According to the Oxford Dictionary a trope is “a figurative or a metaphorical use of a word of expression”. The use of cannibal trope is not left by chance in the case of diasporic narratives. Postcolonial writers aim at rewriting the History through the eyes of the oppressed people during the Colonized Era, they embody the Otherness, and write about it. Postcolonial literature as a literary movement emerged at the same time that many colonies were fighting their way to gain their independence. Cannibalism and Imperialism are linked; Peter Hulme in Cannibalism and the colonial World wrote “imperialism is itself a form of cannibalism”. This essay will demonstrate the imposing presence of British Imperialism during the 19th century over Australia
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Richard Flanagan in his moving and poetic tale gives voice to the underdog. Through the prism of History the author aims at revisiting Tasmania’s past throughout the 19th century. Thanks to testimonies, we do know that wars happened at this time as Runko Rashidi points out in Black War: The destruction of the Tasmanian Aborigines which perfectly matches to Chapter 1 of Wanting « The war had ended as wars sometimes do, unexpectedly ». Flanagan states that British Imperialism had disastrous effects on local population which is obvious since the beginning of the book “Those who saw them said it was hard to believe that such a small and wretched bunch could have defied the might of the Empire for so long, that they could have survived the pitiless extermination, that they could have been the instruments of such a fear and terror”(chapter 1, page 1) In fact Natives suffered a lot from this so-called colonization which looked much more as extermination at the end. “And the more they took the English blankets and heavy English clothes, abandoning their licentious nakedness, the more they coughed and spluttered and died” this quote extracted from Wanting throws light upon vicious effects British imperialism had over Tasmanian Aborigines, implying that Britain’s presence is here in order to annihilate this population. The annexation of Tasmania by Britain could be seen as a …show more content…
First of all focusing the story on an orphan might be seen as a tribute to Dickens who often puts kids in his novels (David Copperfield, Oliver Twist). In the novel young Mathinna is often described as a victim of colonization and cannibalism as well. Nevertheless her role is central, she embodies the Aborigines. She is the Aborigines; she represented them as a whole. The whole being her body which seems often to be considered as an object of study in itself.
The existing relationship between Lady Jane Franklin and Mathinna happens to be quite disruptive. Lady Jane considers Mathinna as an “experiment”. “Lady Jane wanted to dress that little girl up and ties ribbons in her hair, make her giggle and give her surprises and coo lullabies in her hear. But such frivolities, she knew, would only ruin the experiment and the young child’s chances. Mathinna would one day recognize the wisdom of her benefactress” in the light of what I previously mentioned (the slave and master didactic) here we have a metaphor which plainly described Britain’s attempt to bring civilization to the Tasmanian colony. Lady Franklin considers that adopting a young aboriginal girl will save her from the savagery of her people but in spite of this “cultural rescue” Lady Franklin is de facto branding the young orphan with her Victorian values. She isn’t even looking for the child consent before adopting her -as if it was
Richard Flanagan in his moving and poetic tale gives voice to the underdog. Through the prism of History the author aims at revisiting Tasmania’s past throughout the 19th century. Thanks to testimonies, we do know that wars happened at this time as Runko Rashidi points out in Black War: The destruction of the Tasmanian Aborigines which perfectly matches to Chapter 1 of Wanting « The war had ended as wars sometimes do, unexpectedly ». Flanagan states that British Imperialism had disastrous effects on local population which is obvious since the beginning of the book “Those who saw them said it was hard to believe that such a small and wretched bunch could have defied the might of the Empire for so long, that they could have survived the pitiless extermination, that they could have been the instruments of such a fear and terror”(chapter 1, page 1) In fact Natives suffered a lot from this so-called colonization which looked much more as extermination at the end. “And the more they took the English blankets and heavy English clothes, abandoning their licentious nakedness, the more they coughed and spluttered and died” this quote extracted from Wanting throws light upon vicious effects British imperialism had over Tasmanian Aborigines, implying that Britain’s presence is here in order to annihilate this population. The annexation of Tasmania by Britain could be seen as a …show more content…
First of all focusing the story on an orphan might be seen as a tribute to Dickens who often puts kids in his novels (David Copperfield, Oliver Twist). In the novel young Mathinna is often described as a victim of colonization and cannibalism as well. Nevertheless her role is central, she embodies the Aborigines. She is the Aborigines; she represented them as a whole. The whole being her body which seems often to be considered as an object of study in itself.
The existing relationship between Lady Jane Franklin and Mathinna happens to be quite disruptive. Lady Jane considers Mathinna as an “experiment”. “Lady Jane wanted to dress that little girl up and ties ribbons in her hair, make her giggle and give her surprises and coo lullabies in her hear. But such frivolities, she knew, would only ruin the experiment and the young child’s chances. Mathinna would one day recognize the wisdom of her benefactress” in the light of what I previously mentioned (the slave and master didactic) here we have a metaphor which plainly described Britain’s attempt to bring civilization to the Tasmanian colony. Lady Franklin considers that adopting a young aboriginal girl will save her from the savagery of her people but in spite of this “cultural rescue” Lady Franklin is de facto branding the young orphan with her Victorian values. She isn’t even looking for the child consent before adopting her -as if it was