Explore notions of ‘the gaze’ in at least two texts Essay Example

intensified this state of change and uncertainty.

With the unfortunate need for steady income from a wealthy source, countries began showcasing heavily idealized images of sandy beaches and picturesque holiday resorts on the world market. Such activity is referred to as tourism. However, it was primarily the affluent who engaged in this activity, rather than the average person. The national middle class took on the role of intermediaries and discovered their historic mission. Essentially becoming "middle men" in the exploitation of their own country, the wealthy aimed to profit not only from the land that sustained them but also from their less affluent countrymen.

Governments tried to eliminate all non-Western elements in an attempt to modernize. This included replacing European settlers with national bourgeoisie who took on various roles such as doctors, barristers, and traders. By assuming these roles, they identified themselves through a perspective that was not originally theirs, resulting in the eradication of a part of themselves. Getting rid of this perspective is challenging because of the pervasive influence of Colonialism. This perspective, also known as 'the gaze,' is how a person is compelled to view their own culture.

To experience oneself through the dual perspective of Self and Other is deeply unsettling, particularly when one's own culture is forcefully overlaid with another. Brathwaite explores this concept in his work History of the Voice, addressing the notion of "the imposed language"6 and the subsequent emergence of "creole English".7 This "plurality"8 was essential, as individuals were compelled to communicate (and think)9 in a foreign language. Just as demonstrated earlier with the need to adjust to Western conventions, Creole English emerged as "an adaptation that English took in

the new environment of the Caribbean".

Merely adapting something does not guarantee ownership since it is just a distortion of what already existed and not something inherent. However, these languages had to be suppressed because the conquering powers - the Spaniards, the English, the French, and the Dutch - required English, French, Spanish, or Dutch to be the language of official communication, obedience, command, and understanding. This suppression creates a sense of Otherness within the native culture and a distorted perception of reality.

The reason for the emergence of a necessary hybrid language is due to the requirement of speaking a different language at work than the language spoken in the country. This hybrid language adapts the African form to the new environment and to the cultural influence of European languages. The influence of these foreign languages and the resulting effect of the "gaze" is highlighted by the concept of a "cultural imperative".

If the language of the coloniser is officially being used, it degrades the home-culture to that of the Other. This results in individuals perceiving themselves through the lens of the "official" gaze. The ability to re-identify a culture is made possible by the fluid and unstable nature of personal and gender identity, which can also be applied to communities or cultures as a whole. The alteration of a culture's language, which serves as its foundation, has a profound impact. People instinctively recognize that the structural condition is heavily influenced by language. Consequently, when such a fundamental aspect of culture is changed, it raises doubts about the rest of the culture due to its newly shaken foundations.

The Caribbean is compelled to view itself through the lens

of Western countries in order to maintain a profitable tourism industry. The perception commonly held by Western countries is that the Caribbean consists of beautiful golden beaches and crystal clear blue seawater. Brathwaite casually acknowledges this perception by stating, 'You must know of the Caribbean from television'. However, this perception does not reflect the reality of the Caribbean. Brathwaite's recognition of this self-deception highlights the fact that the middle class in the region often assumes the role of managing the interests of Western enterprises, effectively transforming their country into a European playground. This exploitation can be seen in Brathwaite's poetry, which portrays the land as being controlled and exploited by the sugar cane industry. He describes the Caribbean islands as a powerful and sweeping curve, a sentiment that is further explored in his poetry. The intrusion of European culture into daily life is also evident in the education system, as Brathwaite points out that despite people already living there, Columbus is credited with 'discovering' the Caribbean in 1492.

The dominance of 'Englishness' in the Caribbean classroom is evident as British literature and literary forms, which have little relevance to the non-European environment, prevail in the Caribbean education system. These two worlds coexist separately and cannot be reconciled. Life in the Caribbean differs significantly from the experiences of England, and the language that emerges from them cannot accurately represent Caribbean life. As Brathwaite famously stated, 'The hurricane does not roar in pentameters'. This situation can be compared to forcing a jigsaw piece to fit into a different picture.

The perception of one's own homeland is Westernized, which cheapens it and allows the exploitation of the land through tourism.

Those who suffer are the voiceless. In an interview, Mahasweta Devi discusses the challenges faced by tribals in India and highlights their different values compared to the Western world. She notes that tribals, like Native Americans, believe in shared ownership of land, forest, and river, unlike the newly commercialized India influenced by colonialism. Devi acknowledges that tribals and the mainstream Indian society have always been separate with no common ground. As a result, the mainstream attempts to impose a Western lens on its own minorities just as it has been imposed on itself. This indoctrination into the values of their oppressors puts India's mainstream in a difficult position.

Education is crucial, and the Devi's remarks on tribal education align with Brathwaite's sentiments: '"When we go to school, we learn about Mahatma Gandhi. Did we have no heroes? Did we always experience suffering like this?"'. 26 However, mainstream India has become the aggressor and imposes the consequences of 'modernization' on its minorities, including the tribals: 'They [tribals] have not been included. Yet they have paid the price. I am cautious about the West'. 27 Considering the history of Colonialism, it is not surprising that Devi is cautious about the West.

Devi acknowledges that subjecting everyone to the Western gaze will inevitably result in the destruction of culture. She observes that the Native American legacy only manages to survive in the names of places. The tribals are compelled to embrace a more Westernized lifestyle in order to ensure their survival, but at the cost of eradicating their own culture. This stands in stark contrast to the tribals' original belief in living in harmony with the natural world, which is

sharply juxtaposed with the rampant deforestation introduced by the British during the era of colonization.

They are experiencing the Gaze, being forced to evaluate themselves unnecessarily and therefore becoming 'suffering spectators'. Despite not having an active role in mainstream India, they are still subjected to its laws and 'They categorized the small tribes as criminal tribes because they resided in the forest and did not engage in agriculture'. Their unwillingness to adopt a new way of life led to their criminalization. What is noteworthy is that Devi considers herself an Indian writer rather than solely Bengali, and she is 'proud of this'. However, by trying to align herself with an entire nation and its diverse languages and cultures, she is diminishing their individual impact and the importance of individuality within the collective.

She claims to believe that 'The individual cannot go on suffering in silence',32 yet she is sacrificing her own sense of self in order to diminish the Government and Western world's scrutiny. They are united but not as a nation. By diminishing her marginalized status, she becomes more ordinary, and this approach is effective for the tribals in a country where the 'local administration are bribed'.33 The Government preys on the tribals because they lack political power as a minority. By pressuring them to conform, they strengthen India's 'oneness' with the Western world: They are your easy victims, they are your prey, and you hunt them. The system hunts them. And it wants to label them. The system that hunts and exploits them is the culprit.34 Through 'branding' them, they aim to differentiate the tribals from the mainstream, as if to demonstrate to the outside

world that they are a minority, an insignificant group not to be associated with when considering 'India'. In Devi's 'The Hunt', the gaze of the colonizer becomes apparent immediately with the italicized words (originally in English) slowing down the reading.

The text compels the reader to recognize the enduring impact of colonialism and understand the connection between language and culture, as well as language and structure [35]. Through the narrative lens, attention is drawn to the multifaceted nature of the 'gaze', as the reader witnesses how looking allows for the recognition of the commercial value of land and the concepts of possession and ownership. An example of this can be seen in the phrase, 'The train goes on, the engine gasps; now the ravine swallows the train' [36]. While the ravine, as a natural part of the landscape, is not presented in italics, its ability to 'swallow' the train reveals the limitations of technology when compared to the power of Nature, something that is later represented by Mary.

The patronizing District Commissioner in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart decides to write a book about his experiences in the village called "The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger". This condescending tone is similar to the train's attempt to own the landscape. When we first meet Mary, she is not fully visible to the reader.

Mary's gaze is resistant to intimacy, showcasing her determined will against the colonizer, while also acknowledging her connection to them: '- It's good of me to let you pick the mahua. It is government property. I could hire people and have the fruit picked and I don't do it. - Let the

hired people come and see. I have my machete. Mary's voice is harsh and grim. Prasadji says, It figures. White blood'38 The narrator highlights Mary's ancestry, using her colonizer lineage to explain her volatile nature and possessiveness. Due to her fierceness, it is asserted that 'Everyone is afraid of Mary'.9 In addition to her ferocity, she also possesses characteristics from her Australian father: 'Yes, there is something true in Mary, the power of Australian blood'.40 This inherent power within her both attracts and unsettles men. Our perception of Mary is complex due to her hybridity, as she perceives her skin as a barrier to men and believes that 'When you see a white daughter, you kill her right away.

If there are no problems, it means that she is constantly seen as different and outside the Western world's perspective. Even within her own culture, she is considered as the Other because she is the illegitimate daughter of a white father. As a result, the Oraons do not see her as part of their bloodline and do not enforce their society's strict rules upon her. However, she is unhappy because they do not accept her. Despite her desire to belong, Mary is the one who ensured justice for a crime committed against the entire tribal society during the annual hunting festival. Devi admits that she believes violence is justified for the tribals or the oppressed.

When there is a failure in the justice system, violence is deemed justified (45). This is exemplified by the way Tehsildar mistreats Mary. Despite his comical appearance in his pseudo-Western attire, Tehsildar is not the only one guilty of this behavior. As Mary

herself states, "There are plenty of brokers like you, wearing tight pants and dark glasses, found everywhere on the streets of Tohri. To them, I show this machete" (46). Tehsildar has allowed himself to adopt the colonizer's perspective, forsaking his true identity. Unfortunately, Tehsildar represents the mainstream (47), and his unexplainable desire to possess Mary consumes him: "Mary has had a bath today."

The woman appears clean and smooth, with her hair oiled and braided. She is wearing a printed sari, with one end spread in front of her breasts, and has brass ornaments on her wrist and ear. Mary enters with a tray of tea and snacks, catching the attention of Tehsildar Singh. He exclaims, "Wow! What a dish! In these woods?" This portrayal of Mary as highly sexualized exemplifies how women were objectified by the Western gaze. In Tribal societies, women were respected and honored, yet easily taken advantage of, as demonstrated by Mary's mother. Mary embodies the impact of both Colonization and the gaze: "Because he can't catch me."

If he chooses to do so, his love will disappear. The white man also had affection for my mother. Similar to Brathwaite's concept of 'imposed language', Mary does not truly belong among the villagers, nor would she fit in Australia. The 'gaze' objectifies women for the Colonisers, just as they perceive the land to be their own. Tehsildar's death is a result of his disrespect towards both women and his surroundings. Tehsildar is described as 'a city bastard' and his offer to perform 'the twist dance of the city this evening' reduces village life and rituals to insignificance.

By killing him, Mary eliminates the gaze

of the male Colonisers. She throws Tehsildar into the ravine, along with his wallet, cigarettes, and handkerchief, one stone after another. The scent of blood will attract hyenas and leopards at night, potentially erasing any evidence. Alternatively, they may not be attracted at all. She takes his money before getting rid of the Western wallet and other nonessential items. The surrounding animals will play a role in her crime by consuming the evidence. Devi asserts that the restoration of the natural balance is evident by emphasizing Mary's naked bathing.

In this passage, it is demonstrated that the nonhuman environment is not simply used as a backdrop, but is portrayed as a force that suggests human history is connected to natural history. This high regard for the strength and attractiveness of the land emphasizes Mary's own power as a woman. Brathwaite's poem 'Calypso' centers on the potency and beauty of the land prior to human (particularly Western) involvement. Each stanza undergoes a shift in focus and time. The narrative viewpoint directs attention (the gaze) towards the creation, then exploitation of the islands, and how history is engraved in the landscape.

The initial stanza centers around the stone that transformed into islands. The utilization of flower metaphors highlights the magnificence of this occurrence, while the phrase "curved stone hissed into reef" indicates the concealed power within it, as hissing serves as a warning action. The solitary line "bloom of the arcing summers..." isolates the extraordinary and eternal beauty. In the subsequent section of the poem, it directs its focus towards the intertwined history of the individuals and the terrain by means of land commodification.

The phrase 'ruled by silver sugar

cane'57 describes the state of being controlled by profit-seeking colonizers instead of benefiting the people of the land. This metaphor refers to the colonization of islands by sugar cane, leading to the exploitation of the land and its resources. Fanon's use of the term 'brothel of Europe'59 highlights how the country becomes a destination for tourists, acting as a form of prostitution for the land. The phrase 'sacred pink tourists from the frozen Nawth',60 mocks the reverence shown towards tourists, who are depicted as unnecessary and ignorant through the use of the phonetic spelling 'Nawth'. The presence of tourism creates a distant relationship between the visitors and the land, represented by the false 'gaze' through which they perceive the country.

The inhabitants of this place perceive themselves as separate from nature, thanks to their reliance on Western money and technology. This creates a paradox because their distance from nature is evident. Brathwaite portrays this distance through the character of 'black Sam', which references the negative stereotype of a black male based on nineteenth-century American South's Sambo figure. This term became a derogatory term for black slaves. By using this term, Brathwaite connects the exploitation of the land with the degradation of its people, distinguishing them from the Colonisers, whom he refers to as 'John with the European name'. This tension highlights the challenge of celebrating nature when colonizers placed restrictions on access to it.

The memory of Colonisation is still present in the land, resulting in two simultaneous views: the harshness of the plantation system contrasted with the untamed, non-human parts of the landscape symbolizing freedom. It is necessary to find a compromise and acknowledge all memories

because, as Brathwaite puts it, "we haven't got the syllables, the syllabic intelligence, to describe the hurricane, which is our own experience." This highlights the powerlessness of the people, with clever Johnny reluctantly "nigratin' overseas..." 64, making a clever pun on "migrating," signifying his unwillingness and likening him to the numerous individuals trafficked across the globe. Ultimately, the concept of "the gaze" is problematic. It is impossible to eliminate the influence of Colonialism since it has profoundly shaped modern life. Ignoring it would mean disregarding the fact that human history is intertwined with natural history.

The issue that arises from 'the gaze' is the requirement for individuals from formerly colonized nations to perceive themselves from both their own perspective and that of their former colonizers. Nevertheless, characters like Mary demonstrate that maintaining an unyielding sense of self without considering others can be advantageous, although it can also result in loneliness. Devi and Brathwaite further illustrate a broader perspective, highlighting that while an individual's perception of self may have evolved, it pales in comparison to the transformations undergone by culture and language. However, something so deeply ingrained must adapt with the changing times, regardless of how unfortunate those circumstances may be.