Native American Indian Summary

“The colonial situation manufactures colonialists, just as it manufactures the colonised” (Memmi 1974:56-57). Anglo-Indians, the ‘experienced’ colonists, force their own stereotypes of the natives upon newcomers. The colonisers arrive fresh from England “intending to be gentlemen, and are told it will not do.” Hence, “[t]hey all become exactly the same – not worse, not better” (p.34). Ronny Heaslop complains that “[p]eople are so odd out here, and it’s not like home – one’s always facing the footlights …. They notice everything, until they’re perfectly sure you’re their sort” (p.68, my italics). Individuality is problematic in a colony because the people there should all adopt the same ideologies.

Ronny, like Aziz and the others, is aware of this process of ‘formatting’ newcomers to render

Hence, and to the surprise of Mrs. Moore, Ronny considers the way the British treat the Indians as being a “side-issue”. He objects to Adela’s impression that they treat the Indians badly. He protests to Mrs. Moore, “Oh, how like a woman to worry over a side-issue!” Mrs. Moore is surprised it is a “side issue” because her ideological background has not been corrupted yet by colonisation which considers the colonised inhuman.

Further, Ronny tries to convince both himself and Mrs. Moore of the British important presence in India. The colonisers claim that they have the mission of “bringing light to the colonised’s ignominious darkness” (Memmi 1974:74-76). This “mission” legitimises the colonisation and enslavement of other races. Edward Said also notes the depiction of colonised races as being “naturally subservient to a superior, advanced, developed, and morally mature Europe” (Eagleton et al. 1990:72). Hence, Ronny announces that “[w]e’re out here to do justice and keep the peace. Them’s my sentiments.” Mrs. Moore, however, can see through his words. She