Post Colonial Literature

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Post colonial’ as we define it does not mean ‘post-independence’, or ‘after colonialism’, for this would be falsely ascribe an end to the colonial process. Post-colonialism, rather, begins from the very first moment of colonial contact. It is the discourse of oppositinality which colonialism brings into being” (pL.117) The term post colonial is resonant with all the doubts and complexities of the various cultural experiences it involves. It also addresses all aspects of the colonial process from the beginning of the colonial contact. These aspects involve the development of internal divisions based on racial, linguistic or religious discriminations and the continuing unequal treatment of indigenous people in settler/invader societies. (pL..2) All these aspects confirm the fact that post-colonialism is a continuous process involving resistance and reconstruction. As Gilberts and Tompkins have written in Post Colonial Drama that “Inevitably, post-colonialism addresses reactions to colonialism in a context that is not necessarily determined by temporal constraints: post-colonial plays, novels, verse, and films then become textual/cultural expressions of resistance to colonization (p.2). Postcolonial literature usually focuses on race relations, the effects of racism, the mass extinction of peoples, such as the Aborigines in Australia and often indicts white and/or colonial societies. In Alan Lawson’s words, “post-colonialism is a ‘politically motivated historical-analytical movement (which) engages with, resists, and seek to dismantle the effects of colonialism in the material, historical, cultural-political, pedagogical, discursive , and textual domains’(1992:156),(P.2). In simple words post-colonialism is a proc... ... middle of paper ... ...ation and in the hospital. She experiences sexual harassment at work. The exploitation of Aboriginal labor involves the ideological and legal construction of Aborigines as Other. Their separate and inferior legal status facilitates exclusion, confinement, and control as a separate class subject to special treatment (Pettman, 1992:88). Joe also shows his opposing attitude toward sexual harassment. “Bastard, I kill him”, said Joe about Mr. Neal, the White who seduces Aboriginal women. Gran also represents a traditional Aboriginal woman, like post colonials she dislikes the new 'white mans' ways and strongly believes in the importance of family. She is the matriarch of the family and supports her son, daughter and grandchildren. When sergeant told her that they will not be getting soap, sergeant target that her sons are lazy and are” afraid to look for it in case they

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