A different history - Sujata Bhatt

Question 1

What are the key themes of a different history?

Answer 1

• critic on British colonialism of India, especially though language
• cultural synthesis
• loss of identity & culture
• endurance of culture
• language is used as a weapon
• respect of books & trees

Question 2

Great Pan is not dead; he simply emigrate to India.
Here, the gods roam freely, disguised as snakes or monkeys;

Answer 2

Great Pan is the ancient Greek god of the wild that represents western culture.
he ‘emigrated’ because the West has less religious diversity. Suggests cultural synthesis.
‘disguised as snakes or monkeys’ both animals are important in Hindu mythology, but may be viewed as unimportant or uncivilized animals by outsiders. “disguised’ connotes the true nature of something being hidden behind its appearance. Symbolism for colonialists overlooking/misunderstanding Indian culture and traditions.

Question 3

every tree is sacred
and it is a sin
to be rude to a book.
It is a sin to shove a book aside with your foot,
a sin to slam books down
hard on a table,
a sin to toss one carelessly across a room.

Answer 3

‘sin to be rude to a book’ shows the importance of art.
repetition of ‘sin’ shows how sacred and important knowledge, culture and books are.
It is implied that Western knowledge comes from books while Eastern knowledge comes from nature.
‘shove, slam, toss’ all connote colonial violence towards Indian culture.

Question 4

You must learn how to turn the pages gently
without disturbing Sarasvati,
without offending the tree
from whose wood the paper was made.

Answer 4

‘Sarasvati’ Hindu goddess of knowledge & arts
‘from whose wood paper was made’ shows that Eastern knowledge & culture should be respected because it greatly influences and affects Western culture. Cultural synthesis (book cannot exist with tree, intertwined)

Question 5

Which language
has not been the oppressor’s tongue?
Which language
truly meant to murder someone?

Answer 5

‘which language..’ rhetorical question that suggests many languages have been used as tools of oppression. It is not the language itself that should be blamed, but the people who wielded it.

Question 6

And how does it happen
that after the torture,
after the soul has been cropped
with the long scythe swooping out
of the conqueror’s face –
the unborn grandchildren
grow to love that strange language.

Answer 6

‘torture’ connotes colonial brutality, oppresion & violence, dehumanization
‘soul has been cropped’ implies stripping away of cultural identity and heritage. The ‘soul’ is being harvested against the people’s will.
‘scythe’ associated with the Grim Reaper, connotes death. By comparing colonizers to Grim Reaper, it shows that their identity is to destroy.
‘learn to love the strange language’ theme of cultural synthesis and adaptation. Future generations learn to accept even this altered, mixed culture and language. Culture cannot be destroyed.