失落之行：全球化中的冲突与孤立（英语论文）

失落之行：全球化中的冲突与孤立APassageofLoss:ConflictandIsolationunderGlobalization摘要：课题以基兰•德赛（KiranDesai）的小说TheInheritanceofLoss（《继承失落》）（2015）和福斯特（E.M.Forster）的小说《印度之行》（APassagetoIndia）（1924）作为研究文本，从文化等级角度入手，探讨由于文化等级所造成的印度人在殖民以及独立后在面对不同文化冲撞下的不适与困境，以及他们对于解决这一问题所作出的尝试。《继承失落》获得了2015年度英国及英联邦最高文学奖“布克奖”。作者基兰•德赛出身于印度。14岁时离开故乡，前往英国；一年后，她又移居美国，在那里学习和生活至今。德赛此次获奖，是她成为“布克奖”历史上最年轻的获奖女作家，也是继萨尔曼•拉什迪（SalmanRushdie）和阿兰达蒂•洛伊（ArundhatiRoy）之后，又一位捧得“布克奖”的印度作家。德赛在她的小说中弱化了“东方情调”以及印度的“神秘感”等在西方可能成为卖点的因素，而着重关注东西方的文化碰撞，以及人们在这种文化碰撞下的处境与所面对的困难。另一个研究文本是《印度之行》，这是一部在20世纪很有影响力的小说，自其出版发行以来一直颇受好评。小说讲述了两位英国妇女在印度遭遇的一系列文化冲击。由于《印度之行》在早期东西方文化接触这一历史背景下写成，可以为如今依然存在的文化等级与文化共存上的困境提供深层的启示。课题将通过对这两本小说的阅读，试图就殖民时期遗留至今的文化等级问题对当今深受不同文化影响的东方人所带来的不适与困境，以及他们试图对西方文化霸权进行挑战所作出的尝试进行讨论。关键词：文化等级身份危机西方文化霸权

Abstract:Fromtheperspectiveofculturalhierarchy,thisthesismainlydiscussesitsinfluenceontheIndianpeopleinthenovelTheInheritanceofLossbyKiranDesaiandAPassagetoIndiabyE.M.Forster.TheInheritanceofLossisthewinneroftheBookerPrizefor2015.ItsauthorKiranDesaiwasborninIndia.SheleftforBritainintheageof14,andmovedtotheU.S.ayearafter.SheisthethirdIndianEnglishnoveliststowintheBookerPrizeafterSalmanRushdieandArundhatiRoy,andsheisyoungestwomanwinner.HernovelfocusesonanIndianfamilyinthe1980sandtheirstrugglebetweentwocultures.APassagetoIndiaisprobablythemostwell-knowEnglishnovelonIndia.ThenovelisaboutthetripoftwoEnglishladiestoIndia.Writtenincolonialdays,ithelpstoexaminetheestablishmentofculturalhierarchyincolonialIndia.Inthisthesis,Iwillanalyzetheestablishmentofculturalhierarchyanditsimpactespeciallyonnativesincolonialdays,thelingeringpowerofwesternculturaldominanceinthepost-colonialtime,andtheattempttofightagainstitKeywords:culturalhierarchyidentitycrisiswesternculturaldominance

Prologue“Amagnificentnovelofhumanebreadthandwisdom,comictendernessandpowerfulpoliticalacuteness,”SosaidHermioneLee,thechairwomanofthejudgesoftheMenBookerPrizefor2015,whensheannouncedthatKiranDesai,withhernovelTheInheritanceofLoss,wontheprize.ThenovelmaybeasweetanddelightfulsagaofanIndianfamily,butitshumorcanhardlycoverthebitternesswhichinfusesthenovel.Charactersinthisnovelaretrappedbetweentwocultures—thedominatingwesterncultureandthe‘degenerated’nativecounterpart—andfinditdifficulttosolvethedilemma.TheirstrugglesintheframeofstratifiedculturesremindmeofthepessimisticendingofAPassagetoIndia,anothernovelaboutIndiapublishedmorethan80yearsago.Thenovelendsinaridingthatsymbolizestherestorationoftheirrelationshipwhichwasseveredafterthetrialofasexualassault,FieldingasksAzizwhytheycan’tremainfriends,Azizdoesnotanswer,butthelandscapeseemstosay,“No,notyet…No,notthere”(322).TheendingexpressesastronguncertaintytowardsasolutiontothetensionbetweentheEastandtheWest.AtatimewhenIndiawasstillthecolonyofBritain,therewasnopossibilitytoreducethetension.BesidesthepoliticaldominationoftheWest,Forster,throughouthisnovel,indicatesthatculturaldominationisprobablythefundamentalcauseofthetension.Itseemsthatthedominanceofwesterndoesnotendwithcolonialism;itsurviveshistoryfromcolonialtopost-colonialdays.:Culturemustbeseenasessentialtothecreation,production,andmaintenanceofcolonialrelations.Fromthisperspective,especiallyinthecontextofthespreadofaglobalmassculture,globalizationmaybeseenasthecontinuationandstrengtheningofWesternimperialistrelationsintheperiodafterdecolonizationandpostcolonialnationalisms.(Hawley214)Thatistosay,alongwiththecontinuousculturaldominationoftheWestfromcolonialdaystothecurrentglobalizingworld,thetensionwhichcomesintoexistencewiththecolonialismhasnotbeenweakenedinthepostcolonialworld.Thus,JohnHawleyemphasizesthatalloverthelastcenturytothetwenty-firstcentury,“thestructureofworldpowerrelationshasremainedlargelythesame”(214).Bysaying“largelythesame”,itdoesnotmeanthatthereisnochange.Ifincolonialdays,theglobalpowerwascenteredinWesternEurope,especiallyinGreatBritain,nowithasbecometocenterintheUnitedStates(Hawley214).ThiscanbeobservedinTheInheritanceofLossthattheculturaltensionorconflictisnotonlybetweentheBritishandtheIndianasthepreviouscolonizerandthecolonized,butinalargerscalebetweentheIndianandthewesternculturewhichisnowanchoredintheUnitedStates.DespitethepowershiftinthewesternworldaftertheSecondWorldWarfromBritaintotheU.S.,itisalwaysthedominationofthewesternculturethatsetIndiainaculturalpredicament.JustasKiranDesaiwritesinhernovelTheInheritanceofLoss,“Certainmovesmadelongagohadproducedallofthem:Sai,judge,Mutt,cook,andeventhemashed-potatocar”.TheEstablishmentofCulturalHierarchyInColonialDaysIn1835,MacaulaywroteaneducationalMinute,whichwastoadvisetheBritishgovernmentofitspolicyoneducationinIndia.Oneofhisstatements,frequentlyquotedinlaterdays,isthat“wemustatpresentdoourbesttoformaclass[inIndia]whomaybeinterpretersbetweenusandthemillionswhomwegovern;aclassofpersons,Indianinbloodandcolour,butEnglishintaste,inopinions,inmorals,andinintellect.”HiswordsareoftenregardedasthebestfootnotetothelaterculturalandeducationalpoliciesadoptedbytheBritishadministrationinIndia.Inthe1850s,EnglishbecamethemediumofinstructioninsomeschoolsanduniversitiesinIndia.ThroughthelanguageofEnglish,thewesternculturewasintroducedtoandacceptedbyaclassofIndians.AndtheeducationofEnglishlanguageandculturere-stratifiedtheIndiansociety.ThoseIndianswhoreceivedwesterneducationwererecruitedintotheBritishadministrationandthuswonarespectfulsocialstatus.InAPassagetoIndia,Aziz,thedoctorintheCivilServiceisasrespectfulasProfessorGodbole,ateacheratanEnglishcollege.ThoughProfessorGodboleisaHinduoftheBrahmincaste(thehighestcaste),IndiansarenolongclassifiedbycastebutbyhowwellonereceiveEnglisheducation.AsimilarsituationcanbefoundinTheInheritanceofLoss,wheretheJudge,whoisborninafarmer’sfamily,climbsupthesocialladderandbecomeajudgeintheCivilServicethroughhardworkinginamissionschoolandtheninCambridgeUniversity.Itseemsthatincolonialdays,thewesternlanguageandculturewereequatedwithpower,andwerethereforegreatlyadmiredamongIndians.Inthisway,there-stratificationofIndiansocietybyEnglisheducationresultedintheestablishmentofculturalhierarchy—thewesterncultureoccupiedapredominantpositioncomparedtothenativeculture.ThefundamentalreasonfortheBritishcolonialculturetoestablishitselfassuperiortothenativecultureistojustifyitsdominanceinIndia.Ontheonehand,theBritishcolonistsacceptedthissuperioritysoastoconstituteitsimperialpower.Ontheotherhand,theimperialcenterwantedtoinstillthiskindofculturalhierarchyinitscolonizerssothatitwouldsustainthecolonialpower.OnlywhentheBritishcolonistsacceptedtheculturalhierarchycouldtheyfeelrighteoustogovernIndia,whoseculturewascompletelydifferentfromthatoftheWest.Erringtonhasanalyzedhowculturalhierarchyisinstilledintocolonists:[Colonialprojectattemptedto]legitimizesimpleviewsofenormouslycomplexsituationsandtolicensewhatwereoftenfantasmaticrepresentationsofauthoritativecertaintyinthefaceofspectacularignorance.…[Sourcesofsuchcertaintyare]boundupwithenablingideologiesabouthierarchiesoflanguagesandpeoplesoncolonialterritory.(20)Indianculturemightbeverydifficultforthecoloniststounderstandandappreciateinashorttime.Orprobablytheydidnotevenintendtounderstanditatall.ForBritishpeople,Indiawasacolony,aterritorynotlegallyobtained.Whattheyneededwasaseeminglyrightreasontogovernthisland.Culturalsuperiorityseemedtobethebestexcuse.Therefore,bysettingupa“degenerated”imageofnativepeoplepartlythroughimaginationormisunderstanding,theyconvincedthemselvesthatnativeculturewasfarlesssophisticatedandrefinedthanwesternone.WhenRonny,inAPassagetoIndia,claimsthatAzizisnothonestbecause“there’salwayssomethingbehindeveryremark[anative]makes,alwayssomething”,heconfessesthathedoesnotjudgetheIndiansinawayhejudgestheBritishandhepicksuptheimageofIndianpeoplefromhisolderofficialMajorChallendar.Fromthis,thesuperiorityandarroganceofBritishcolonizersisclearlyshown.Whatismore,theyeasilyacceptthe“degenerated”stereotypeofIndianpeoplewithoutanyefforttounderstandnativeculture.TheculturalhierarchyandracialstereotypeofIndiansisnotonlyembracedbyconservativeauthoritieslikeChallendarandRonnybutalsoacceptedconsciously,andunconsciouslybyliberalhumanistslikeMrs.Moore,FieldingandAdela.ChristensenarguesthatinAPassagetoIndiatheBritishcharacters—theconservativessuchasMajorCallendarandRonnyHeaslop,aswellastheopen-mindedliberalssuchasMrs.Moore,CyrilFieldingandAdelaQuested—arealltrappedbytheracialstereotypeonwhichthesuperiorityofBritishculturedevelops.Thusallofthemfailtocopewithracism(173-174).Inthearticle“ThePrisonhouseofOrientalism”,PathakexpressasimilarviewthatForsteraimstocritiqueliberalhumanismand“charttheconstructionofthecolonialsubjectinthe[…]individualswhoconsiderthemselvesimpervioustosuchconstruction”includingMrs.Moore,FieldingandAdela(383).AttractedbyIndia,theliberalhumanistscomeanddesiretoseearealone.ButtheyseemunabletoescapethetroubleofdiscoveringthetrueIndia.AsForsterwritesinhisnovel,“[India]calls‘Come’throughherhundredmouths,throughobjectsridiculousandaugust.Butcometowhat?Shehasneverdefined.Sheisnotapromise,onlyanappeal”(136).ThetroubleisthatBritishpeopleinIndia,includingthoseliberalhumaniststrytodefinetheundefinedinvitation.Theycometoseewhatis“august”intheirconsideration,butnotwhatis“ridiculous”.TheMarabarscaveisarepresentativesceneryofIndiainAziz’seye,butMrs.MooreandAdeladonotthinkitisworthvisitingandgetdisappointed.Mrs.MooreandAdeladonotrealizethattoseetherealIndia,theyhavetoaccepteverypartofitunconditionally.However,theyareaffectedbythecolonialimagesofIndia,andhavetheirownimaginationandexpectationofwhattoseeinIndia.Oncewhattheyseeisnotinaccordancewiththeirimaginationorexpectation,theyfeeldisappointedanddepressedinthecaves.TheacceptanceofcolonialimagesandtheinabilitytoaccepttheoverallIndiashowasenseofsuperiorityoftheliberalhumanists.Therefore,culturalsuperiorityisrecognizedamongmostoftheBritishcolonistsandhelpstoconstitutethecolonialpower.Ontheotherhand,theimperialcenterattemptedtoinscribethethoughtofculturalhierarchyinnativestosustainthecolonialpower.ThemosteffectivemethodmaybeEnglisheducation.AsErringtonpointsout,theEnglishlanguageisawayforpeoplefromEuropeancenterstobondothertonguesandculturessoastorule.ThereisaninterestingsceneinTheInheritanceofLosswhichmayreflectthepowerofEnglisheducationonestablishingculturalhierarchyamongnatives.AportraitofQueenVictoriaishungabovetheentrancetothemissionschoolwherethejudgestudiesin.Theportraitisasymbolofimperialpower.Everydaybeforethejudgeenterstheschool,helooksather.ThoughtheQueenseemstodressoddly,hefindsthat“herfroggyexpressioncompelling,”andfeels“deeplyimpressedthatawomansoplaincouldalsohavebeensopowerful.Themoreheponderedthisoddity,themorehisrespectforherandtheEnglishgrew”(58).Thereisnothingworthbeingawedatthefactthataplainlookingwomancanbesopowerfulaslongasshewasbornintheroyalfamily.ItissimplyhisadorationtowardsBritishculturethatmakeshimfeelrespectfultoanunassumingQueenandherpeople.Thereisnodirectevidencetoshowthatthejudge’sinclinationtowardsBritainisaresultofhisEnglisheducation,butthesettingoftheschoolmaysuggestso.ForIndians,theacceptanceofculturalhierarchymaybeevenmoretroublesome.Itleadstosomelong-lastingpersonaldilemmasthathardtoresolve.Oneofthemistheidentitycrisis.ThejudgeJemubaiinTheInheritanceofLossmaybethebestexample.Asaboygrowingupunderthecolonialproject,finishingsecondaryeducationinamissionschoolandcollegeeducationinCambridge,JemubaibecomesafaithfulfollowerofBritain.RecruitedasanICS(IndianCivilService)member,hemakesgreateffortstobeanofficial“keepinguptheBritishstandards”.ThepursuitofBritishstandardsshowshisadmirationtowardBritainandhisattemptstogetintotheimperialcenter.ItalsoreflectshisthinkingthatBritainrepresentsasuperiorsocietytoIndia.AsHomiBhabhapointsoutthatthepowerfulinfluenceofadifferentculturewillcauseatensionbetweenthedesireofidentitystasisandthedemandforachangeinidentity;andmimicryrepresentsasacompromisetothistension(86).Whentalkingaboutmimicryofthecenter,Ashcroftclaimsthatmimicrycomesfromadesiretobeabsorbedbythecenter,anditisthisdesirethatcauses“thosefromtheperipherytoimmersethemselvesintheimportedculture,denyingtheiroriginsinanattempttobecome‘moreEnglishthantheEnglish’”(4).Itistruewiththejudge.Hestudieshardtoobtainmoreknowledgeaboutwesternculture.Inaddition,healsokeepsuptheBritishstandardsinhisdailylife:tohaveafternoonteaeveryday,tospeakEnglishwithanEnglishaccent,andtocoverhisbrownskincolorwiththepowderpuff.Butallhiseffortsarefutile;hecannotbeacceptedbythecenter.EventhoughheisintheICS,aBritish-originatedinstitution,heworksonlytoreinforcethedominationofBritain,andheisneverregardedasequalbytheBritishadministrators.WhenreturningtoIndia,thejudgeisa‘foreigner’tohisfamily,anawkwardmanwiththehabitofpowder-puffing.Thepowderpuffisthesymbolofself-denegation.Heusesthepuffnotforimprovinghislooksorprotectinghisskin,butforcoveringhisbrownskincolor—acosmeticcover-upresultedfromtheracialdiscriminationhesuffersduringhisstudyinCambridge.AthisarrivalinEngland,thejudgecannotfindahouseforseveraldays,becausethehouseownersdonotwelcomeIndians.Attemptingtogetintotheimperialcenter,theskincolorbecomestheeyesoreandthebiggestobstacleforthejudge.Hethenfiguresouttodisguise,bytheuseofthepowderpuff.ButbackinIndia,powderisrarelyusedandifbeingused,itisonlyforthewomen.Thefamilymemberscannotunderstandthejudge’sbehaviorandsomeevenmockhim.Abigfightburstsoutbetweenthejudgeandhisfamily,especiallybetweenthejudgeandhiswife;asenseofestrangementissetupbetweenthejudgeandothers.Therefore,thejudgesuffersakindofdoubleisolation.Ontheonehand,heiscutofffromthecolonialcenter.Ontheotherhand,heiscutofffromhiscultureandhisfamily.Andthedoubleisolationtrapshiminthe“identitycrisis”.Regardingdifferentconnotationsofthesearchforidentity,SudhisKakarsays“atsomeplacesidentityisreferredtoasaconscioussenseofindividualuniqueness,[…]andatyetotherplacesasasenseofsolidaritywithagroup’sideal”(R.S.Pathak52).Therearetwoaspectsof“identity”intheprocessofculturalexchange.First,the“uniqueness”infactemphasizesthedifference.Thenecessitytoformanidentitycomesfromtherepresentationofdifference.Second,the“group’sideal”mayrefertotheculturewhichistheexpressionofparticularcommunity.Andthesolidaritywiththegroup’sidealimpliestheidentificationwithcertaincultureanditspeople.Itisboththeculturaldifferenceandidentificationwiththeculturaltraditionthatdefinesone’sidentity;andthedenegationofeithermayresultinastateofloss.Yetthe“difference”hereimpliesnoculturalhierarchy.Ifthedifferenceindicatesakindofsuperiorityorinferiority,justaswhattheJudgeconsiders,thenitfallsintothecolonialmentalitythatalltherealityandtruthisestablishedbythedominant.Thustheidentityisunrealandtherealidentityislost.Thatiswhyitisfromthedenialoftheculturesasincommensurableandacceptanceoftheculturalhierarchythatallculturalconflictoccurs.Thejudge’spursuitofBritishstandardsandattemptsofdisguisinghisskincolorimplicateshiscomplicitytotheculturalhierarchywhichdeniesthe“difference”asincommensurable.Ontheotherhand,hisfailuretogetintothecenterandhisisolationfromtheIndiancultureandhisfamilycornershimthatitisimpossibleforhimtoformanymeaningfulculturalidentification.Heisstuckinan“identitycrisis”.InTheInheritanceofLoss,thejudgeislaterawareoftheimpossibilityofgettingintothe‘centre’despitehismimicryofit.Wheneatingthechickenproclaimedbythecookasroastbastardinsteadofroastbustard,whichremindedhimoftheEnglishman’sjokesonnativesusingincorrectEnglish,herealizedpeoplelikehimself—theAnglicizedIndians—arealsothesubjectsofthesejokes.NomatterhowhardhetriestocoverhisskincolorandtofollowanEnglishlifestyle,heremainsasanOther,asinauthentictotheBritish.Evenifhegivesuptheattempttogetintothe“center”,hisbeliefinculturalhierarchywillneverbeeliminated.“Mimicry”and“ambivalence”areimportantconceptsinthetheoryofHomiBhabha.Heexplainstheambivalenceofmimicryasbotharesemblanceandamenace.Yetregardingthejudge,whethermimicrywillfunctionastodisruptcolonialauthorityisdoubtful.Iftheresemblancemaybeachievedpassivelyorunconsciouslybytheindoctrinationofcolonialdiscourse,theactualresistanceisautonomous.Itistheacceptanceofculturesasincommensurablethatcreatesthesiteofresistance.Forthejudge,thesiteisinaccessibleduetohiscolonialmentality.Thoseagreeingwiththeincommensurabilityofculturewillhavetheautonomyofresistancesincetheculturalhierarchyestablishedbythecolonialpowerisnotright.Butthejudgebelieves“thetruth”toldbycolonizersthatculturalhierarchyexists,andthattheWestissuperiortotheEast.Hisbeliefpreventshimfromviewingculturesasincommensurable.Thejudgecannotunderstandthatthedenialofculturalhierarchyisthepowertochallengethedominant,tounsettletheauthenticandtodisturbthecentre.AsweobserveinTheInheritanceofLoss,eventhoughthejudgeexperiencesracialdiscriminationinBritain,heisstilllookingforwardtoanIndiadominatedbyBritainandtheBritishlifestyle.HeblamesthedisorderofIndiaontheIndiansandtheIndiancultureratherthanthecolonizers.TheLingeringofColonialThoughtE.M.ForstersuggestedinAPassagetoIndiathattheindependenceofIndiawouldpossiblyrelieveitstensionwiththeBritishimperialpower.Yettheeliminationofcolonizationmighteffectalleviationbutwashardlyaterminationtothetension.Intheendofhisnovel,Forsterexpressesasenseofuncertaintytowardsa“visionaryresolution”,whichinMalcolmBradbury’sviewthenovelwasclosetooffering.Sincehedidnotwitnesstheendofcolonization,Forsterispessimisticaboutthefriendshipbetweenthetwonationsinaperiodwhencolonizationstillexisted.EdwardSaidhascommented,onthispessimisticending,thatitleaves“asenseofthepatheticdistancestillseparating‘us’fromanOrientdestinedtobearitsforeignnessasamarkofitspermanentestrangementfromtheWest”(244).Thoughuncertainandpessimisticaboutthefuture,Forstermightnotexpectthetensionandestrangementtobe“permanent”asSaidconcludes.Saidhashisrighteousnessfromtheperspectiveofacontemporary,whereastheawarenessofthecontinuityofwesterndominationaftercolonizationproducesasenseof“permanence”asitlastssuchalongtime.ForsterprobablywouldnothaveimaginedthatsixdecadesafterIndia’spoliticalindependence,hisconclusionisstillvalid.Noresolutionisfoundandthetension,thoughmoreculturalthanpolitical,isstillthere.KiranDesaiinhernovelTheInheritanceofLossexpressesherideathatthefateoftheIndianswhoweretrappedintheEastandWestinthecurrentageofmulticulturalismandglobalizationseemstobedoomedsincetheageofcolonialization.ThiscontinuousculturaldominationoftheWestnowadaysresultsinthelingeringofculturalhierarchy.TheideathatwesterncultureismoreadvancedandrefinedlingersinIndia.Incolonialdays,whentheculturalhierarchywasacceptedbyIndians,theyappearedasgreatadmirersofwesternculture.TheopeningconversationinAPassagetoIndiaclearlyshowsthenatives’preferenceoftheWest.AyoungIndianmanloudlydeclaresthat,“Iadmirethem[theBritish].”TheideathattheWeststandsforthecivilizedwhilethenativedoesnotstillwidelyexistamongmanyIndians.WhenBiju,thesonofthejudge’scook,appliesforhisvisaintheU.S.embassy,heiswithagroupofIndiansstrugglingtoreachthecounterwindow.ThebiggestpusheramongthemtrieshardtoimpresstheU.S.officialsthatheiscivilized:Hedustedhimselfoff,presentinghimselfwiththeexquisitemannersofacat.I’mcivilized,sirreadyfortheU.S.,I’mcivilized,mam.Bijunoticedthathiseyes,soalivetotheforeigners,lookedbackathisowncountrymenandwomen,immediatelyglazedover,andwentdead.(183)Itisprobablyoneofthemostagonizingscenesinthenovel.TheireagernessforaU.S.visaresultsfromafancyimageoftheWestasorderlyandcivilized.ByacceptingthattheWestrepresentsthecivil,theIndiansactuallydenythemselvesthepossibilityofbeingcivilized.SincethestereotypeofIndiaasuncivilizedhasbeenestablishedlongagobytheimperialcenter,itisonlybychallengingthecentersoastounsettleitsestablishment.Thereisnochanceforpeoplefromtheperipherytogetintothecenter,fortheacceptanceunderminestheantithesiswhichgrantsthecentertheprivilegeofthedominatingpower.TheoldergenerationsofIndianswhoareinscribedwithcolonialmentalityunconsciouslybecomethehelperstospreadthewesterncultureandreinforcethewesternhegemony.LolaandNoniwholiveinthesamevillagewiththejudgeinKalimpongaretypicalAnglophiles.TheygrowbroccoliwithseedsprocuredinEngland,wearMarksandSpencerpanties,listentoBBC,readnineteenthcenturyBritishnovels,keepanemptyjamjarwith“ByappointmenttoHerMajestythequeenjamandmarmalademanufacturers”writtenonitscoat.LolaissoproudofherdaughterbeingananchoratBBCandsheaskshertoseekresidencyandnottocomebackeverafter.ThecookalwaystellshissonBijuhisAmericandreamofobtainingsuddenwealthandlivingamodernlifeandmakeseverypossibleattempttosendBijutotheU.S.ThejudgeasksNonitoteachSaiinsteadofsendinghertoapublicschoolinKalimpongbecausehebelievesthatSaiwilllearntheIndian-accentedEnglishinpublicschool.Theoldergenerationpassesdowntheircolonialmentalitytotheyoung.Thoughitdoesnotmeanthattheyoungwillthinkasexactlyastheolder,thecolonialthoughtistosomeextentpasseddown.Ontheotherhand,tillnowtheculturalhierarchyhasnotbeenrootedoutintheWest.Incolonialdays,IndianswererecruitedintotheBritishadministration,buttheywereneverreallyrespectedbytheBritishpeople.WhenAzizencounterstwoBritishladies,heliftshishattoshowhiscourtesy,butthetwoladiesjustturninstinctivelyaway.AndthentheytakeAziz’stongawithoutasignofgratitude.WhileinthewelcomepartyofMrs.MooreandAdela,theyareinformedbytheircompatriotstokeepdistancewithnativesbecausemostIndiansare“seditiousatheart”.Inpostcolonialworld,intheeyeoftheWest,theIndians,thepeoplefromtheThirdWorldremainatthebottomofsociety;theirrightshavenotbeenguaranteed.InthebasementsofNewYorkrestaurants,asdepictedinTheInheritanceofLoss,arefullofillegalimmigrantsformtheThirdWorld.Thewageislittleandthedreamofwealthremainsfaraway.Theyarebeingexploited,buttheyareunabletochangetheirstatus.Thebosscutdowntheirwagesandlivingexpenses,sothattherewillbemoremoneyputinhisownpocket,butheorshewillnotspendapennytosponsorthemforgreencards.LingeringofculturalhierarchyensurestheWesttoremaininthepositionof“center”,asitsculturalinfluenceisstilldominantovertheworld.ThroughthosewhohaveacceptedthiscolonialthoughtandthroughthoseTVprogramsandmoviessoldtoothercountries,the“reality”ofcenteristoldandtheimageoforderly,civilized“center”iscontinuouslysetup.Whatmaybedifferentinthepost-colonialtimeisthatsomehaverealizedtheforcefulyetdestructivepowerofculturalhierarchyandattemptthefightback.InTheInheritanceofLoss,WecanperceivetheattempttoresistwesterndominationfromtheyoungpeoplesuchasBiju,Gyan,andSai,thoughtheresistanceishardlyeffective.Theyarealittledifferentfromthejudgeandthecookwhoaccepttheexistingculturalhierarchywhole-heartedlyandmakenoefforttoresist.TheytrytoresistbuttheyarestilltrappedbytheinfluenceoftheWest.BijuissenttotheU.S.byhisfatherwithatravelingvisa.Afterhisvisaisexpired,BijuworksillegallyinthebasementsofNewYorkrestaurantswithmanyotherillegalimmigrantsformtheThirdWorld.BijucomestotheU.S.withhis,orratherhisfather’s“Americandream”,sinceitisalwayshisfatherwhotellsBijuhowmoderntheU.S.isandhoweasytogetrichthere.Throughoutthenovel,BijuisfondofthemodernityoftheU.S.whichhedoesnothavethechancetoexperiencethoughheisintheStates.However,be