Burmese Days
Racism in Burmese Britain owned many colonies throughout the 1800’s including Burma. While the British were able to manufacturing raw materials from Burma until the early 1900’s, British Imperialism would forever influence the Burmese Natives. In George Orwell book “Burmese Days,” racism is one example of this British Imperialism influence. British Imperialism allowed the use of racism to influence the European Club members and British military. Some British authority used racism to diminish the natives, which Ellis, a timber merchant, demonstrated. Then, superiority ranking and separation started amongst the natives themselves, which U Po Kyin and Ma Hai Mary sought to achieve. Then Ellis and the European Club members pressured Flory to use their views on racism. In George Orwell’s book “Burmese Days,” were four different aspects of British imperialism: Symbol, authority, superiority, and pressure. This British imperialism involving the influence of racism was one aspect of British Imperialism that affected thenative people in Kyauktata, Burma. The main symbol that portrayed British Imperialism, involving racism, in the book “Burmese Days,” was the European Club. This club located in Kyauktada, Burma and was a symbol of British racism against everyone else that was not British. The European club members consisted of timber merchants and British military policemen. The rules that allowed racism to continue was being contended by Mr. Macgregor; who was the deputy Commissioner, and secretary of the club. This change could not be tolerated by the merchants especially Ellis, who pushed and voiced his opinion on to others about the acceptance of outsiders. Ellis stats, “He’s asking us to break all our rules and take a dear little nigger-boy into this Club… We’ve got to hang together and put our foot down on this at once.” (23) This statement shows how Ellis, a British merchant, feels betrayed that they would even consider allowing any outsider to become a member
Cited: Orwell, G. Burmese Days. Harcourt, Inc., London, 1934.