BANGLADESH RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS JOURNAL ISSN: 1998-2003, Volume: 12, Issue: 1, Page: 39-44, January – June 2016 Review Paper
LANGUAGE IS POWERFUL: POSTCOLONIAL LITERATURE IN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM *Rizwan Ahmed1 and **Sajib Kumar Ghosh2 Rizwan Ahmed and Sajib Kumar Ghosh (2016). Language is Powerful: Postcolonial Literature in Language Classroom. Bangladesh Res. Pub. J. 12(1): 39-44. Retrieve from http://www.bdresearchpublications.com/admin/journal/upload/1410106/1410106.pdf
Abstract Literature plays a vital role in language development. No doubt, that an engineered version of English is being thought in English language classrooms and it acts an important role in reproducing hegemony and global hierarchies. Because of a colonial mindset, academia is neglecting post-colonial discourse while teaching English as second language. In earlier researches (used as a secondary source) it was found that postcolonial literature can play an important role in teaching language. This paper discussed how using postcolonial literature in language could enhance language ability and recommended the ways of using postcolonial literature particularly for language development. This paper predicted how using postcolonial literature could delicate the status que of canon literature.
Key words: Postcolonial, Literature, Hegemony, Colonial, English, discourse, ELT. Introduction Although the ships of the British Raj left our shores years back, the footsteps of their influence is still perceptible. English, the language of the colonizer, attained great magnitude at time of British Imperialism. The reverence English language achieved in education system and governance at that time was not end up after the ending of colonial era and in the next era of globalization English has become the medium of connecting the commonwealth eventually making the way of connecting people across continents. As “the colonial process itself begins in language” (Ashcroft, Gareth & Helen, 1995, p. 283) the British intentionally strengthened the supremacy of English over other languages. While living in an ex-colonial state we cannot negate the growing demand of English in global communication. Subsequently, we are to learn the language primarily for effective communication. Moreover fluency in English is still considered to be the ticket to higher realm, prestige and prize in the developing countries like ours. The status quo of knowledge advocated by the western education system is drawing attention of many ELT practitioners now-a-days. Far from its humanistic claims English literature in this part of the world appears to be bias which is one way or other reinforcing the social differences between the other and the canon. Postcolonial literature even in its premature state could disclose the maquillage of English literature as, ‘it is politically charged to discriminate between the centre and the subordinate’. Accordingly, Raja Rao credits English language for being our ‘intellectual make-up’ but ‘not for our emotional make-up’ (1938). Hence this paper appears to divulge the importance of incorporating postcolonial Indian literature in English in tertiary level language classrooms. Also it will bring into discussion the predicaments of using ‘only native English literature’ in our contexts. It is worth mentioning that this paper neither dissipates the importance of classics and other native English literature nor necessitates only postcolonial literature rather attempts to grab the attention
Corresponding Author's Email: *
[email protected], **
[email protected] 1 Deaprtment of Langauge, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh. 2 Department of English, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh.
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of the ELT practitioners to find out effective ways of teaching English keeping in mind that we are dealing with the language of the colonizers while sitting in a postcolonial setting. Background of the reserach With the dominating themes of nationalism and hybridity postcolonial literature is a resisting force of discourse against the orientalist ideologies. One can date the emergence of postcolonial literature after the official ending of British Raj or from the beginning phase of excursion by Vasco da Gama. But really it confines and locates the tension of the last century between the colonizer and the colonized. The ninetieth century English ideology was related to the emergence of English literature as an academic discipline in the colonies. The Bible was replaced by English literary texts with the intention to teach English language to the non-natives. With this, the ‘colony civilizing mission’ goes on the hand of the educators from the Christian missionaries. The shift is easily explicable. Macaulay’s infamous minute of 1835 defends the initiation of ‘English Education’ in association with English literature in the colonized India on the ground that ‘a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of Indian and Arabia’. Leela Gandhi (1998, p. 23) comments, “Macaulay’s valorization of English literature at the cost of indigenous literatures is taken as a paradigmatic instance of canon formation”. Another aspect comes in the writing of Vishwanathan (1989). Here she claims that the British administration in India used English literature strategically to contain the anticipated threat of native insubordination. To dismantle the negative perception about their intrusion the commencement of English literature was a technical footstep to inject a positive image of Englishmen and English culture in the minds of the natives. Thus the Western education plays a big role in the reproduction of hegemony, global hierarchies and inequalities. Tesfahuney (1999) in his discussion on ‘monoculturalism’ (Monoculturalism is the practice of actively preserving a national culture via the exclusion of external influences) also explains how European education contributes to the reinforcement of hegemony in the sense that it favors and is heavily influenced by the domination of a certain group, that is, white, male, and middle aged but the irony of fate is we are still following the pedagogy introduced by the colonizers for language teaching whereas Postcolonialism (Postcolonialism is an academic discipline featuring methods of intellectual discourse that analyze, explain, and respond to the cultural legacies of colonialism and imperialism) in the form of a discourse is continuously questioning the hegemonic and instrumental education system of the British. Eventually, this paper centers its discussion on revising our mystified love for Shakespeare and Milton. Most teachers consider the use of literature in language teaching as an interesting and worthy concern (Sage 1987, p. 1) as it psychologically influences the learners and stimulates the learning process but problem arises when we confine ourselves only to native English literature in the language classroom. According to Collie and Slater (1990, p. 3), there are four main reasons which lead a language teacher to use literature in the classroom. These are valuable authentic material, cultural enrichment, language enrichment and personal involvement. Custodio and Sutton (1998, p. 20) explain that literature can open horizons of possibility, allowing students to question, interpret, connect, and explore. Authentic materials ( real texts which have not been designed for language teaching but are being used for the purpose) such as literature invite student’s interest for discussion. Studies have shown that students find characters, plot and themes more interesting for group discussion and extempore speech in contrast with social and political issues. Stories are the earliest form of entertainment and a medium of transgressing knowledge from one generation to another. Since learners are naturally drawn to stories, developing speaking skills is easier for learners when they follow characters in fiction through activities like ‘Role playing’. Collie and Slater (1987, p. 14) emphasizes this saying, “literature stimulates oral language and ... provides an excellent medium for a top-down approach to language”. Inclusion of literature in lesson plan will function as a mental training and will enhance thinking skills. It has been observed that inauthentic teaching materials are boring and difficult to under and interpret in contrast literature opens space for leaner to continuously re/interpret the same theme. It enhances students writing and speaking skill as well. A short story of a practical length is possible to complete in one setting. It is less important to consider literary supremacy while selecting a text for
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language classroom. Managing authentic resource is the primary function of a good teacher. Obediat (1997, p. 32) states, English literature helps students acquire a native-like competence in English, express their ideas in good English, learn the features of modern English, learn how the English linguistic system is used for communication, see how idiomatic expressions are used, speak clearly, precisely, and concisely, and become more proficient in English, as well as become creative, critical, and analytical learners. But cautions come from Raja Rao, the eminent postcolonial Indian writer of the first phase who posits that English language is very much associated with the power structure. The use of only English literature often misdirects our students. We often misuse the word like ‘sir’, ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ not knowing their cultural usage. A simple word ‘sir’ could have totally dissimilar connotation in England, in Indian and other ex-colonial state. In the novel The Voice Gabrial Okara shows how a simple word of English ‘inside’ demonstrates a whole range of human volition, experience, emotion and thought with limitless connotation in context. In the absence of a postcolonial text a learner might adopt the target language with its own insecurities. These above views open options to (re)think the use of native English literature in language classrooms and of postcolonial Indian writings in English. Result and Discussion Ashcroft, Gareth & Helen (1989, p. 7) writes that “Language becomes the medium, through which a hierarchical structure of power is perpetuated, and the medium through which conceptions of ‘truth’, ‘order’, and ‘reality’ become established. Such power is rejected in the emergency of an effective post-colonial voice”. We know that regarding the postcolonial voice they refer to postcolonial writings of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Africa, and Caribbean. We have to learn the language English and have to aware of the politics of language associated with the literature, simultaneously. Hence the necessity of using postcolonial Indian writings in English could be felt. Teachers always play important roles in teaching English through literature. The aim of language teaching in relation to the needs and expectations of the students is determined by the teacher primarily. They provide questionnaire or interview students orally to set up the aims and the objectives of the language teaching. Afterwards, appropriate language teaching method, teaching techniques, and classroom activities is selected. Only then, the teachers go for selecting the literary texts relevant to those predetermined aims and objectives. In the job of selecting literary texts to be used in language classrooms, the students’ language proficiency, interests, age, sex etcetera are taken into account in order not to bore students with inappropriate materials. The teachers should always bear in mind that all these students are the representatives of this postcolonial setting. At elementary levels, for example, students should be given simplified or specially written stories. At advanced levels, however, students are given literature in its original form so that they can develop their literary competence in the target language. To put it another way, students learn practically the figurative and daily use of the target language in the literary texts and encounter different genres of literature (i.e. poems, short stories, plays, etc.) at advanced levels observing how characters in a play or a short story use figures of speech ( simile, metaphor, metonymy) so as to express their communicative intention, students learn how to write English more clearly and creatively. So, it is easily perceptible that if the students are only exposed to native English literature, the contexts will not match and they will definitely be hegemonized by the power of the language of a different land and culture. This situation could only be neutralized by incorporating postcolonial writings in language classrooms. The work of the postcolonial writers are extremely challenging as they continuously module the English language for local and regional readers maintaining the flavor of native context. Learners get option for creative writing, situational writing and writing for specific purposes while reading postcolonial literatures. In our present context Americaness or Englishness of English language has already started losing its grips because of continuous Indianization or nativization of English literature. Eventually the name transgressed form ‘English Literature’ to ‘Literatures in English’(any piece of literature written in English). The pioneers of this process were writers like Raja Rao, Mulk Raj Anand, http://www.bdresearchpublications.com/journal/
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R.K. Narayan and others. Whether the process is correct or wrong is a point of debate in postcolonial discourse but the observable truth is English is not anymore the language of the English or the American. Kachru (1986, p. 9) calls it an institutionalized process. “Linguistically speaking, the process of Indianization of English” he says, “has acquired an institutional status.” The nativization process that started in the first phase of postcolonial discourse though did not alienate English language totally, it modifed it as its own way in India. As Raja Rao (1978, p. 421) says, “we shall have the English language with us and amongst with us and amongst us, and not as a guest or friend, but as one of our own, of our caste, our creed, our sect and our tradition.” Postcolonial literature provides a balance of power and control over English language for the learners. ELT practitioners need to know the necessary controlling point where to defend the learners and where to promote. In that sense postcolonial literature is continuously breaking the normative varieties and creating new diversities which have their own linguistic, cultural, ecological and sociological contexts. English has achieved linguistic neutrality where native languages like Hindi and Tamil sometimes if not always acquire un/desirable connotations. For example, in Tamil as shown by Annamalai (1978) maccaan and attimbeer reveal the caste identity of the speaker which is not desirable in all specific situations. Therefore, one uses English brotherin- law, instead. In Kashmiri the native word mond (‘widow’) invokes a negative connotation used for abusing and cursing which is not used in ‘formal’ conversation. Vedva is the culturally accepted word for a widow and used in social conversations by Indians. One can easily observe that English language is not competent in expressing Indian expressions. The problem is on one hand English language neutralizes words, on the other hand it avoids social neutrality of the language posting itself in the superior position. When English is used in a non-native country, it automatically dominates the native dialect and this position is psychological rather than physical. Narayan, in contrast, is developing a new form of English using code-mixing and relexification where words from Hindi and even from Tamil sit together in harmony and tell the story of ordinary Indians. Recommendations Postcolonial English writings of R. K. Narayan, Amitav Ghosh, Anita Desai, Salman Rushdie and many others are easy to understand, highly contextual and communicative. Moreover they even draw attentions of the learners even when the course is at its end. If we take R.k. Narayan for example, we find his style very simple although Raja Rao objects that there exists a problem of style in postcolonial writing, “the tempo of Indian life must be infused into our English expression” (Rao, 1978). Narayan’s control over English language and his understanding of postcolonial context is definitely thus praiseworthy. Short stories like those of R.k. Narayan’s can be included in the syllabus of tertiary level. Objective of which would be totally academic language teaching and not teaching history in context. In contrast with Raja Rao and Mulk Raj Anand who directly question the existence of British Raj in India and write to attack the nasty sins of colonial power, R.K Narayan has improvised an imaginary homeland (Malgudi) in his writing. His short stories are combination of laughter and suspense. The way he changes the mood of the reader and the technique he uses while putting local words in short stories is unique. Short stories like ‘An Astrologers Day’ or ‘Toasted English’ indicates that Narayan is a professional in Indianizing English language. In the short story ‘An Astrologers Day’ the narrator opens the discussion describing a person who talks about the faith and future of people but the person lives hand to mouth. At first glance reader might think that Narayan is not proficient in representing the mystic India but the suspenseful ending of the story deconstruct the age old orientalist view and the astrologer appears to the audience as a thug. Although the target of reading R.K. Narayan in language classroom is not to make the learner familiar with difficult postcolonial discourses like ‘Orientalism’, ‘ambivalence’, ‘hybridity’ or ‘mimicry’ but make them understand what really means to come from a former colony. This paper no way emphasizes on creating a sense of postcolonial identity in the mind of the reader at least intentionally but when the learner will crash with a postcolonial ‘text’ s/he will automatically relate himself or herelf with his or her past. The history books are not competent enough to tell the emotional past where as writers like Narayan and Salman Rushdie could do it through chatnification (a term used in postcolonial discourse to http://www.bdresearchpublications.com/journal/
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indicate the mixture and (re)compilation of history, past and fact) for the sub-continental audience. To be specific with R.K. Narayan, his ‘Toasted English’ is a brilliant example where the narrator brings out the differences between American and British English maintaining the Indianized narrative flavor. He points out that the Americans drove the British out of their country but allowed the language to stay back. The Americans made the usage of English easier by giving up ‘Passive Voice’. For example, instead of, ‘Trespassing Prohibited’ they say, ‘Newly planted, don‘t walk on the notice board’. This process of modifying the English language is what Narayan is calling Toasted English’. “Toasted English” can be included in the syllabus to show the learners that the new English language will not anymore be like the British. Consequently, students will develop their own way of writing which is neither British nor American. Many more examples of modifications can be found in other essays or proses of R.K. Narayan. It is interesting to note how Narayan inserts the local words while describing the settings of his stories. It is because of the limitation of English expressions in literatures in English. The influence of native words like ‘cowries shells’ and ‘Palmyra writing’ might disturb the western audience of Narayan but they will be very much clear to the language learners in the subcontinental classrooms even in the very first reading as meaning making is a situational accomplishment. For a language learner understanding and relating contextual situation of European standard is almost impossible. As a result, though learners read the text their fundamental change in using the language does not take place. As Ashcroft et al. (1989) maintains, “The experience of the one conversant can never become the experience of other, ‘the mind’ is retrospective and largely hypothetical concomitant to what is ‘revealed’ in language” He continuous, “Post-colonial writing affirms the primacy of the message... to a relational dialect which ‘emancipate’ it.” Apart from the theoretical discussion I think it is important of talk statistically as well to support the hypothetical idea of endorsing postcolonial literature in language classroom. A recent survey on 50 students of Food Processing and Engineering Department (level II, semester 2) of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University found that half of the students who chose to study R. K. Narayan short story ‘An Astrologers Day’ have scored one grade point higher in average in creative writing section than their classmates who took ‘The Luncheon’ by Somerset Maugham. The hypothesis is postcolonial literature enhances student’s ability to use the language as they want because it is more contextual. In the very beginning the paper bears out that the objective of learning English is not to communicate with the English people or to know the English culture in general. This paper argues in some way or other that if a non-native teacher can teach English language it is also possible for them to influence teaching process through their own literatures written in English. This paper is an attempt to convey the message to hundred of ELT practitioners that “students should be given the opportunity to develop knowledge of living conditions, social issues and cultural features in different contexts and parts of the world where English is used” (Skolverket, 2013, p. 1). Achebe feels that “the English Language will be able to carry the weight of my African experience. But it will have to be a new English still in full communion with its ancestral home but altered to suit new African surroundings.” (1975, p. 62) References Achebe, C. (1975) Morning Yet on Creation Day, Garden City, New York: Doubleday. Annamalai, E. (1978) ‘The Anglicized Indian Languages: A Case of Code Mixing’, International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics 7(2): 239-47. Ashcroft, Bill, Gareth Griffiths & Helen Tiffin (Eds). (1989). The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post-colonial Literatures. London: Routledge. (Eds.). (1995). The Post-colonial Studies Reader. London: Routledge. Author’s Forward’ Kanthapura (1938) Bombay: New directions, 1963. Boehmer, K, Elleke & John McLeod. (2004). ‘The challenges of teaching postcolonial literature’. CCUE News 18 (winter), 4-9. http://www.bdresearchpublications.com/journal/
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Collie, J. & S. Slater. (1990). Literature in the Language Classroom: A Resource Book of Ideas and Activities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Collie, J. & S. Slater. (1987). Literature in the Language Classroom: A resource book of ideas and activities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Custodio, B. & M. Sutton. (1998). “Literature-Based ESL for Secondary School Students” in TESOL Journal. Vol 7, No.5, p.p: 19-23. ‘Constitutive Graphonomy: A Post- colonial Theory of Literary Writing’ in Stephen Slemon and Helen Tiffins (eds. ) After Europe: Critical Theory and Post-colonial Writing Mundelstrup : Dangroo, 1989. Gandhi, L. (1998). Postcolonial Theory. Delhi : Oxford University Press. Kachru B. B. (1986). The alchemy of English: the spread, functions, and models of nonnative EnglishesEnglish in the international context, Oxford: Pergamon Institute of English. Obediat, M. (1997). “Language vs. Literature in English Departments in the Arab World” in English Teaching Forum. Rao, R. (1978) ‘ The Caste of English’ in C.D. Narasimhaiah (ed.) Awakened Conscience : Studies in Commonwealth Literature , New Delhi : Sterling ; London : Heinemann. Sage, H. (1987). Incorporating Literature in ESL Instruction. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Viswanathan , G. (1989), Masks of Conquest : Literary studies and British Rule in India, London: Faber & Faber.
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