Topic > Issues of Humiliation and Shame in The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

According to Wikipedia, colonization is a process by which a central system of power dominates the surrounding territory and its constituents. It was linked to the spread of tens of millions from Western European states around the world. Colonization essentially leads a country to impose its own traditions, language and customs on another country. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The English successfully managed to colonize India. Colonization was a way to show the racial superiority of Western countries. Even though colonization in India is over, it has left its effects. As Faisal Al Yafai said, the effects of colonialism do not end with the departure of the last troops. They persist like a disease, infecting the body politic and the minds of those once oppressed. In fact, this is shown perfectly in the novel. British colonization changed how Indians behaved and what they believed. He showed them the English lifestyle, their tastes, modernity. Admiration for the English way of life is actually the consequence of the Indians' belief that the Western one is superior. They believe that if they follow British culture they will be part of that superiority. The same goes for Indian culture, which some Indians believe is inferior and should be avoided or forgotten, as Desai shows us through the character of Jemubhai. One of the main reasons is also poverty. The poor in India are somehow treated badly by the people who represent the upper class. Which makes them believe that they have to be rich to earn respect and to be rich they have to study or work in the West. Poverty is represented precisely by the character of the cook. In this book we notice that especially the rich follow Western culture. It is because only they can afford to follow that culture, while people like the cook can only dream of it, which leads us to say that admiration for the English lifestyle is basically admiration for wealth. And it goes on like the circle below. First, if one has the desire to become rich, he will probably start working. And since most Indians think that there are less opportunities in India, they mostly go abroad to study or work. They eventually end up following other cultures and technologies for a better life. Which leads other people to envy and make them want similar success. In Inheritance of Loss, Desai explains this through the situation of the cook and the judge. Isolation People who immigrate to other countries for money, opportunities, studies, end up struggling a lot due to culture shock, loneliness, rejection. In this novel, Desai represents the cultural encounter faced by the characters. Biju who works as an illegal immigrant earns little because he is treated like a second class citizen. Desai shows through Biju that a culture can be appreciated, but its people cannot. For example, Indian cuisine is popular in Westerns, but are Indians popular too? Biju changes jobs one after another mainly because he is not accepted. Throughout the entire novel, Biju is humiliated for being poor or Indian. For example, the owner of the restaurant where Biju works buys him shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and deodorant because, according to the owner's wife, Biju stinks. This action shows humiliation towards Biju. The same thing happened to Jemubhai when he went to England to study. He has been accused of smelling like curry, which is once again a humiliation for Jemubhai and hisculture, as curry basically represents Indian culture. Not only that, but people in England also make fun of his accent because it had a Gujerati rhythm and shape. He isolates himself because no one respects him because of his Indianness. In response to this humiliation he begins to reject his own identity and begins to behave like a Westerner. He begins to recognize himself regarding British culture and British poets. His reaction to the humiliation was a success as he was treated well afterwards. However it makes him envy Westerns and hate Indians. Colonization pushes people like the judge to idealize another culture in which they will never be accepted, where they will always be second-class citizens. And on the other hand they reject their own culture. As a result, they belong neither to Western nor to Indian culture, which makes them feel isolated. As we know, the judge has mostly lived his whole life alone, he is a foreigner in his own country. His loneliness is mainly due to the fact that he does not belong to any culture. Biju, on the other hand, also humiliated in the United States, reacts in a completely opposite way. And he found himself in awe of the whites, who had probably caused great harm to India. (page 77). He basically analyzes the people around him, he finally realizes how Indians fascinate Westerners, while Indians were not even wanted by Westerners. As mentioned by Desai, Saeed applied for the immigration lottery every year, but Indians were not allowed to apply. Bulgarians, Irish, Malagasy... the list went on, but no, no Indians. This fact shows that in the United States there is severeism especially towards Indians. It is also mentioned by Desai. It was horrible what happened to Indians abroad and no one knew about it except other Indians abroad (P138). Despite the degradation, Biju does not follow Western culture, but instead gives priority to his own values ​​and the principles of his family and religion. . For example, leave work in a restaurant that serves beef, steaks, since in the Hindu religion the cow is sacred. They love cows, which is why Biju started working in an Indian cafe. But Biju eventually grows tired of being part of the shadow class, which means being an illegal immigrant in New York. Returns to India. This action shows that, unlike Jemubhai, he actually renounces the West. Likewise, Gyan is another character who rejects Western culture. His broken relationship with Sai is also a result of his hatred towards Western culture and the Indians who follow it, just like Sai representing privilege. Gyan starts criticizing Sai for following a culture that is not his. But it was actually imposed because of colonization. You are like slaves, that's what you are, running after the West, embarrassing yourselves. It's thanks to people like you that we never get anywhere. He shows his hatred towards Indians who follow western culture. Gyan's behavior towards Sai is similar to Jemu's behavior towards Nimi, but the cultures they support are different. In Jemubhai's case it is British culture and in Gyan's case it is Indian culture. Which proves that people like Gyan actually contradict people like Jemubhai. Gyan also states that even though Indians fascinate Westerners, people from the West have a different perspective to Indians. Aren't you proud? Trying to be so westernized. They don't want you!!!! Go there and see if they will welcome you with open arms. You will try to clean their bathrooms and even then they won't want you p(174). Gyan's thoughts are actually about Biju's situation?.