UNTOUCHABLE...SO FAR

I think it is very interesting how the protagonist,Bakha, tries so desperately to assimilate to look and dress and act like the Tommies. He tries to reject his Hindu culture and assimilate into the British culture as much as possible. He uses all of his extra money to dress like them and will even freeze to avoid putting on an Indian quilt. "He had felt that to put on their clothes made one a sahib too." -11 I think that is a very interesting point as it ignores the inward culture and thoughts of someone and bases their identity on outward appearance. This book, as far as I have read, goes along with Said's idea that their is a clear cut "empowered group" and a "subordinate group" Bakha tries to assimilate into the empowered group to avoid the rough conditions of the subordinate group. It is a strictly heirarchial system and it is not desired to be on the bottom.