A Comparative Study Of Kim And A Passage To Indian From The Perspective Of Post-Colonialism

Kipling, as the first winner of Nobel Prize for literature ever in the history of British literature, is widely appreciated for his talented writing techniques. However, it seems that he never enjoys a wide popularity among readers. This is most likely connected with his advocacy of imperialistic thought and the orientation for him to be a imperialistic writer. The situation for Forster is totally different. For Foster’s works are full of humanist ideals, advocating the pursuit of freedom and showing his sympathy towards the regarded minority, he and his works are warmly welcomed by readers.As two prominent writers in the history of British literature, a considerable amount of researches have ever done on them and their works, some of which are of great significance. Interpretations from the angle of post-colonialism also achieved greatly since 1980s. In fact, when discussing both authors’ attitudes towards colonizing, controversy still remains. Whether Kipling is an author who advocates imperialism or Forster is an author who criticize the colonization of British Empire still need to be further explored. Thus, a comparative study on them is of importance, especially one on their acknowledged masterpieces, Kim and A Passage to India. By putting the two works together, it will be much more clear and easier for readers to find out what the two works are exactly talking about, which would be helpful when identifying both writers’ orientation and attitudes towards colonizing.By adopting the theory of post-colonialism, this thesis tries to make a comparative study on Kim and A Passage to India. In the first place, this thesis attempts to explore both writers’ attention to postcolonial society in their works, mainly dealing with the hybridity and bewilderment of cultural identity and the construction of the other, implying that colonization indeed brings so many problems, or even dilemmas to its colony-India and its people. Then, by putting the protagonists Kim in Kim and Fielding in A Passage to India as well as the plots:the search for the River of the Arrow and the Great Game in Kim and the trial-a conflict between the Occident and the Orient in A Passage to India together, making a comparison, the thesis tries to expose different attitudes and thoughts reflected in both works. Just as critics commented on Kipling, Kim still can be identified as a work which is trying to advocate the imperialistic thought. The downgrading descriptions on the Oriental characters, the emphasis on the importance and significance of the occident and the great success of the Great Game all reveal Kipling’s propaganda on the colonialism or imperialistic thought, which shows Kipling’s stance towards the intrusion from British Empire. While, through the depicting of the hybridity of Mr. Aziz’s cultural identity, the liberal-minded Fielding, as well as the conflict between the occident and the Orient, A Passage to India shows Forster’s contempt and attack on the then British colonizers and the colonization, believing that it is the colonization that leads to what the colonized are enduring and even leads to the conflict between the occident and the Orient. The work once again shows Forster’s sympathy on the regarded minority, advocating his endless pursuit of equality and freedom, his humanist thought and anti-colonial attitudes.With such a comparative study on Kim and A Passage to India, it is so obvious that both writers complete the two works with different intentions. Thus, it is no exaggerated that Kipling indeed is an imperialistic writer, trying to make his contribution to the British colonization through his writing. On the contrary, Forster, by depicting the misery and the tribulation, shows his mercy towards the colonized as well as his opposing attitudes to the colonization.