Postcolonialism And Colonialism

Colonialism describes the domination of one nation over another nation of lesser means. Postcolonialism explores what happens to the substandard nation after the parent, dominating nation leaves. In relation to the definition of colonialism/postcolonialism, common aspects of colonialism/postcolonialism include: racial and cultural inequality between ruling and subject people, what’s left behind when the parent state leaves, the occupiers, move out, and exploitation of the subject people. The stories, On Seeing England for the first time by Jamaica Kincaid, Civil Peace by Chinua Achebe, The Divorcee by Ken Saro Wiwa and The Only Traffic Signal on the Reservation Doesn 't Flash Red Anymore by Sherman Alexie, display these aspects in some form.

In Dukana, woman are held in very little regard, especially in comparison to man. The only option/aim they are allowed in life is to find a husband who will take care of them (50). They are expected to be the perfect wife and mother, if they don 't bear children they are basically "useless"; and it 's automatically assumed something is wrong with the woman, rather than the man (52). Even from birth, girls have less worth than boys (52). In the story, women are simply misused and treated like dolls or objects, not real human beings; they are subjugated and overpowered, which is a common characteristic of colonialism/postcolonialism. Women are thought of in a very low light, they are only expected to be a mother and wife, they aren 't allowed to reach their full potential in life. "The lucky girls got married as soon as they were born or shortly after. The less lucky ones were married just before puberty, while the really unlucky ones did not find a husband at all. It was all a matter of luck. A husband did a girl a favour by marrying her" (Saro-Wiwa 51). The Divorce, shows the aspect of colonialism/postcolonialsim, in which the exploitation of the subject people is displayed, the women of Dukana and aren 't given a fair chance at life; similarly to how in The Only Traffic light Native Americans on reservations aren 't given a fair chance at life, and are

Relating to colonialism/postcolonialism, one of the most exploited groups ' of people are the Native Americans, for obvious reasons such as being forced out of their lands. "The lands and territories of Native American Indians were taken and the indigenous people of the vast continent of North America were subjugated by the British and European process of colonialism" (Landofthebrave.info). Unfortunately, this exploitation of Native Americans still goes on today as Native Americans living on reservations aren 't allowed adequate chances in life. Examples of this are shown in the story The Only Traffic Signal on the Reservation Doesn 't Flash Red Anymore. During the story, Victor and Adrian sit on a porch in the summer sun and watch life go by. A reservation basketball hero, Julius Windmaker, has a promising future until he gets arrested and a year later, becomes a drinker. And like many before him, he then becomes another reservation hero that could 've been something greater (52). "There 's a definite history of reservation heroes who never finish high school, who never finish basketball seasons" (Alexie 47). Victor himself is a former basketball player, who is now just an observer with a beer belly. "And, just like everybody else, Indians need heroes to help them learn how to survive. But what happens when our