection has been made with subaltern, we are inserting them into the hegemony. 

  

Works Cited

Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. A Critique of Postcolonial Reason.  The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010.  2110-2126. Print.

Classic Star Trek Through Fanon

Fanon and “A Private Little War”

“A Private Little War” is an exemplary Star Trek episode speaking to colonialism and literary views of dominant cultures.   The show features the Klingon Empire in the initial stages of colonizing one of two local villages on an isolated planet.   Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched Earth accurately depicts the resulting social changes and the formation of new relationships.  Additionally, Edward W Said’s Orientalism moves the story beyond mere parallels to provide real reflections of American culture at the time of the shows airing.   “A Private Little War” will demonstrate how the imposing culture instills its values on new cultures, how the indigenous people react towards and against the change, and ultimately, Said will demonstrate how the episode reflects United States foreign policy and the underlying social tension during the Viet Nam War.

The Klingon Empire wishes to colonize a planet inhabited by two peaceful villages.  Both villages have advanced to using bows and arrows.  The Klingons, warlike and morally paired against the crew of the Enterprise, initiate colonization by introducing flintlock rifles and a culture of violence.  The rifles give the villagers a clear advantage over the other tribe. A villager asks a Klingon commander how to best award a captured woman among his men.  The Klingon states, “Giver her to the man that killed the most of their people.  The others will see the profit in killing.”  In addition, the Klingon states that he will make Klingon out of the villager and promises him a governorship over the new Klingon colony.  Fanon writes, “The cultural obliteration is made possible by negation of national reality … “ and “Every effort is made to bring the colonized person to admit the inferiority of his culture … “ (1440).   That the tribe sees the Klingons as superior is a given.  A villager comments “Its easier to kill than it is to trade” (Private) and effectively demonstrates their national reality shifting from one of peace to that of war. 

The other village wishes to keep its peaceful values, but it is confronted with routine murders of its people.  The Chief and his wife are deeply divided.  The Chief, portrayed as a touch slow but wise, represents national values and believes the other village will return to its peaceful ways. The wife, portrayed as racially different, intelligent and cunning, wants to acquire weapons for the defense of the village. Fanon suggests “ … the intellectual throws himself in frenzied fashion into the frantic acquisition of the culture of the occupying power and takes every opportunity of unfavorably criticizing its own culture … “ (1440).  The wife uses guile, violence and seduction in her attempts to gain knowledge of advanced weaponry and openly criticizes the Chief’s position.  Fannon accurately describes the behavioral differences between the two characters.

Supplying flintlock rifles to the unprotected village is the final solution, along with any improvements to match the Klingons involvement. The crew of the Enterprise is aware they have started an arms race to keep “A balance of power” (Private).   Edward Said spoke to understanding the historical contexts and dominant views when interpreting texts pertaining to colonialism (1440).  An argument could be made “A Private Little War” portrayed American justification for their involvement in the Vietnam War.  The episode aired in 1968, during the height of the war.  The crew of the Enterprise represents American idealism and support of South Vietnam and the Klingons representing the threat of communism and arms support of the North.   Additionally, the relationship between the Enterprise and the Klingons is analogous to the cold war relationship between the United States and Russia, and it is exemplified by the notion that mutually shared destruction is the best solution for peace.  Said’s thoughts on historical context sparked the review of social and political events that reveal the underlying tensions forming the episode.  Multiple and divided notions on the Vietnam War were present in 1968, but the dominant view was portrayed.

The work of Frantz Fanon provides accurate descriptions of dominating cultures assuming control of weaker cultures.  Edward Said provides the insights that textual documents need to be reviewed in light of their historical context.   Although directed towards colonialism, their thoughts are applicable to any literary interpretations involving dominant cultures.  It is a pleasing thought that people in the twenty third century would be aghast at the thought of peace through mutually shared destruction.  However, if they have access to Frantz Fanon’s and Edwards Said’s work, then they have the tools necessary to review history in context and hopefully sidestep the mistakes of the past.

   

Works Cited

“A Private Little War.” Star Trek. CBS Television Distribution. August 23, 1968. Television

Fanon, Frantz.  The Wretched of the Earth.  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010. 1437-1446. Print.

Star Trek Through Rubin

Star Trek through Rubin

Conventional wisdom holds that intermediate solutions, or compromises, are naturally present when issues are highly polarized.  This notion presupposes the existence of intermediate solutions and that the opposing ideologies are accurate and equally distanced from the center.   As portrayed in Star Trek: The Next Generation “Up the Long Ladder,” compromising in the center is not always an option.  The crew of the starship Enterprise encounters two isolated civilizations, both with small populations and close to extinction.  Human sexuality is the theme of the episode. Gayle Rubin’s “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of Politics of Sexuality” illustrates disparities of the two societies.  More specifically, Rubin’s work will describe how sexual practices are the result of social codes, how the formation of sexual hierarchies form and amplify differences, and why the final solution is not viable.

The Bringloidi and Mariposa colonies are introduced to the viewer.  The Bringloidi aspire to a simpler life and they resemble rural farmers from the nineteenth century.  Their sexual behavior is portrayed as close to nature, for pleasure, and reproduction.  They are guided by social conventions conforming to the community’s ideal of a simpler life.  The Mariposa community has a historical lineage based on cloning.  Their need for sexual contact diminished where they no longer engaged in sexual acts.  Rubin argues against the traditional notion that sexual behavior is primarily biological.  She presents the idea that historical practices and social codes encourage certain forms of sexual behavior (2368).  She anchors her argument with Michel Foucault’s notion, “Sexuality in Western societies has been structured within an extremely punitive social framework, and has been subjected to very real formal and informal controls” (2387).   Rubin’s writing clearly illustrates how social ideology formed the sexual attitudes in both colonies.   Additionally, Foucault speaks to enforcement of the attitudes through shared cultural values promoted by the dominant view.

Rubin describes that various sex acts form sexual hierarchies (2388).  Further, opposite notions are paired against what is considered good and what is considered bad.  Good is represented as upward mobility, opportunity, and prestige.  Bad is associated with lower economic status, degeneracy and repugnance (2388).  The Bringloidi are heterosexual and they are portrayed as lower class, uneducated, boisterous, dirty, and attached to their vices.  The Mariposa are asexual and portrayed as highly intelligent, clean, proper and sophisticated.   The outward appearance of the Mariposa suggests their sexual behavior is advantageous, and the Bringloidi’s physical copulations are disadvantageous.  A hierarchy based on sexual behavior is formed and implies social rewards for the Mariposa colony and assigns social limitations and stigmas to the Bringloidis.

The two colonies form a compromise where the Mariposians will physically mate with Bringloidians.  It is discussed and agreed, by the dominant view, that heterosexual intercourse will naturally instill itself into the Mariposians.  The compromise reflects the notion that sexual behavior is biological.  Rubin writes, “Whenever there is polarization, there’s an unhappy tendency to think the truth lies somewhere in between” (2396).  This notion accurately depicts the proposed solution.  In this case, most heterosexual viewers would support the solution as it is a projection of their own sexual desires.  However, people who are homosexual or transgendered might concur with Rubin that the solution is doomed because it is not reasonable to think someone can magically change their sexuality.  Although a polite ending, the compromise is based on Western ideology of sexual behavior and not on Rubin’s notion of using empirical evidence or thoughtful understanding (2385).

Compromises are a part of life and people understand that involved parties usually have to give a little to resolve differences.  However, this episode, as interpreted by Rubin, demonstrates prevailing Western ideology and misses the mark with the expectation that an entire population should change their sexuality.  Rubin affirms that sexuality does not lend itself to compromise.  However, it should be noted that the show’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, was optimistic of a bright future encompassing equality for all.  There is little doubt the ending would have changed if Roddenberry had a copy of Gayle Rubin’s writing sitting in his lap.

  

            Works Cited

Rubin, Gayle. “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of Politics of Sexuality.” The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010.  2372-2402. Print.

“Up the Long Ladder.” Star Trek: the Next Generation.  Paramount Pictures. May 22^nd, 1989. Television.

Watchmen Through Barthes

Barthes and Watchmen

Perhaps on the greatest insights into literary interpretation encompasses the relationship between the author and the reader.  Much of literary theory is solidly placed on the shoulders of the author.  It is their responsibility to craft and write in a manner consistent with their selected audience.  Criticisms of success or failure are promptly applied.  However, what responsibilities are given to the reader?  Roland Barthes in “From Work to Text” illustrates the relationship between the author, the text and the reader.  He posits notions that readers interpret information from their approach and craft of writing as well as reading (1330).   The movie Watchmen is primarily an action hero story, but it contains multi-level complexities that can only be enjoyed with knowledge of literary theory.  More Specifically, “From Work to Text,” with the aid of Gayle Rubin and Ferdinand de Saussure, can be applied to Watchmen to illustrate the value and enjoyment brought forth by literary theory and criticism.

Barthes suggests works are “normally the object of a consumption …” (1330).   He describes how works are physical objects and texts are not (1326). He also identifies that readers experience texts through “the activity of production” (1327).  Barthes is forward that the reader’s attitude and aptitude determines the quality of interpretations and not possessing literary interpretive skills is the equivalent of listening to music, but not understanding how to play an instrument (1330).  The listener can still enjoy the music, but they cannot perceive the nuances and craft that a learned musician can identify and enjoy.

Watchmen can be viewed and enjoyed without literary skill.  It will be viewed as several super heroes moving through a complex maze of events only to identify one of their own has gone mad and plans the death of millions.  Attitudes, notions, and assumptions are filled in by the viewer’s own experiences and ends with agreement, or not, to the movies moral ending.  However, with interpretive help from Rubin and Saussure, a completely different experience can be had.  Two of the main characters are paired against each other.  Viedt is representative of chaos and associated with wealth, power, intelligence, fitness, and lives physically above it all.  Rorschach is representative of a sharp black and white morality.  He his associated with living in filth, engaging with undesirables, narrow minded, and poverty.  Familiarity with Gayle Rubin will identify how dominant views tend to be paired against opposing views, with one associated with positive rewards and the other with hardships (2388).  Moralities associated with tradition and change are established through pairing.  A third character, John, is associated with logic, reason, and god.  He is physically different, emotionally distant and his origin derives from nothingness.  Aristotle would identify the fourth character, Night Owl, as “someone like us” (98) and Saussure would identify that his persona of an owl is reflective of wisdom.

The ending reveals viedt killing millions of people.  However, he replaced mutually shared destruction, and the lives of six billion people, with peace.  With the exception of Rorschach, the other heroes agree to keep the secret to maintain world peace.  John kills Rorschach to prevent the release of the secret.  The viewer watching for consumption will ponder the question as to if they agree with Viedt’s morality or not.  The viewer with literary background will understand that the Rorschach’s morality was bound for extermination.  Viedt representing change and chaos was paired with positive attributes.  John, representative of god and logic, agreed to keep the secret.  Night Owl, who is “someone like us” and wise also agreed to keep the secret.  The author wasn’t posing a question as to which morality was right, he was telling us.  Rorschach’s inability to change meant his destruction by the dominant view.

            Barthe intended to demonstrate that the closer one understands reading with writing, the better they are able to “decant” (1331) information from texts.  In the presented sense, understanding writing better enables the viewer to savor and appreciate the skill, craft and messages from the author.  Learning literary interpretive skills can be daunting and challenging, However, deeply satisfying rewards and understanding abound for the reader who puts in the time and effort to learn them.

  

            Works Cited

Aristotle.  Poetics.  The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010. 88-115. Print.

Barthes, Roland.  “The Death of the Author.”  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010. 1322-1326. Print.

---.  ‘From Work to Text.”  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010. 1326-1331. Print.

---.  Mythologies.  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010. 1366-1322. Print.

Foucault, Michel. “What is an Author?” The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010.  1469-1490. Print.

Moore, Alan and Dave Gibbons. Watchmen. New York: DC Comics Inc. 1986. Print.

Rubin, Gayle. “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of Politics of Sexuality.” The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010.  2372-2402. Print.

Saussure, Ferdinand De. Course in General Linguistics. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010.  845-866. Print.

Zizek, Slavoj. “Courtly Love, or, Woman as Thing.”  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010.  2402-2427. Print.

---. Epistemology of the Closet. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.  Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al.  2^nd ed. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 2010.  2470-2477. Print.