Critic's Point of View
What qualifies as postcolonial literature is debatable. The term postcolonial literature has taken on many meanings. The four subjects include:
- Social and cultural change or erosion: It seems that after independence is achieved, one main question arises; what is the new cultural identity?
- Misuse of power and exploitation: Even though the large power ceases to control them as a colony, the settlers still seem to continue imposing power over the native. The main question here; who really is in power here, why, and how does an independence day really mean independence?
- Colonial abandonment and alienation: This topic is generally brought up to examine individuals and not the ex-colony as a whole. The individuals tend to ask themselves; in this new country, where do I fit in and how do I make a living?
- Use of English language literature: It may be asked if the target of post-colonial studies, i.e. the analysis of post-colonial literature and culture, can be reached neglecting literary works in the original languages of post-colonial nations.
Read more about this topic: Postcolonial Literature
Famous quotes containing the words critic, point and/or view:
“The critic lives at second hand. He writes about. The poem, the novel, or the play must be given to him; criticism exists by the grace of other men’s genius. By virtue of style, criticism can itself become literature. But usually this occurs only when the writer is acting as critic of his own work or as outrider to his own poetics, when the criticism of Coleridge is work in progress or that of T.S. Eliot propaganda.”
—George Steiner (b. 1929)
“Zhivago: It seems you bombed the wrong village.
Strelnikov: They always say that. And what does it matter? A village betrays us, a village is burned. The point made.
Zhivago: Your point. Their village.”
—Robert Bolt (1924–1995)
“Bias, point of view, fury—are they ... so dangerous and must they be ironed out of history, the hills flattened and the contours leveled? The professors talk ... about passion and point of view in history as a Calvinist talks about sin in the bedroom.”
—Catherine Drinker Bowen (1897–1973)