„Wherever the English settle, they never leave England. “I can imagine that there is a lot of truth in this statement. Many British people tried to transform their place in India into their home in Great-Britain. We see this in our novel “Heat and Dust”. But I’m not sure, how I feel about it. On the one hand, I can understand the British. Everything in India is strange: the people, the culture, the weather and so on. It’s hard to be confronted with this strange world every day. But when you’re at home, you don’t want to be overwhelmed by all these new impressions, you want to feel at ease and relax. That could be the point of view of somebody, who works every day outside and with strange people. On the other hand, I think that a stay in a foreign country would be more interesting and meaningful, if you try to learn something about a strange culture. It’s a chance to explore the country and the people and perhaps to learn something about you in a different environment, because: “Travelling increases the horizon”. This should be the point of view of a bored housewife like Olivia in “Heat and Dust”. And in fact, she experiences the Indian world by the Nawab.As I mentioned before, I imagine that lots of British people fulfilled this stereotype. Nevertheless, the exception proves the rule. And there were exceptions, the British explorer Richard Francis Burton for example. He worked as an officer for the East India Company. During his stay in India, he learned several languages, which are spoken in India and studied the Hindu culture. He even travelled in disguise to experience the Indian culture. Of course, Richard Burton is an exception, but he proves, that the quote is really a stereotype.
Dust March 21, 2008
What are your feelings when you are confronted with the description of such a landscape?When I read the description, I almost felt the heat and the dust whirling around me. I think it’s hard to concentrate on other things, if you’re surrounded by an environment like that. But beyond the temperature and the air, this landscape seems to be alarming. It’s very dangerous. All in all I would say I’m happy, that I don’t have to stay in this environment.Explain why you would or would not like to travel or live there.I think there’s an important difference between travelling and living there. I would like to travel there for a while, to get to know the country, the people and their culture. On the other side I couldn’t live there, because of the weather and the culture, which is too different to mine.
Heat March 21, 2008
Who do you think Olivia and Douglas are?I suspect that Olivia and Douglas are married, because they are arguing about irrelevant things. They seem to be very rich; they have servants, who are keeping the house. Douglas’ comment in the last line proves that they are from Britain. Where are they?The setting is probably in India. The relationship between Olivia and Douglas and their servants indicates this. Douglas and Olivia are the “Sahib” and the “Memsahib” for them. These words are used by Indian and Pakistani people as a form of adress to Europeans. “Sahib” means something like “master”. What are they arguing about?In fact, they are arguing about nothing. Olivia complains about Douglas, who is smoking a pipe, although it’s verh hot. Douglas replies that she should have gone to “Simla”. Olivia becomes angry and tells that this was to boring. How is the quarrel resolved?Olivia doesn’t seem to understand her behavior. Douglas explains it with the heat, an Englishwoman isn’t meant to stand.Do you feel that unpleasant heat can have an effect in emotions?In my opinion it’s natural that heat has an effect in emotions to people, who aren’t familiar with it. The body is occupied to get along with the heat and the nerves are edgy.Have you ever experienced anything like that?Not really. In the summer, when it’s hot in Europe, too, I have problems with the heat. But usually I’m not aggressive. I’m tired and have a circulation disorder. If it would be hot for a long time, I probably would become aggressive, too.
