Date: Sun, 5 May 1996 19:06:40 -0400
From: abdejene-AT-watarts.uwaterloo.ca
Subject: Re: double/speak


Hello,

This is the irony of the very term "Postcolonial." The term may be used in
terms of refering to a historical era. However, it radiates the same sense
that you pointed -- the absense of the coloniazer.

But I would like to look at the 'era' itself as hybrid of the two worlds.
What ever is constructed, touched, emerged in the postcolonial era is
essentialy touched by the colonizer as well as the colonized. It is a
continuation of the two "binaries"  if you like what is now the postcolonial
subject. He represents both. He is both the Colonized/colinizer. This is
true  not only for what we call "Native" but also the previous colonial
"Master" or "colonizer." 

Do you agree with my crazy ideas?

 
>Hello again my friend,
>Binary terms are so limiting and I have copied down the suggestions offered
>so far with scholarly treatments of a world view that does not depend on
>them.
>
>My own perception of where I would like to place myself, at least symbolicly
>is in the doorway or threshold , perhaps a better term.  If one can imagine
>any two binary pairs ( male/female, us/them, east/west, etc. I would be the
>slash leaning towards both but not necessarily away from either( maybe the
>slash should look more like an "s" now that I think of it. While standing in
>this symbolic threshold I could step back into my comfortable room or step
>out into what is unknown and then back again (this assumes there is no door
>that would slam shut on either action).
>
>On a more scholarly note,  I have always like the Rushdie quote from his book
>EAST,WEST 
>"I, too, have ropes around my neck, I have them to this day, pulling me this
>way and that, East and West, the nooses tightening, commanding, choose,
>choose.
>I buck, I snort, I whinny, I rear, I kick. Ropes, I do not choose between
>you. Lassoes, lariats, I choose neither of you, and both. Do you hear? I
>refuse to choose."
>
>The quotation of course is not sufficient for me because the power is
>obviously in the two opposing forces and the symbolic animal ( assume horse
>will finally give up and go with the stronger pull, perhaps at that point
>hanging limp and strangled).The fate of a burned out member of a colonized
>culture. 
>My model would insist that the pulling on both sides subsist,  the ropes
>would be untied and the horse could travel back and forth  to either side.
>
>Which leads me to this question? If we are talking about postcolonialism,
>hasn't the colonizer left the stage? 
>
>Ladydonut-AT-aol.co
>
>
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>
>



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