Burmese Days by George Orwell
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In the novel Burmese Days, George Orwell expresses a view of British imperialism that is critical and pessimistic. The era of British rule in India and related areas is called the raj, and it is this era that is addressed by Orwell in this novel. The main character is John Flory, and he represents what is known as the "pukka sahib," or the British resident who upholds British values and the British way of life to the degree possible in this far off area of upper Burma. Flory is deliberately contrasted with other British residents of the area, however, in that he has a real respect for the local culture and is not bigoted as are the others. The others stand for the more normal course of British imperialism, with the British lording it over a people for whom they have contempt. The strong pessimism of Orwell is seen in the way that Flory is marginalized by the British community precisely because he is not the bigot others are, and in the end Flory cannot survive in this atmosphere and commits suicide.Flory is distinguished from others in the British community in that he befriends locals such as Doctor Veraswami. He even proposes the latter for membership in the British Club, which is quite counter to the attitude taken by most British citizens toward anyone not European. Doctor Veraswami is the only doctor in the province and also oversees the local jail. He also shows more grace toward the British than they show to him, for he has a high regard for the Europeans in
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hen the gulf between himself and Elizabeth widened: "She passed on without a word, without a sign, without a look. She was walking sharply down the road, with a click of heels, her back turned upon him" (188). In the beginning, Flory is the only eligible bachelor, and Elizabeth, who is seeking a husband, shows interest in him. However, she distrusts his acceptance of native culture, and for her this becomes intertwined with the rumors that he has a native mistress. In addition, she is more conventional in her views than is he, and this is indicated when he states to her that he sometimes wants the courage not to be a pukka sahib: "It was an unwise remark. She knew very well by this time the meaning of the phrase "pukka sahib" and all it stood for. His remark had made the difference in their viewpoint a little clearer" (124).
When Lieutenant Verrall arrives, Elizabeth shifts her interest to him. Thus, Flory's acceptance of native culture cuts him off even more from any connection with the British community. Verrall has a point of view more in keeping with other British residents and with Elizabeth herself, though his view is shown by Orwell to be more than simply British arrogance. Just as Flory's attitude is used to s
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1237
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)
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