Analysis Of The Edge Of The World By Gail Vida Hamburg

Great Essays
During the 1950’s, many countries had begun to incorporate Communist ruling and ideals in their government. In the novel “The Edge of the World”, by Gail Vida Hamburg, the island of Chomumbhar is unknown and cut off from the rest of the world until President John F. Kennedy and the First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy arrive on a visit (1962). However, Chomumbhar, a small republic on the Indian Ocean, revealed Communism practices and ideals throughout its island but wanted a relationship with America. The US makes an immense effort to eliminate communism in fictional Chomumbhar and in the Cold War. The book connects with Cold War events through the topics of immigration, foreign policy, and getting US support. One of the topics mentioned throughout …show more content…
In The Edge of the World, having the Kennedy’s come visit was one of the most inimitable things to ever happen to the small country. Though, upon the visit, Chomumbhar was forced to cover up the ugly reality of their country, including their extreme caste system. Chambhar wasn 't a modernized island, governmentally speaking or culturally. The caste system was still a huge factor in their everyday lives. With the United States embodying a democracy style government, they did not want to support anything nor any country that practiced communism in any form. On page 70, Lady Lalitha is informed that the Kennedy’s do find Chomumbhar’s caste system appealing, “The American Ambassador informed Prime Minister that the President and Mrs. Kennedy viewed Chomumbhar as a progressive nation and were deeply disappointed by the Qualit laws (70)” The Prime Minister and his wife agreed to drop the laws against the Qualits and in order to still be recognized by the US. After the countries come to a compromise, the U.S. provides Chomumbhar with an airport with planes because they corporated. The Caste System situation in Chomumbhar connects to the Cold War because the US would only support countries that were in no way communist. Just as the US gave Lady Lalitha her airport, the US gave military aid to Iran when they showed they did not support the USSR. Showing that you were not a …show more content…
In both aspects, countries were impacted due to the US need to prevent and contain communism. The US obviously wanted to prevent and contain communism, and were willing to change multiple countries governments and go to extraordinary lengths in order to do so. Throughout these stories we are also able to understand how Communism affected the cultural, political and economic points of the Cold War. We can also see the positive and negative effects that the US has on the citizens of the country Chomumbhar. The US provides a positive effect, because they can provide Chomumbar with more advanced resources and aid. Also, some citizens became richer by the attention the US provided to the island. However, the US still had a negative effect on the island. In the end of the book, the US bombs Chomumbar. Thus, leaving everything a burning mess, making the island nonexistent anymore. By reading this book, we are given the chance to understand the influence that was made on all aspects of societies and grasp the advancements and struggles that were made by all kinds of people to get their countries where they are

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