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Fordham University ENGL 2000 Between Borders and Nations

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Between Borders and Nations In Amitav Ghosh’s The Shadow Lines, British imperialism influences the way of life in Calcutta, India. Ila, the narrator, and the grandmother all have different stances... towards the way British imperialism affected them. As for Ila, she seems to look positively towards the British. By attempting to become a cosmopolitan, she tries to make British culture part of her own. The grandmother is the polar opposite side of Ila’s position; she strongly rejects British imperialism and wants it out of India. Every change makes her cringe. Meanwhile, the narrator seems to be indifferent about the situation; he can live mutually with both English and Indian cultures. In each person’s life, imperialism affected the character’s cultural identity in one way or another, whether greatly or in small portions. Unlike most of her relatives from Calcutta, Ila embraced the British culture. Ever since she was a child she had dreamed of being like the other white kids in her classes at school. She despised herself especially because Nick, the English boy she fell in love with, would go home early from school to avoid being seen with an Indian. Because of this animosity, she began to hate her culture and moved to England as soon as she was old enough. In doing so, she hoped to gain an English identity. When re-visiting Calcutta, Ila still seemed to have trouble with her Indian background. When Robi refused to let her dance with a gentleman at a club one night, Ila snapped. “Do you see now why I’ve chosen to live in London?” Ila exclaimed to Robi. “It’s only because I want to be free… Free of your bloody culture and free of all of you” (Ghosh 87) [Show More]

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