12 - fsure.bplaced.netfsure.bplaced.net/fagabi12/dwnl/files/eng/4E-Abi-Zusammenfassung.pdf · re A-12 ry Hier ist die nächste Abiturzusammenfassung. Diese mal für die Sprache in

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Hier ist die nächste Abiturzusammenfassung. Diese mal für die Sprache in der vermutlich die meisten aus unserer der Stufe ihr Abitur schreiben werden: Englisch. Auch hier habe ich noch einmal den ganzen Stoff zu den short stories zusammengeschrieben. Viel Erfolg beim Lernen!

FAG – ABI – 2012 - Schulhomepage fsure.bplaced.net/fagabi12/

[email protected]

Page 2

Table of Contents

I. One Language Many Voices 1. Colonial Encounters ....................................................................................................................5

1.1. An Outpost of Progress ........................................................................................................5

1.1.1. Content........................................................................................................................5

1.1.2. Setting .........................................................................................................................5

1.1.3. The Characters .............................................................................................................6

1.1.4. The Author: Joseph Conrad ..........................................................................................6

1.1.5. Historical Background ..................................................................................................6

1.1.6. Main themes................................................................................................................7

1.1.7. Links to other short stories...........................................................................................7

1.2. The Force of Circumstance...................................................................................................7

1.2.1. Content........................................................................................................................8

1.2.2. Setting .........................................................................................................................8

1.2.3. The Characters .............................................................................................................9

1.2.4. The Author: William Somerset Maugham .....................................................................9

1.2.5. Historical Background ..................................................................................................9

1.2.6. Main themes.............................................................................................................. 10

1.2.7. Links to other short stories......................................................................................... 10

1.3. Shooting an Elephant ......................................................................................................... 11

1.3.1. Content...................................................................................................................... 11

1.3.2. Setting ....................................................................................................................... 11

1.3.3. The Characters ........................................................................................................... 12

1.3.4. The Author: George Orwell ........................................................................................ 12

1.3.5. Historical Background ................................................................................................ 12

1.3.6. Main themes.............................................................................................................. 13


1.4. The Second Hut ................................................................................................................. 14

1.4.1. Content...................................................................................................................... 14

1.4.2. Setting ....................................................................................................................... 14

1.4.3. The Characters ........................................................................................................... 15

1.4.4. The Author: Doris Lessing........................................................................................... 15


Page 3

1.4.6. Main themes.............................................................................................................. 16


2. Cross-Cultural Experiences ........................................................................................................ 17

2.1. A Horse and Two Goats ..................................................................................................... 17

2.1.1. Content...................................................................................................................... 17

2.1.2. Setting ....................................................................................................................... 17

2.1.3. The Characters ........................................................................................................... 18

2.1.4. The Author: Rasipuram Krishnaswami Narayan .......................................................... 18


2.1.6. Main themes.............................................................................................................. 19


2.2. Dead Men’s Path ............................................................................................................... 20

2.2.1. Content...................................................................................................................... 20

2.2.2. Setting ....................................................................................................................... 20

2.2.3. The Characters ........................................................................................................... 21

2.2.4. The Author: Chinua Achebe ....................................................................................... 21


2.2.6. Main themes.............................................................................................................. 21


2.3. A Meeting in the Dark ........................................................................................................ 23

2.3.1. Content...................................................................................................................... 23

2.3.2. Setting ....................................................................................................................... 23

2.3.3. The Characters ........................................................................................................... 24

2.3.4. The Author: Ngugi wa Thiong’o .................................................................................. 24


2.3.6. Main themes.............................................................................................................. 25


3. Post-Colonial Consequences ...................................................................................................... 26

3.1. The Black Madonna ........................................................................................................... 26

3.1.1. Content...................................................................................................................... 26

3.1.2. Setting ....................................................................................................................... 26

3.1.3. The Characters ........................................................................................................... 27

3.1.4. The Author: Muriel Spark ........................................................................................... 27


3.1.6. Main themes.............................................................................................................. 28

Page 4


3.2. Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies ...................................................................................... 29

3.2.1. Content...................................................................................................................... 29

3.2.2. Setting ....................................................................................................................... 29

3.2.3. The Characters ........................................................................................................... 30

3.2.4. The Author: Salman Rushdie ...................................................................................... 30


3.2.6. Main themes.............................................................................................................. 31


3.3. A Pair of Jeans ................................................................................................................... 32

3.3.1. Content...................................................................................................................... 32

3.3.2. Setting ....................................................................................................................... 32

3.3.3. The Characters ........................................................................................................... 33

3.3.4. The Author: Quaisra Shahraz ...................................................................................... 33


3.3.6. Main themes.............................................................................................................. 34


3.4. My Son the Fanatic ............................................................................................................ 35

3.4.1. Content...................................................................................................................... 35

3.4.2. Setting ....................................................................................................................... 35

3.4.3. The Characters ........................................................................................................... 36

3.4.4. The Author: Hanif Kureishi ......................................................................................... 36


3.4.6. Main themes.............................................................................................................. 37


II. Closing Remarks of the Author

Page 5

I. One Language Many Voices

1. Colonial Encounters

1.1. An Outpost of Progress

Joseph Conrad

1.1.1. Content

The short story “An Outpost of Progress” is set on an outpost in

Congo. On this outpost two new agents arrive, Kayerts and Carlier

who get the supervision of the outpost. The director who comes

with them predicts the failure of their work within the next six

months.

At the outpost Kayerts and Carlier actually don’t do any work. The

supervision is done by Makola, a “Sierra Leone nigger” who is

better educated than the other stationmen and who lives at the

outpost with his wife and his three children. The food for the

outpost is provided by a tribe near it, leaded by “Goblia”.

Later a group of black stranges arrive. Makola organizes a

(forbidden) slave trade with those strangers. He exchanges the

ten stationmen with six valuable tusks. The two white agents

don’t know anything about the deal. They recognize it, when

seeing that the stationmen aren’t there anymore at the next

morning.

Caused by this forbidden trade the tribe of Goblia stopped the

food supplies for the outpost. As a result Kayerts and Carlia get

morally ill and they suffer from their loneliness, what leads them

to a (senseless) discussion about sugar which escalates that far

that Kayerts shoots Carlier dead.

The day after the steamer arrives who was supposed to bring the

agents back. But when the director sees Kayerts he already had

hanged himself on a cross with his outstretched tongue.

1.1.2. Setting

The story is set on an outpost at Congo Free State. Congo was

property of the Belgian King back then, what leads to the suggestion

that the two protagonists are from there. The so-called “Outpost of

Progress” consists Makola’s hut, the agents’ house (which is quite big

in comparison to the rest of the outpost), a storehouse and the grave

of the agent who built the outpost but unfortunately died of fever.

Introduction

Kayerts, Carlier and director arrive - director predicts failure

K&C enjoy life, Makola cares for work at the outpost

strangers arrive

slave trade arranged by Makola

K&C become morally ill, get no more food supplies

Discussion about sugar

Kayerts shoots Carlier dead

Kayerts hangs himself

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1.1.3. The Characters

Kayerts Carlier Makola

Has a daughter

Worked at a telegraph administration but left it cause it didn’t provided enough money

Fat and short

Chief of the outpost

Weak moral: accepts slave deal

In the beginning: lazy Later: aggressive, ready to kill somebody, mental breakdown (caused by the loss of food)

In the beginning good relation to Carlier, later he shoots him and hangs himself.

Worked as a cavalary officer, was forced to this job because his brother-in-law didn’t want to provide him with money anymore

Tall

Assistant of Kayerts

Weak moral: accepts slave deal

In the beginning: lazy Later: aggressive, mental breakdown, caused by the loss of food

In the beginning good relation to Kayerts, later not anymore

Has three children and a wife

Civilized

Well-educated (speaks two languages, bookkeeping skills)

Two names (Makola, Henry Price) two identities (criminal slave-trader, bookkeeper and supervisor) two cultural systems (African, European/western)

Tidy, organized

Betrays his own race

Morally ill

Seems to be without problems

1.1.4. The Author: Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad was born in Poland and grew up there with his father (a translator and poet) and his

mother. But both his parents died early, so he became an orphan. Later he joined the French and the

British Marines and realized his life dream, to travel around the world on a ship. So he sailed across

the oceans with the “Otago”. He visits Africa, Australia and as well Congo Free State on his trip.

Furthermore he was shocked by the colonists and how they trade the native population, and he left

his believes in enlightenment. Furthermore he got seriously ill in Africa, so that he wasn’t able to go

to sea furthermore. That’s why he started writing books and short stories in which he often reflects

scenes or events out of his own life.

1.1.5. Historical Background

1.1.5.1. King Leopold’s Rule

Back then Congo Free State was under the rule of King Leopold II. He divided Congo into several

districts and those districts into zones, those into sectors and those into posts. And on this lowest

level the short story is set. But even though the king had such an organized system in Congo he had

several problems with economy, especially with slave trade. There were two groups of slaves who

fought for their independence against the Belgian ruler between 1892 and 1894.

1.1.5.2. Humanitarian Disaster

Under King Leopold II, Congo Free State had several humanitarian problems. The slave trade which is

mentioned in the short story is only one of those. Caused by hunger and illnesses from the colonizers

countries there was a high death toll (=Todesrate) in Congo. The trouble with this was, that the

Belgian didn’t care for the native population and let over 15% of them die.

Furthermore they didn’t only accept their death, they tortured them. They forced the native

population to collect rubber for the colonized state and they forced them to reach very high quotas

Page 7

(=Quoten). And if they weren’t able to collect the required amount, the colonizers used to cut them

the hands off, quite inhuman as well.

1.1.6. Main themes

1.1.6.1. Civilization

Civilization is one of the most important topics in the short story. Makola is for example introduced

as a “civilized nigger”. Civilization is in Western view a kind of Progress for a society. In the short

story Civilization is a support for morally weak characters like Kayerts and Carlier who both need

someone who’s superior to them (you see this when looking at their earlier jobs in the army or the

administration). They fail when seeing themselves on the top of the hierarchy.

Furthermore even “civilized” people behave morally wrong, for example Makola who organizes the

slave deal without telling the two agents about this.

1.1.6.2. Racial differences (black & white)

In this short story the two white men are superior to the black persons. The agents actually don’t do

the work, but they enjoy good meals in opposition to the stationmen. But the short story shows as

well, that even if the black persons are officially behind the whites, they have the power to destroy

the lives of the white men. And Makola acts (criminal) without the permission of Kayerts and Carlier,

so he seems to have more power than the two agents.

1.1.6.3. Colonization as a Failure

The two white colonists, Kayerts and Carlier, fail economically and morally when trying to live and

“reign” in another country. The colonization leads the two into death, as well as the agent who died

of fewer (the one who build up the outpost).

Furthermore the colonists have much bad character traits which can be referred to colonization

itself. They are untidy and lazy and have a very weak moral.

1.1.7. Links to other short stories

1.2. The Force of Circumstance

William Somerset Maugham

Survival

The Second Hut

Failure

The Second Hut

The Force of Circumst.

Dead Men's Path

Loneliness

Shooting an Elephant

Views on natives


Wilderness Tropics


Page 8

1.2.1. Content

The Force of Circumstances is about Doris and Guy. Doris fell in love

with Guy, who isn’t good-looking, but who is kind of funny. Doris

even sometimes jokes about why she had married a person like

him.

But even though Doris moves into Guys home in Malaysia. When

arriving there she changes the whole decoration of the home, she

makes it habitable.

After that a new person appears, the Malay woman. She has

children and Doris and Guy often meet her. Doris kind of likes the

woman (says she’s attractive and beautiful), but Guy seems to be

troubled by her presence (remember the scene when he plays

tennis worse than usual).

Later on Guy is so morally ill that he confesses that he had a

relationship with the woman and that her children are his children.

Doris is shocked, but wants to forgive Guy. She sets one bed out of

the bedroom, so that they sleep in separate rooms.

But even if Doris tries to get on with guy, she can’t forget and

forgive Guys relationship with the Malay woman, so she finally

moves out.

Guy is disappointed by this, but he lets the Malay woman move

into his house with the children.

1.2.2. Setting

The short story is set in Malaysia which lies between south-east Asia

and Australia. The town in which the story is set, called Sembulu, is

a fictional place, where else the Dyak culture and the town, from

where the newspapers arrive, really exist and lead to the suggestion

that the story is set in the south of the western island.

Furthermore the setting is interesting, because it changes with the

current situation in the short story. In the beginning the house is very

untidy and described as a bachelor’s room. As well several fragments of Dyak culture lay around in

the house. But when Doris moved in, all this changed. The house became tidy and habitable, just like

Guys life changed (at first) to a better life, with the wife he loves. But unfortunately this love has a

soon end and Doris moves out and with Doris all the tidiness moves out of the house and the

bachelor-style returns with the Malay women. And this is done step by step. So at first one bed has

to go out of the bedroom before Doris moves out.

So the tidiness of Guys room is connected to his mood, the tidier it is, the happier he is!

Introduction

Doris moves with Guy to his house, changes decoration

D&G meet the Malay woman often

Guy confesses that he had a relationship with the Malay women

Doris wants to forgive Guy but sets one bed out of the bedroom

Finally Doris moves out

Guy lets the Malay woman with the children move back in the house.

Page 9


Doris Guy Malay woman

Decent

Superior to Guy (contrast to “usual” gender roles)

Later: desperate (=verzweifelt), calm and quiet

Makes Guy think, that they will get together later.

Tidy

In the beginning very happy, later very sad

Dislikes “going native” attitude

Prejudices against natives

Is in an relationship with Guy, moved to him

Humerous and ironic, cheerful

Moves between two cultures (Western and Malaysian)

Noisy

Not that good-looking

Untidy

Isn’t honest to Doris in the beginning

Went native (seems to be kind of morally ill and ignorant)

Thinks natives to be inferior

Had a relationship with the malay women, is in a relationship with Doris

Beautiful and attractive

Seductive (=verführerisch)

Inferior to Guy

Makes Guy a bad conscience

Doesn’t talk that much, rather quiet

Powerful (she’s the trigger for Guy to tell the truth)

Native

Has a child

Had a relationship with guy

1.2.4. The Author: William Somerset Maugham

William Somerset Maugham was born 1874 in Paris. He learned English in school as second language.

He had a unhappy youth (probably caused by his homosexual setting). He became a full-time writer

already in the age of 23, when his first novel got a huge success. Later he wrote as well theater plays

(which were often comedies) and a few Novels and short stories.

About 20 years later he started to travel around the world. He visited the Colonies of the British

Empire and he seems to be opposed to the colonial system even though he had never confirmed it.

You can recognize this in a few short stories of him as well.

In 1928 he settled down in France where he died in 1965 after a lot of trips through the world.


1.2.5.1. Dyak culture

The Dyak culture is one, which developed in south-east Asia and which still

exists. It’s a nature worship (=Naturreligion). A few Dyak tribes still live as

hunters and gatherers and don’t really have an access to modern technique.

The Dyak culture is separated in lots of tribes which often differ in their

practice of religion and their language.

The Dyak culture is so interesting in connection with the short story,

because it is very opposed to the British culture. The Western culture often

doesn’t take care of nature and of the colonized people, but suppressed

both. The Dyak culture respects nature and lives in several tribes without

using force against each other, they are rather peaceful.

Page 10

1.2.5.2. Colonization

Malaysia was colonized by two powers, the English and the Dutch in cooperation. The British

colonizers where in charge of the northern part of Malaysia and the Dutch governed the rest of the

separated country. So the story is as well connected to colonization, what seems to be one of the

common things in all short stories.

The Dutch reigned part later joined the British Rule, so all Malaysia was colonized and reigned by the

British crown. Malaysia gained its independence in 1957.

1.2.6. Main themes

1.2.6.1. Going native

In the British colonies were very few British women. That and the fact that the natives didn’t have a

real use for wives caused the development that more often relationships between British men and

native women came up. The natives were often treated inferior to the British.

Anyhow the children of a British and a native (called Half-Castes) were a kind of reprehensible

(=verwerflich) and so it wasn’t good if you had to admit that you had a relationship with a native

women.

The term “going native” describes exactly this action, to build up a relationship with a native woman

and to treat her inferior. Those relationships often broke up quite early, mostly caused by the

superior British men.

If you relate this to the short story, you can see that Guy went native with the Malay women and that

he has half-caste children. He’s afraid that Doris will leave her, when she finds out that he did such a

reprehensible thing.


Just like in “An Outpost of Progress” the colonizers fail while acting with the natives. The foreign

person (Doris) can’t live with the moral settings and has to leave the country. She tried to change

Guy (she e.g. rearranged his room) but in the end she leaves without have changed anything,

because Guy and the Malay woman live again together in the house.


Women

The Second Hut

Failure

An Outpost of Progress

The Second Hut

Dead Men's Path

Clash of Cultures


Views of natives



Wilderness


Husband and Wife

The Second Hut

The Black Madonna

Page 11

1.3. Shooting an Elephant

George Orwell

1.3.1. Content

The story begins when the narrator who’s the police officer himself

starts describing his opinions against the Burmese population and

against the British colonizers. He dislikes the Burmese population,

because it used to discriminate him, but he doesn’t feel well with the

colonizers either, because they sometimes suppress the native

population without any reason.

That’s when the actual story begins. The police officer gets a call from

a sub-inspector who tells him of a must elephant ravaging the bazaar.

Caused by this, the police officer takes a small gun and goes into the

town, searching for the elephant, when he sees the ravaged bazaar

and a dead coolie with crucified arms. Frightened and shocked by

this, he asks for a larger elephant riffle to shoot the elephant if

necessary.

But when he finds the elephant it is peacefully eating grass, so the

officer doesn’t want to shoot it anymore. Meanwhile a large crowd

came up behind him. They want the narrator to shoot the elephant to

have some excitement in the town.

Finally the officer shoots the elephant 5 times with his riffle till he

couldn’t see the suffering elephant anymore and left. The elephant

suffered for half an hour after the shots of the officer till it finally

died. The Burmese population went to the death elephant and took

the meet and the ivory.

In the end the narrator thinks, weather it was legal to shoot the

elephant and comes to the result that it was, caused by the dead

coolie, legal for him, but he isn’t saying how he personally feels.

1.3.2. Setting

The story is set in a town called Moulmein, which lies anywhere in Burma

(today: Republic of Myanmar). Burma was under British colonization and

received not such a good treatment by the British crown ( Historical

Background).

The town Moulmein seems to be quite poor and is described with

words like “a very poor quarter” or “labyrinth”.

The setting is as well in contrast to the British. We’ve got a Buddhist

religion and we are in a not very industrialized country with antagonism

against the British rule in society.

Police officer gets a call: must elephant

searching the elephant

find out that the elephant killed sombody

asking for a elephant riffle

finds elephant peacefully, doesn't want to shoot

large crowd behind him wants him to shoot

officer shoots the elephant (5 times!)

elephant suffers, officer leaves

elephant died half an hour later, citizens used meat

Page 12


Police officer - narrator Burmese population Elephant

Young and without experience

Caught between Burmese and British/Elephant

The British at least better as the once who would replace them

Hate against the Burmese population

Officer = narrator (looking back to its past)

Claims he wants to give up his job

Ill-educated but acts human

Very two-sided character

Acts as if it was one person

Hate against their oppressors and the officer

Blind hate against the elephant, when it killed one of them

Immoral

Like to see blood to have some excitement

Take the meat and ivory from the dead elephant

Force police officer to shoot the elephant

As well ill-educated

Used to be tame, working elephant

Great value to its master

Went must

Shows human traits while he’s dying (is paralyzed, is surprised, looks suddenly old, last cry)

Seems to go over into another world in the end (mystique)

Might resemble the empire (is as well opposed to native population!)

1.3.3.1. The Elephants stages of dying

1.3.4. The Author: George Orwell

George Orwell was born 1903 in British India. He served for the Indian Imperial Police from 1922 till

1927 when he was as well in Burma. While being there he got pretty much the opinion of the

narrator. He got angry with the native population, because it made it difficult for him to do his work

and who used to discriminate him and he developed a hate to the colonizers and he expressed this

with his writing.

So his novels usually tell from failure due to colonization, just like “Shooting an Elephant”. This short

story was one who George Orwell really experienced while he was working for the Indian Imperial

Police in Burma. So the narrator and the police officer is the author George Orwell.


1.3.5.1. Myanmar and Burma

The story is set in Myanmar, which was called Burma in that time. Burma was a colony of the British

Empire, and received no good treatment by the British crown. And as a result of this there was a hate

towards imperialism and the colonizers.

India, which is quite near to Myanmar gained its independence a lot earlier, and was a crown colony

as well. So the Burmese population saw a possibility for a better life under British rule, and fought in

lots of civil wars for their independence. Furthermore they were partly controlled by their neighbors

from India, what lead to ha hate against them.

Firs

t sh

ot terrible

change

elephant alters (old)

bullet paralyzes

Aft

er 5

sec

on

ds sagged on

his knees

slabbered

helpless, suffering

Seco

nd

sh

ot did not

collapse

rises again

still standing

Thir

d s

ho

t cause of death

fell down, large impact

last cry

The

end

last two shots in heart

huge torture

Page 13

And so they get at first a British crown colony and later on an independent country. And as a result of

this they often changed their own name, to celebrate this independence (e.g.in Birma or Myanmar).

1.3.6. Main themes

1.3.6.1. Loneliness

The protagonist of the short story, the police officer is the only one who’s torn in a conflict. He’s in a

“one against one thousand”-situation. He is the only one in the whole city, who doesn’t want to

shoot the elephant. Other persons who might have supported him (like the owner of the elephant or

other officers) aren’t available and so he has to decide if he shoots the elephant or not.

He finally suffers from the group pressure by the Burmese population, so that he kills the elephant.


Just like in other short stories, the colonizers fail with their original purpose. The British colonized

India and Burma to enlighten the country and furthermore to gain influence and respect all over the

world.

In “Shooting an Elephant” the purpose of the colonizers is to increase morality in the Burmese

population, but the Empire is trying this by a police officer who is himself not completely on the side

of the colonizers.

When reflecting that the Elephant resembles the Empire you are supported in the suggestion that

the Empire fails, while acting in the colonies. The Empire ravaged and exploited the Burmese

population while their progress of colonization and now they die in the end, without having achieved

anything.

In this short story George Orwell predicts the failure of the British Empire with colonization!


Corruption of the colonizers


Failure


The Second Hut

Clash of Cultures



Dead Men's Path

A Horse and Two Goats

A Meeting in the Dark

A Pair of Jeans

My Son the Fanatic

Views on natives


Clash of Cultures

Page 14

1.4. The Second Hut

Doris Lessing

1.4.1. Content

The story begins with an introduction about the protagonist Major

Carruthers. He used to live in England and served for the British army in

the first world-war. After the death of his relatives, they inherited their

house to Major Carruthers brother, so Carruthers had to build up a new

existence. He went with his wife to southern Africa, where they build up

a farm. Due to bad conditions and a bad economy Mrs. Carruthers got ill

and asks her husband to get some help from his brother in England.

Major Carruthers refuses and employs the Afrikaner Van Heerden as an

assistant. It actually is surprising that Van Heerden accepts the job,

because he has to live in an old, dirty and untidy hut and he isn’t earning

much money. Van Heerden did a good job and the Major was very

satisfied with him.

When Major Carruthers finds out that Van Heerden lives with his

women and nine children in the old destroyed hut, he is quite shocked

and he decides to build up “The Second Hut” for Van Heerdens family

even though the native workers at the farm complained about the

terrible treatment against them, caused by Van Heerden.

When the new hut was built up it started burning at night (not sure why)

and the youngest child of Van Heerden died in the night. Surprisingly

Van Heerden wasn’t really sad, because his wife was again pregnant and

the new child could replace the old one.

Shocked by this inhuman attitude Major Carruthers finally decides to

accept the suggestion of his wife and writes to his brother, asking for a

job in England.

1.4.2. Setting

The short story appeared in a short story collection in which all the stories

are set in a fictional area in Zimbabwe. In “The Second Hut” itself, the

setting is only described as “southern Africa”.

The story takes place at a farm in this fictional area. The farm seems to be

rather old and untidy. So, just like Van Heerdens hut not such a nice place

to live. From inside the huts you only know the room of the Majors wife,

where she’s lying in her bed, while having a bit mystique atmosphere all

around.

The outside nature is in contrast to the both huts. It’s always described as rather beautiful and open.

Introduction (Mrs. C is ill, brother as help, Mr. C refuses)

Mr. C employs Van Heerden as assistant

Van Heerden lives with women and nine children in the old hut

native workers complain about Van Heerden

Carruther forces natives to build up a second hut

hut is burned down

Mr. C accepts Mrs. C suggestion, writes his brother

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zimbabwe_(orthographic_projection).svg

Page 15


Major Carruthers Van Heerden

In a conflict between his family and what he wants (his wife can accept the failure, he can’t)

Old military officer

Is a gentleman (question of instinct, important for him)

Treats workers fairly

Helps Van Heerdens family, feels responsible

Moral attitudes

(too) pride of what he has built up

Major Carruther can’t accept his failure

Opposite to Van Heerden

Opposite to his wife

Strong, no fear of spiders or ugly animals

Understands animals

Has nine children and a wife

Children are seen more as object, than as persons

Very poor

Not happy that he has to work for a British person.

Immoral (“Well, one comes and another goes” when one of his children died in the fire)

Opposite to Major Carruthers

1.4.4. The Author: Doris Lessing

Doris Lessing was born in May Tayler which is in Iran (back then: Persia) in 1919 and had two British

parents. Her mother worked as a nurse, her father as a clerk. With six years she moved with her

family to Southern Rhodesia (a colony of the British Empire, today: Zimbabwe) where she grew up.

Her father didn’t come along that well with the circumstances in their new home. He tried with the

rest of the family to build up a farm, but failed to live civilized as usual in Great Britain and he wasn’t

able to achieve that, what he had planned and hoped. So the family was not as rich, as similar ones.

Doris Lessing’s mother didn’t have such strong difficulties to live in Southern Rhodesia. In that time,

she cared for the young Doris and sends her to school for some education.

So you see, that the farm on which the Carruthers family lives is a real place, as well as the plot in

which the father had problems to live like a gentlemen in Zimbabwe, where else the mother acts

rather fictional in the short story.


1.4.5.1. Southern Rhodesia and Colonization

The colonization of southern Africa was started by the Dutch East India Company, which settled 1652

at the Cape of Good Hope. The colonizers were called Boers or Afrikaners. Over 100 years later the

British crown came to the Cape Colony and forced the Dutch to give the colony to the British,

because it had a strategic importance for them. The Boers at first continued living under British rule,

until they abolished slave trade. The Afrikaners, who were frightened to lose their cheap workers,

emigrated to the north and founded “Orange Free State” and “Transvaal”.

The British crown accepted the both states until Gold and Diamonds were found there. Then they put

pressure on the Afrikaners to join the British colonies. When the Boers decided not to do so, the

Anglo-Boer war broke out which the Afrikaners lost in the end, so that they had to give up Orange

Free State and Transvaal to the British colonizers, who renamed the areas to e.g. “Southern

Rhodesia”.

Page 16

This new colony often demanded to be a self-governing country, which the British didn’t allowed

because they didn’t accepted Africans in their government. When a Rhodesian minister decided to

declare the independence the United Nations answered with economic restrictions, so it lasted till

1980 till there were the first free votes in Southern Rhodesia. In the same year the colony became

independent and changed its name into Zimbabwe

1.4.6. Main themes


Just like in all other short stories of the “Colonial Encounters” the colonizers were opposed to some

problems and fail in the end. In this short story it is Major Carruthers who tries to get rich in the

colony and who wants to fulfill his life dream of a great farm.

He finally fails because he has to reject his own principals. He always wants to act like a gentleman

and cares well for his workers. But because he’s doing this, he isn’t really successful. So he rejects his

principals and lets Van Heerden treat his workers badly and even rewards him with building a second

hut (even if his purpose was a different).

1.4.6.2. Loneliness

Major Carruthers is the only character with his opinion. He’s torn in a conflict between himself and

his family and in another conflict between his workers and his moral understandings opposed to Van

Heerden and how he is acting.

The Major suffers from not being sure how to act, and because he had no one who acts like a

gentleman in the colony he fails in the end. This might not have happened, if he would have had

another one who was supporting him.


Survival


Failure



Dead Men's Path

Women in the colonies


Husband and wife


The Black Madonna

Page 17

2. Cross-Cultural Experiences

2.1. A Horse and Two Goats

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Narayan

2.1.1. Content

The short story “A Horse and Two Goats” by R. K. Narayan is about troubled

communication between languages, misunderstandings and the uprising

problems, when one language develops in two different ways.

The story is set in the small village Kiritam, which is in India. The village is so

small, that it isn’t even really located on local maps. The only special thing in the

city is a cheerful colored statue of a warrior with his rearing horse. The statue is

a quite old one and lost a lot of the original cheerful colors. In this city an

American tourist, of whom we don’t know the name visits on his tour through

India. When he sees the statue he cries out how wonderful he thinks it is.

While that an Indian, called Muni, comes there with his two goats. The

American tourist decides that he wants to buy the statue and so he asks Muni,

whether he can sell it to him. The American starts a dialog with Muni. Because

Muni only speaks Tamil and the American tourist only speaks American English,

there are lots of misunderstanding between them, resulting, that Muni thinks

the American tourist is a police officer, because he wears khaki.

Meanwhile the tourist, repeats his questions about the statue, so he asked for

example when it was made. On this the native Indian answers with the whole

story about Hinduism religion and the reincarnation of the avatar in this statue

as a horse. The tourist came up with the Idea to show Muni some money, what

should makes him thinking, that he really wants to buy the statue. Muni first

wants to lead the tourist to a changing office, because his idea was that he

wants to get some smaller currency notes. But when the American strokes the

backs of his goats (out of politeness) he left him standing there with the goats

and took the money, to realize is life dream, to build up a small shop. He

thought the American wants to buy the goats with the money. The American

waits for Muni to come back, because he would need some help to get the

statue on the pick-up, when the story ends.

2.1.2. Setting

This short story is set in south-east India, in the region where the Tamil

language is spoken. The story is set in a village called Kiritam, which is special

because of the statue which stands in front of the town and is guarding it.

The town is in a dry and infertile region, which doesn’t have a real

significance for India or for the British colonizers. Important is, that the town

is not important. The story could be set anywhere in the area of south-east

India. Narayan probably didn’t want to restrict the message to one little

town, because you can apply it on the whole region.

Intro about small village and statue

tourist sees statue

tourist wants to buy - Muni thinks he's a

officer

tourist asks age of the statue - Muni answers

about Hinduism

tourist shows money - Muni thinks he should

change it

tourist strokes goats - Muni thinks tourist wants to buy them

Muni leaves the tourist standing there

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:India_(orthographic_projection).svg

Page 18


Muni The American tourist

Only speaks Tamil language

Believes in Hinduism and fortune telling mythology

Owns two goats, is rather poor/in a lower caste

Is from India

Respectful, polite and friendly

Lives in the past

Dream to sell the goats and open a little own shop

Classical native (religious, friendly, respectful)

Only speaks English

Not interested in religion (at least not very much), sees statue only as material

Can afford a trip to India, has 100 rupees to pay for the statue, rich

Is from New York, America

Pretends to be polite, but actually acts ignorant (continues speaking English even though Muni can’t understand him.

Classical tourist (sunburned, shorts, wants to buy a souvenir)

2.1.4. The Author: Rasipuram Krishnaswami Narayan

Narayan was born in India, where he wrote the most novels. He searched a long time for a publisher

in the beginning, even if he became more famous later on. In all his stories he uses simply English and

he never criticizes anything about the Indian social system. Nearly all of his stories are set in India

and the protagonists are mostly men. He had been awarded great literary honors in India and

America. Furthermore he was voted as one of the three best authors of India.

In his first years he grew up in one of the highest castes of the Hindu caste system. In his childhood

he only used to speak Tamil language. His first contact with the English language he made in school,

where the Tamil language was behind the English one only second language and not that accepted by

the British colonizers.


2.1.5.1. Hindu caste system

In Hinduism everyone is sorted in one of 5 cases. Those of the upper cases are allowed to do higher

jobs, those of the lower ones, aren’t even allowed to work e.g. as a trader, only because they were

born in a different case. Furthermore you can only be married to someone in your case. This case

system is represented by the social difference between Muni and the tourist and in the one situation

where Muni isn’t able/allowed to change the money of the officer.

2.1.5.2. Vishnu

A Vishnu is the reincarnations of one of the most important Gods in Hinduism.

He’s the master of past, present and future and is always reborn in form of an

animal, or a human. The future reincarnation of this God is Kalki, who will arrive

in the form of a horse, will guarantee a fair world order.

2.1.5.3. Reincarnation

Reincarnation leads a Hindu to good behavior in your time on earth. Because if you behave well,

you’ll be reborn in a new higher case, if you behave badly, you may be reborn as an animal or in a

lower class. The highest aim of a Hindu is to achieve salvation. This seems to be the reason why Muni

acts respectfully in the story.

Page 19

2.1.5.4. The British in India

The British colonized India years ago. The reasons for the colonization were economical reasons like

resources and cheap workers and financial ones like taxes. This lead to disadvantages for the native

population which are as well in the short story: traditional culture changes to European style, exploit

of the Indian materials und culture.

2.1.6. Main themes

2.1.6.1. Troubled communication

The whole short story is based on this problem, the problem that Muni and the American tourist

don’t have a common language. The American tourist wants to buy the traditional statue, while Muni

is thinking that the tourist wants to buy his goats. Finally these misunderstandings lead to the end,

where both think, that they have achieved their aims, but where actually no one has achieved

anything.

The behavior of the American tourist is very interesting in that situation. Even when he realizes that

Muni doesn’t understand him he continues speaking English and still wants to buy the statue even

though it has a serious religious importance for the town. This behavior is often connected to Wall

Marts behavior in different countries, where they always stick to their behavior in America and

where they didn’t fit their strategies to the usual behavior in the country and fail caused by this.

2.1.6.2. Opposition west/east

In Narayan’s short story we’ve the both characters Muni and the American tourist, who represent

the east and the west and who both act a bit like the eastern stereotypes for a western and an

eastern world would act. The American tourist is ignoring the eastern culture and religion and is only

focused on his own profit and Muni is religious and respectful against the tourist.


Clash of cultures



Dead Men's Path


A Pair of Jeans

My Son the Fanatic

Mysticim vs. materialism

My Son the Fanatic

Clash of cultures

Page 20

2.2. Dead Men’s Path

Chinua Achebe

2.2.1. Content

The story tells from Michael Obi, who is the new head teacher at the

missonary Ndume Central School in Nigeria. He is a very motivated and

dynamic teacher and has lots of progressive ideas for the school. One

of those is to make the schoolyard more beautiful and that for he

created a few flower beds (=Blumenbeete) and tidied up the

schoolyard.

The next day he saw a woman from the town walking straight over the

schoolyard trampling the new flowers. A teacher from the school tells

Obi, that there’s an old path through the schoolyard which is anyhow

important for the citizens of the town. But even though Michael Obi

closes the path, because he thinks it is unusual for citizens to walk over

the schoolyard destroying the flowers.

When the citizens noticed this the religious leader, the Ani, comes to

Michael Obi and tells him politely about the importance of the path for

the native population, but Michael Obi still leaves the path closed,

which is supposed for the spirits of the death and newborn people.

In the next night a young women in the town dies in childbed and the

citizens are convinced that this had happened because the path is

closed and so they went to Ndume Central School and ravage the

schoolyard. They even pull down one school building.

The next day the supervisor comes to write a report about Michael

Obi’s work at the school. When he sees the ravaged school he writes a

bad one about Obi in which he mentioned that the head teacher

ignored the traditional conditions and caused a kind of tribal war

(=Stammeskrieg).

2.2.2. Setting

The story is set in the 1950s in Ndume Central School in Nigeria. Nigeria was

back then under British rule and had several missionary schools just like the

one in the story.

The schoolyard is the most important place in the short story. However it

lies between the town and a shrine on a path on which, after traditional

believe, the spirits of the new-born children arrive and on which the spirits

of the death persons leave. Furthermore is the path the way, on which the

death relatives of the citizens come to visit. So the closing of the path is a serious problem for the

natives and they see this, when the spirit of the new-born child can’t come over the path and the

mother dies in childbed.

Introduction (Obi as head teacher)

Obi wants to make the school more progressive

A woman crosses the schoolyard on a path

Obi closes the path

Ani tells Obi politely about the importance of this path

Obi leaves the path closed

A young women dies in childbed

School gets destroyed

Supervisor comes, bad report for Michael Obi

Page 21


Michael Obi The Ani

Young, between 20 and 30 years old

Western education, adopted colonial mindset

His duty: enlighten the Nigerians

Ambitious, self-confident

Arrogant and ignorant

Ruins his own career

Sees traditional believes as “narrow vies”

Michael Obi acts like a colonizer, who is convinced that his opinion is the only right one and who ignores traditional believes.

Village priest

Believes in traditional values

Quiet

Modest

Polite to Michael Obi

Shows tolerance, suggests a compromise

peaceful

The Ani is the opposite of Michael Obi and wants to find a compromise, which is acceptable for both sides.

2.2.4. The Author: Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe was born in south-east Nigeria in 1930 and was member of the Igbo ethnic group

there. His parents taught him to respect the native values even though the western world was a part

of Achebe’s live. His father worked at a missionary school (just like Michael Obi) and so he grew up

under them.

Even though his parents were more torn between two cultures and had seen them more as rivals,

Chinua Achebe always was happy to be able to profit from both. He believed in the traditional values

but went as well to a university and studied English, history and theology. So he didn’t always

criticize the western values like in this short story.


2.2.5.1. Colonization in Nigeria

Nigeria was colonized by the British in the end of the 19th century. Before the British colonizers

profited already from several slave trade stations in Nigeria, until slavery was forbidden in 1807. The

British colonized Nigeria because they had high amounts of palm oil in the Niger delta.

The British brought as well their western education with missionary schools in the country and

“convinced” the south of Nigeria to Christian believes, where else the north remained mostly

Muslim. Furthermore there were other ethnic and religious groups, which triggered tensions

between each other. So there was a civil war, in which Muslims killed thousands of Christians and

other breakouts of violence in the country.

Nigeria gained its independence on the 1st October 1960, even before the brutal civil wars. The short

story is one example of a violent breakout which is resulting from the ignorance of other religious

believes.

2.2.6. Main themes

2.2.6.1. Clash of Cultures

In the Dead Men’s Path we have to cultures clashing against each other. There is Michael Obi with his

western Christian believes, which he probably took up in missionary schools and we’ve the Ani with

the traditional believes of the village. Those cultures clash when Obi closes the “Dead Men’s Path”

which has a serious importance for the villagers.

Page 22

Interesting is that Chinua Achebe isn’t only describing the fact that the both cultures have different

opinions, but he also tries to give some advices for a better behavior and he actually criticizes the

behavior of the colonizers.

He’s rating colonization in this case, when they’re ignoring native values as something bad, because

the colonizers aren’t willing to make compromises but stick to their own believes and see them as

the only right thing.

2.2.6.2. Hybridity and Mimicry

Hybridity means to have a mix of several religions or identities which are together in one individual.

Nigeria has such a mix of identities. Nigeria contains lots of different ethnic groups besides Christians

and Muslims and has itself a hybrid character.

But the protagonist Michael Obi is as well kind of hybrid. He mixes his native identity as a Nigerian

citizen with the western attitudes of the colonizers, even though he gives the western values a higher

priority. You might say he rather imitates the western values and ignores his native origin, this would

be Mimicry instead. Mimicry means exactly this: replacing another culture.

2.2.6.3. Failure of the Colonizers

In the short story the colonizers are represented by Michael Obi. He fails and gets a bad report in the

end because he isn’t taking the tribe and his believes serious and because he is blind for a peaceful

compromise which the Ani is proposing to him.

You may connect this to the usual behavior of the British colonizers in several colonies when they

always try to satisfy their own interest (like getting oil in Nigeria or enlighten a country) without

respecting the traditional values.


Clash of Culture




A Pair of Jeans

My Son the Fanatic

Hybridity


A Pair of Jeans

Failure



Clash of cultures

Page 23

2.3. A Meeting in the Dark

Ngugi wa Thiong’o

2.3.1. Content

The story starts in the house of John and his parents Stanley und Susana,

when Stanley tells John what he expects of him (to act like proposed in

religion) and when John thinks that his father found out what he has

done. After John left Stanley talks to his wife who is rather on John’s side

and tells her husband that John seems to be frightened of Stanley.

While this John went to the town where he meets a native woman and

comes into a short dialog with her, which shows how accepted he is in

society and what his plans are.

After this John goes to Wamuhu and wants to talk with her but she isn’t

at home so he comes into a short dialog with the parents but is finally

leaving. Wamuhu and John meet later on in the dark. Before the story

starts, John has impregnated Wamuhu which is a taboo in the native

religion as well as in Christianity and that’s why the young girl wants John

to marry her. She even sets John a deadline to tell his parents about the

marriage. John is thinking why he shouldn’t marry Wamuhu and doesn’t

find a real reason why not, without the single one that he can’t go to

university if the he’d marry her.

After the end of the deadline John and Wamuhu meet again. John doesn’t

want to marry Wamuhu and offers because of this money to Wamuhu, so

that she doesn’t tell that the child is Johns’. Because Wamuhu is rejecting

John’s offer, he gets completely out of mind and finally kills Wamuhu (he

strangles her). And while doing this John kills as well the child he has

created himself.

2.3.2. Setting

The story is probably set in the 1970ies. There isn’t a real sentence

clarifying this, but you may suggest this time when you hear from the

“Mau-Mau-War” which ended in 1963.

John lives in a town called Makeno village, a fictional place in Kenya.

Kenya was a white settler country back then but Makeno village seems

to be a very small town and is rather ugly. The village is overfilled with

houses and it isn’t that important. Wa Thiong’o actually says, that it is

only one of the villages which had grown up everywhere after the Mau-

Mau-war” – so all in all nothing special.

Dialog between John and his father/Stanley and Susana

Meeting of John and the woman

John visits Wamuhu

John and Wamuhu meet in the dark

John is thinking weather he can marry Wamuhu

next meeting: John offers money to Wamuhu

John is out of mind

John has "created and killed"

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Kenya_(orthographic_projection).svg

Page 24


Stanley and Susana John Wamuhu

Stanley Traditional, old preacher strict education sinner himself bad opinion about

women, hides emotions

Susana Aware of own guilt Self-confident, brave Frightened of Stanley Used to be beautiful

Stanley and Susana resemble John’s inner conflict!

Young

Wants to go to university

Well-educated, smart

ambitious

Afraid of Stanley

Very polite, respectful

Caught between religion, tradition and western opinions like education and going to university

Broke a taboo

Later: out of mind, crazy

Very pretty, knows how to use her assets

Pregnant

Quite uneducated (in comparison to John)

Self-confident

Pays less attention to money but pays attention on her dignity (=Würde)

Not sure if she loves John or is forced to love him due to tradition

2.3.4. The Author: Ngugi wa Thiong’o

Ngugi wa Thiong’o was born in Kamiriithu, Kenya in 1938. Kenya was under British rule back then. He

was at first part of the largest ethnic group in Kenya but later he became a devout Christian due to

his education in Kenya’s missionary schools. He even had a Christian name back then: James Ngugi.

But after studying at several universities in Africa and the United Kingdom James Ngugi rejected his

Christian believes and even changed his name into Ngugi wa Thiong’o because he saw his original

name as a sign of colonization. He actually was against colonization and once was even set into

prison because he openly criticized the British behavior in Kenya. Furthermore he went into

American exile on voluntary basis where he worked as a professor on several universities.

So the author as well had contact with Christianity and the traditional religion and had to decide

between them. Just like the protagonist John.


2.3.5.1. Kenya’s history – Mau-Mau-war

Kenya was a British colony and the native population got suppressed by the colonizers. And because

of this in the 1950ies a freedom movement rose to fight against the British army to not be instructed

anymore by the colonizers. In this very brutal and bloody fight the resistance was beaten down in

1956 first, but achieved independence for Kenya in 1963. This war between civilians and colonizers is

better known as the Mau-Mau-war.

2.3.5.2. Kenya’s ethnic – Kikuyu

The Kikuyu is the largest ethnic group in Kenya with over

8.000.000 members. They are mainly engaged in agriculture and

are strongly against missionaries and western education. They

are as well represented in economy and politics. In Kikuyu

believe the individual is the least important person, who has to

obey the parents for example.

God

spirits

elders

parents

individual

Page 25

2.3.5.3. Circumcision

Circumcision is quite normal in Kenya and other African countries. They circumcise women, by using

old scissors in a very brutal and inhuman way to achieve a better feeling for the man even though

they hurt the women. Circumcision is as well possible for male persons but it isn’t that usual.

2.3.5.4. Missionary schools

In the opinion of the older native people in Kenya the missionary schools endanger the native culture

and shrank the traditional values because they are heavily influenced by British colonists and

Christian values. So they fear the alienation of the youth (=Entfremdung der Jugend).

2.3.6. Main themes

2.3.6.1. Tradition vs. western values

This short story shows the conflict between tradition and western values very open. John has to

decide whether he wants to stick to the traditional values or if he takes the western values. The

traditional values are represented by Stanley who empowers John a very strict Christian education

and by Wamuhu who is pregnant from John and wants him to marry her.

But John can’t resist the attraction of the western values. He wants to go to university on any way

and isn’t even shrinking back from destroying another ones live. I don’t want to say that John killed

Wamuhu on purpose, but he didn’t want to marry her and that would mean a destruction of her live

as well.

In the end neither the western values nor tradition are represented as being something really good.

Both together lead John in a dilemma out of which he can’t break out and lead him in the end to a

murder. Maybe Ngugi wa Thiong’o wants to tell the reader that he has to find his place anywhere

between both sides.


Clash of Cultures

An Otpost of Progress


Dead Men's Path


A Pair of Jeans

My Son the Fanatic

Father-son conflict

My Son the Fanatic

Hybridity

Dead Men's Path

A Pair of Jeans

Religion

My Son the Fanatic

Generation conflict

A Pair of Jeans

My Son the Fanatic

Clash of cultures

Page 26

3. Post-Colonial Consequences

3.1. The Black Madonna

Muriel Spark

3.1.1. Content

The story “The Black Madonna” tells from Lou and Raymond parker and a

mystique statue called the Black Madonna.

When the short story starts the environment where the parkers live is

described very detailed. Even road and house number are mentioned as well

as that they live in the 5th floor.

The actual plot sets in, when Lou Parker invites two black Jamaicans, who

work with Raymond, to her house. Oxford St. John and Henry Price often

step by in the next time and Lou shows the two Jamaicans to all the friends

of her and Raymond, pretending what a good example of integration and

tolerance they are.

However Lou gets annoyed by the presence of Oxford who is too often at

their flat to her taste. So she prays to the new statue in the town church

that Oxford St. John leaves and she is successful. Soon after her prayer

Oxford gets a job offer in another town and leaves.

Convinced from the success of the first time Lou goes a second time to the

Black Madonna. This time she prays for getting pregnant because she wants

a baby.

And again the Black Madonna is successful. Lou gets pregnant and gets a

baby. But Lou and Raymond are very shocked when realizing that their baby

has a black skin color.

After a longer discussion between both of them they decide to give the baby

up and to move to London. They pretend to do this because too much of

their neighbors would suggest that Lou had slept with one of the Jamaicans

(what isn’t true: the baby is black because of distanced relatives of the

Parkers) but in fact they do so because they can’t accept this racial

difference.

3.1.2. Setting

The story is set in a town called Whitney Clay. A city which is partly

catholic and whose population increased in the last few years. Especially

black people out of the different colonies went to Whitney Clay to get an

impression of the colonizers. The setting is furthermore quiet concrete;

we exactly know where they live. It’s even said that our protagonists live

in the 5th floor in flat 22 in Manders Road. In the city it is usual to have

children and the Catholics represent a minority in the town.

introduction (the Parkers flat,...)

Lou invites Oxford and Henry

Lou shows the Jamaicans to all their friends

Lou gets annoyed by Oxford, prays to the Black Madonna

Oxford leaves

Lou prays to the Black Madonna that she wants to get pregnant

she gets pregnant

black baby

Lou and Raymond give it up, move to London

Page 27


Lou Parker Raymond Parker

Devout catholic

Well-organized

Good educated (reads books, newspaper…)

Wants to have children

Wants to be in middle-class

Selfish

Cannot accept a black child, even though she’s a bit black herself

Abuses catholic faith to her own benefit

She uses the black persons as a trophy for her played acceptance

Very religious, catholic

Connections to town councils

Inferior to Lou – adopts her opinion (only once he tried to contradict her but gets quickly overruled)

Racist tendencies

Pretty similar to Lou

3.1.4. The Author: Muriel Spark

Muriel Spark was born in 1918 in Edinburgh and had a Jewish father and a Protestant mother. She

started writing early and was very successful with poetry in the schools magazine.

Later she married Sydney Spark, a teacher from Southern Rhodesia, and moved there and lived there

for quite a long time even though the marriage caused a horrible life for the author. Because of this

experiences in Zimbabwe Muriel Spark wrote several poems and short stories in which she deals with

them.

With 40 years she converted to Catholicism (so neither Protestant nor Jewish as her parents) but she

always criticized the narrow views of lot of devout Catholics.

In her life she lived as well in Rome and New York and she was the publisher of several successful

poetry magazines.


3.1.5.1. The Black Madonna

The Black Madonna comes from religious believers and describes

pictures and statues of the holy Maria where she always has a black

face (or is completely black colored).

Because those statues used to be quite seldom there was a huge

admiration of those Madonna pictures and the religious community

awarded them with special abilities.

The most importance gains the Black Madonna for sure in the Marian

devotion (=Marienverehrung) and in Christianity.

3.1.5.2. Racism in England

Even in the 1980s and the 1980s there was an “anti-black-attitude” in England. For sure not any more

that hard that it wasn’t allowed for other-colored people to drive in the same bus (like in the United

States) but that far that some separate extremist groups even burn down a Mosque in Greenwich

and that the newspaper don’t write a report about this because racism is “nothing new”.

Page 28

Other events were the murder of the child of a Muslim woman, Molotov cocktails in Islamic flats and

the killing of a foreign Taxi driver (comparable to the subway murders in Germany!) – so racism was

still a topic back then in England.

Alone in 1986 there were 70000 cases of racist motivated violence in England and that’s a very big

number.

3.1.6. Main themes

3.1.6.1. Racism

In the beginning Lou and Raymond always pretend to be devout and good Catholics and they seem to

accept the two Jamaicans. But actually the two use the foreign workers to show their friends and

relatives how friendly and progressive they’re concerning narrow racist views. You realize this when

Lou gets annoyed by one of them and wants to get rid of him because he has served his purpose (=er

hat seinen Zweck erfüllt).

So the acceptance is only played and pretended and not real! This is directly shown in the end when

the two get the baby and are completely shocked and discuss for quite a while.

You see that Muriel Spark criticizes the behavior of Lou and Raymond towards Oxford St. John and

Henry Price in the short story and shows this with the higher power of the Black Madonna who is

shocking the couple with a black baby and with the aversion you feel against Lou (and maybe as well

Raymond) when you read the short story.


Husband and Wife


The Second Hut

A Pair of Jeans

Immigration

Good Advice is Rarer than

Rubies

Page 29

3.2. Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies

Salman Rushdie

3.2.1. Content

The short story “Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies” by Salman Rushdie

starts in front of the British Consulate in Pakistan, when Miss Rehanna, a

Pakistani women, arrives there because she needs to get a permit for her

immigration to Great Britain to live with her fiancé she hadn’t seen for

years.

Miss Rehanna gets out of the bus and meets the cheater Ali who is always

in front of the Consulate, selling illegal passports or answers for

immigration tests to the Tuesday women. Ali is telling Miss Rehanna that

he wants to give her an advice how to pass the test. Ali is even so

overwhelmed be the beautiful lady that he offers his advices for free.

But when he offers the wrong passports to Miss Rehanna she gets angry

and rejects the purpose telling Ali that she doesn’t want his illegal help. So

she goes into the consulate, while Ali is screaming after her that she’s

going to fail when she isn’t taking his tips.

Miss Rehanna, unimpressed from the screaming Ali, wents in the

consulate and talks to its members. After a while she comes out with a

smile that makes Ali think that she really got the permit without his help.

Miss Rehanna even invites him to eat something with her. While eating

Miss Rehanna tells him she didn’t get a permit and that she isn’t sad

about it. She actually doesn’t want to live with her fiancé whom she

hadn’t seen for such a long time.

When she leaves Ali she even has the happiest smile he has ever seen in

his live, so she really isn’t disappointed.

3.2.2. Setting

The story is set anywhere in Pakistan, the village is not clarified.

Probably Rushdie wanted to show, that the location isn’t important,

because this attitudes are kind of normal in whole Pakistan.

The only things we know from the town is that it is quite poor and that

it’s build of old and shabby houses, then there’s the bus stop and the

British consulate which is guarded by British soldiers. The British

consulate is shown as a contrast to the town in the beginning because

it shows the western lifestyle as something good and desirable

(=erstrebenswert), especially because the Tuesday women come there every week.

Miss Rehanna and the bus

Miss Rehanna meets Ali: offer of Ali

"Good advice is rarer than rubies"

Miss Rehanna hadn't to pay anything

hint of Ali

Miss Rehanna gets angry, rejects

Miss Rehanna didn't get a permit

She talks to Ali, reconcilation

Page 30


Miss Rehanna Ali

Beautiful, knows how to use her female charms

Clever

Poor

self-confident,

becomes very angry

engaged to her fiancé in Great Britain

needs to get a permit

independent from Islamic rules

cares for the children in the end instead of going to her fiancé

It isn’t possible to stereotype Miss Rehanna, she has western (uses female charms) and eastern elements (cares for the children) and resembles anyhow both sides

poor, bagger

cheater (tries to earn money by this)

abuses the Tuesday Women

clever

overwhelmed and bewildered by Miss Rehanna

3.2.4. The Author: Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie was born in June 1947 in Mumbai and grew up there under a modern and not that

religious education. With only 14 he moved with his family to England and he later studied at

Cambridge University in the United States. In England he as well went to a theatre where he

performed several plays.

His first novel published Salman Rushdie with 28 years, it was called Grimus. Rushdie often deals with

religion and religious problems in his novels, as well as he deals with colonization and problems

which lasted till today (just like forced marriage).

Salman Rushdie got serious problems with his fourth novel called “The Satanic Verses” in which he

anyhow insulted Muslim believes that far, that some religious leaders sentenced him to death.

Caused by this event he lived for 9 and a half years under police protection and wasn’t able to rest

anywhere longer than a night.


3.2.5.1. Pakistan’s colonial past

India and Pakistan were both British colonies. When India gained its independence it became a

completely Hindu country. The Muslims in India mostly emigrated to Pakistan and the Hindus in

Pakistan had to emigrate to India.

Later Pakistan was divided into West and East Pakistan and this lead to tensions between the both

areas. East Pakistan fought because of this a war against the other area and declared its

independence in 1971 and is today known as Bangladesh.

So Pakistan had several conflicts with India on the one hand (that’s one reason why there’s still

hatred between the both countries) and had problems dealing with religious freedom over the years

(which is officially guaranteed in Pakistan!).

Page 31

3.2.5.2. Arranged marriage/Arranged engagements

In Pakistan it is still today often usual to arrange marriages. Those marriages or engagements are

often organized by the parents of the married ones and their decision is most of the time made

because of educational or financial reasons and seldom because the promised ones love each other.

There are usually two forms of arranged marriages. The semi-arranged marriage, where bride and

bridegroom can decide in the end, whether they want to marry or not and the completely arranged

marriage, where they really have to marry without any own decision.

Islam and the Pakistan government don’t officially allow arranged engagements and so they usually

are set “behind the scenes” and today the love marriage starts to establish in Pakistani society.

3.2.6. Main themes

3.2.6.1. Advices

An advice is an opinion which someone offers you about what you should do or how you should act

in a particular situation. This short story deals with advices and that you have to reflect which advices

you should take and which rather not.

Ali claims to have an advice for Miss Rehanna even though it isn’t really his opinion what he’s saying.

So you may ask yourself the question whether Ali really wants to help Miss Rehanna or not.

3.2.6.2. Stereotypes

Salman Rushdie makes it difficult to apply stereotypes to the characters of the short story. Miss

Rehanna seems to be the beautiful women who bewitches the men and is independent from Islamic

rules but on the other hand she is engaged to her fiancé in Great Britain, cares for the children whose

nanny she is and becomes very angry in the situation when she rejects Ali’s purpose. A few character

traits you wouldn’t expect from her after having read the beginning.

And the same thing happens with Ali. He appears as the cheater who fools the Tuesday women and

makes his money with this and suddenly he offers his “services” for free and is beginning to take care

for Miss Rehanna (so he is afraid, that she won’t get the permit without is help). Quite surprising that

someone who used to cheat women starts to help one he doesn’t even knows.


Immigration

The Black Madonna

Page 32

3.3. A Pair of Jeans

Quaisra Shahraz

3.3.1. Content

The short story begins when Miriam is coming home later than planned from

a trip with her friends. She’s dressed in a western way, with a tight pair of

jeans and a shirt showing her midriff. When she arrives at home she meets

her future parents-in-law who are anyhow shocked by her appearance, just

like Miriam’s mother (Fatima) who opens the door.

When they all went in, Miriam hurried up the stairs to her room where she

quickly changed her clothes to the traditional Muslim outfit. But Ayub and

Begum (her future parents-in-law) were still disturbed by her earlier dressing

and leave very soon with a lousy excuse.

When they’re at home Ayub and Begum discuss about what to do now with

Miriam’s inappropriate dressing. Begum likes Miriam and didn’t want to

cancel the marriage, but she is suppressed by her husband and has to talk to

Fatima, telling her that the marriage is cancelled. She is satisfying this with a

white lie. She’s telling the shocked mother that Farook was promised to the

daughter of Begums sister and can’t marry Miriam because of this. Fatima

explains this to her daughter who quickly realizes the lie.

Now the story is divided into two endings.

3.3.1.1. First Ending

In the first ending Miriam gets angry and throws away her western clothes

and can’t understand why Farook is leaving her because of this (even though

it actually wasn’t Farook’s decision).

3.3.1.2. Second Ending

In the second ending Miriam takes her western clothes back on and calls

Farook because she wants to discuss with him what he’s thinking. So she is

more self-confident in this ending.

3.3.2. Setting

The story is probably set in Northern Britain in a town with a larger

Pakistani community. The quarter in which the story is set seems to be

rather poor, but you actually don’t really get detailed information

where in Britain the story is set. The town has to be rather big, because

of the large Pakistani community.

The action takes place in the two houses of the Pakistani families about

which we as well know not really much. The only thing we realize is

that Miriam’s room is upstairs from the living room.

Shahraz intention to leave the location that open might be, that the story could be set anywhere in

Great Britain, because such things simply could happen everywhere.

Miriam is hurrying home: meets parents-in-law

Fatima opens the door →shocked

Miriam changes, Ayub and Begum leave

Discussion between Ayub and Begum

phone call: white lie (Begums sisters daughter)

1st ending: Miriam gets angry and kicks her clothes

2nd ending: M. takes her "dirty" clothes back on

2nd ending: M. calls Farook and discusses with him

Page 33


Fatima Miriam Farook Ayub Begum

mother of Miriam

good friend of Begum

anxious about the marriage

helps her daughter although she breaks the “islamic tradition”

tries to bridge the gap between tradition and western values

daughter of Fatima

Muslim

wants to marry Farook

very integrated in the western world

adapts values of both worlds

studies in Britain

beautiful

self-conscious

obedient

respectful

embarrassed

son of Begum and Ayub

Miriams future husband

he shares the same hobbies

he doesn`t know anything about what happened

husband of Begum

Miriams future dad in law

strong ties with islamic tradition

dominance over Begum

good friend of Fatima

loves Miriam like her own daughter

has an own opinion

obedient

dissatisfied

3.3.4. The Author: Quaisra Shahraz

Quaisra Shahraz was born 1958 in Pakistan as the daughter of two Pakistani parents. She grew up her

first nine years in Pakistan till the family moved to Manchester in England (where she still lives

today).

So you see that Quaisra Shahraz got influences from both cultures and you may even suggest that the

short story is set in Manchester where she’s living. Furthermore she had always been an active

member of the Pakistani community in the United Kingdom and tried always to combine her home

country and its traditions with the new country.

In her novels and other stories she mainly dealt with two problems. On the one hand the problems of

the Pakistani community in England and on the other hand the suppression of women in their rights

(so she fought against gender roles or arranged marriages and engagements). With both topics she

deals as well in “A Pair of Jeans”.


3.3.5.1. The Pakistani community in England

The Pakistani community is a minority in England and counts about 1.3% of the English population.

They mostly immigrated in England when the British crown has colonized India and Pakistan and

forced the huge displacement of people due to India’s independence (see as well: 3.2.5.1. Pakistan’s

colonial past). The next wave arrived when the war between East and West Pakistan broke out.

Over 90% of the Pakistani community believes in Islam and is quite religious and furthermore a big

part is very aware of the honor of their families (which sometimes even leads to honor killings or

violence against women or men – last years: 3000 cases (even though they were not only committed

by the Pakistanis)).

In the short story we only have Pakistani characters. And when we take a look at characters like Ayub

we see as well that he’s Muslim and that he’s aware of the honor of his family.

Page 34

3.3.5.2. Arranged marriage/arranged engagement

Arranged marriages are as well a topic today in England. The English officials suggest that in more

than the half of the cases of forced marriage Pakistanis are involved. Furthermore they say that

about 90% of the forced women are Muslims.

The marriage between Farook and Miriam seems to be an arranged one, but it isn’t a problem for

Miriam and neither for Farook, because they actually love each other.

3.3.6. Main themes

3.3.6.1. Gender roles

The gender roles and the suppression of women are shown by Farook’s parents Ayub and Begum in

their discussion about whether the young couple can marry or not. Begum actually still wants the

marriage but she is overruled by her husband.

Furthermore he blames his wife that the arrangement was her fault and he forces her to call Fatima

to cancel the marriage even though such actions are usually done by both parents.

So all in all Begum has an own opinion, but she isn’t allowed to make it public and is suppressed.

3.3.6.2. Clash of cultures

Just like in several other short stories we’ve here two cultures clashing. There’s on the one side the

Western free and liberate lifestyle which is here represented by the attractive and short clothes

Miriam wears in the beginning of the short story and on the other side we’ve the Islamic traditional

clothes Miriam wears after she went in the house.

So we see that Miriam and her mother used to accept both cultures and as well tried to profit from

both whereas especially Ayub is focused on the traditional outfit and rejects the new Western

culture and furthermore isn’t accepting that others will live in that way.


Women


The Second Hut

The Black Madonna

Good Advice is Rarer than

Rubies

Hybridity

Dead Men's Path


Clash of Cultures



Dead Men's Path



My Son the Fanatic

Clash of cultures

Page 35

3.4. My Son the Fanatic

Hanif Kureishi

3.4.1. Content

The story tells from Parvez a Pakistani Taxi Driver in Northern England and

his son Ali. Parvez used to care very much for his only son and was

because of this very shocked when Ali changed his behavior. He left his

girlfriend, distanced himself from his other friends and gave away most of

the things which were in his room.

The shocked Parvez is talking after this with his taxi driver colleagues who

suggest that the young Ali is taking drugs. Parvez is convinced from this

idea and talks as well to Bettina, a prostitute and friend of him, who

describes him the usual signs of drugs.

Parvez supervises his son and realizes that he actually isn’t taking drugs

but that he is a religious fanatic. The father wants to talk to his son and

goes out for a dinner with him. While eating, Ali accuses Parvez’s western

lifestyle and openly criticizes his behavior. The discussion escalates and

Parvez is drinking too much alcohol to play down his anger.

After this Parvez talks another time to Bettina who tries to support him

and who even talks to the fanatic in the taxi. But when Ali insults her for

her work as a prostitute she goes out of the taxi and leaves Parvez and Ali

alone.

When they arrive at home Parvez is really angry about his son’s behavior,

especially because he had made bad experiences with religion and he hits

his face. Ali, probably shocked by this, answers with the simple question

“Who’s the fanatic now?” when the story ends.

3.4.2. Setting

The story is set in a not specified town in Great Britain. You can suggest

that it is a rather big town, when hearing from traffic jams and the taxi

drivers. The story isn’t related to the colonization times but seems to take

place in the 1980s or the 1990s, so rather in our time (arguments are

again: traffic jam, lots of taxis).

The next important part of the setting is Ali’s room which dramatically

changes from a teenager’s room with television, video games, books and

cricket bats in a very tidy and ordered room with a surprising emptiness.

In the social environment of the Protagonist we’ve the taxi drivers, the prostitutes and Parvez’s wife,

who is just like in other short stories suppressed by him.

Parvez in Alis clean room

Parvez afraid: talks to his collegues (drug theory)

no drugs but praying

dinner with Ali

Parvez talks to Bettina "I've lost my son"

Bettina meets Ali

Parvez and Ali drove home and went up

Parvez hits Ali's face

Page 36


Ali Parvez Bettina

son of Parvez

second generation immigrant

broke his education as an accouter

left his girlfriend

cleaned out his room

left all his friends

religious fanatic, devout

acts like Parvez’s father (tells him what is right and wrong)

first generation immigrant from Punjabi (Pakistan)

taxi driver

proud of his son

not religious since his religious education

adopted western values, unable to accept religious fanaticism

alcoholic and violent (in the end)

superior to his women

prostitute

good friend of Parvez (for years)

beautiful

not religious and no understanding for religious fanaticism

knows a lot about “underground phenomena” (drugs,…)

nice, friendly

understanding

3.4.4. The Author: Hanif Kureishi

Hanif Kureishi was born 1954 in Great Britain. He had a Pakistani father and a British mother. So he

used to grow up under two cultures and that’s one of the topics he often deals with in his plenty

works.

Kureishi wanted to be a writer since his childhood but started publishing his first works when Salman

Rushdie was sentenced to death by religious fanatics (see also 3.2.4. The Author: Salman Rushdie).

Shocked by this outbreak of violence in the Muslim world, Hanif Kureishi often criticizes fanatic

behavior and made it to one of his central themes in lots of his plays and novels.

The author received several prices for his works and was even once nominated for the Oscars for the

best screenplay with the film “My Beautiful Launderette”.


3.4.5.1. The Pakistan community in Great Britain

The Pakistanis are a minority in Great Britain. They immigrated after Indians declaration of

independence (see 3.3.5.1.). In Northern Britain they often form separated groups with own quarters

in which they often have separate shops and markets. Furthermore it’s interesting that every 6th

Pakistani men in Great Britain is working as a taxi driver.

Today the Pakistan community changes in that far that she begins to demand full integration instead

of creating a separate group. But even though there are still some radical and fanatic groups working

in an international network to terrorize the country.

The relation to the short story is that the story is set in a Pakistani community and that furthermore

Parvez is a taxi driver. The religious fanatic is Ali, who rejects the western lifestyle and isn’t accepting

that his father has another opinion.

Page 37

3.4.6. Main themes

3.4.6.1. Generation gap

A Generation gap describes differences in understandings and ratings of certain phenomena

between members of two generations.

In “My Son the Fanatic” we have this difference between Parvez (a first generation immigrant) and

his son Ali (second generation immigrant). Parvez probably immigrated to England because he saw

the Western lifestyle as something progressive and desirable. Parvez dislikes religious education

because he had bad experiences while he was educated.

Ali is a second generation immigrant and suddenly changed to religious fanaticism without that the

reader knows from a certain occasion which leads to this.

3.4.6.2. Religious fanaticism

In the short story there’s Ali who has changed into a religious fanatic and claims that his opinion is

the only right one. Religious fanaticism often leads to violent breakouts and so it’s quite surprising

that in the short story the non-fanatic immigrant hits his son instead of Ali.

But even though you feel, when you read the short story, rather sympathy for Parvez and not for Ali

that far. So Hanif Kureishi rates religious fanaticism as well as something bad and wants to convince

you to get the same opinion.

And anyhow religious fanaticism leads as well in this short story to a violent breakout, even though it

is one from the other side, it isn’t rated as being something good.


Religion


Mysticism vs. Materialism


Hybridity

Dead Men's Path


A Pair of Jeans

Clash of Cultures


Dead Men's Path



A Pair of Jeans

Generation gap

A Pair of Jeans


Page 38

II. Closing Remarks of the Author

So auf 10 Seiten weniger als in Mathe wäre jetzt auch der erste Teil fürs Englisch Abitur zusammengefasst: die Short Stories und pro Short Story jeweils drei Seiten mit (hoffentlich) allen wichtigen Informationen dazu. Ich weise wie immer in Englisch darauf hin, dass Englisch nicht gerade mein Lieblingsfach ist und dass sich mit Sicherheit einige Fehler eingeschlichen haben. Von daher schreibt mir gerne eine Mail, wenn sich ein Fehler so häuft dass es nervt, weil dann hilft mir das mit Sicherheit auch in meinem Abitur Wie immer bei Fragen/Fehlern/eigenen Zusammenfassungen und was auch immer sonst dürft ihr mir gern eine Mail schreiben ([email protected]). Ich werde als nächstes fürs Abitur die Physik-Zusammenfassung schreiben und vielleicht kommt auch noch Deutsch vor dem Abi, da bin ich mir allerdings noch nicht so sicher – mal schauen. In dem Sinne wünsche ich allen, die ich nicht mehr vor dem Abitur sehe viel Erfolg beim Abitur und viel Erfolg in eurem weiteren (Berufs-)Leben. Mit freundlichem Gruß,

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