Blog 2

Edward Said's article presents resistance as a direct result of imperialism. Many individuals struggled to achieve freedom and their resistance was the only way in which they, the oppressed, could attempt to regain their dignity and respect. When European nations began to violently expand their empires, they attempted to not only conquer the lands, but the minds of the people. This included imposing their social norms and religious beliefs on the natives of the lands. Said portrays this European domination in his article, writing that we can still see the remnants of this period of domination today. A prime example would be the emergence of English as a language of power on an international basis. This domination is also illustrated in Mulk Raj Anand's novel, where the protagonist, Bakha, deals with the consequences of imperialism in his nation. In Untouchable, a voice is given to the "untouchables" and the story of European expansion is represented by the British attainment of India. The story depicts the social changes that occured in India, and how individuals either resisted or assimilated to the foreign presence in their nation.