Searching for the Local Literary Origins of Postcolonial Thought

In depth exploration of the origin and development of postcolonial theory, particularly its manifestation in Indian literature and academic research. Since Said proposed postcolonial theory in his book Orientalism, many scholars such as Inden, Du Ningkai, Cohen, Spivak, Guha, and Chatterjee have criticized Western centrism and promoted the enrichment and expansion of postcolonial theory. Especially the "Subordinate Research" project led by Guha questioned Eurocentrism from a historical writing perspective and reflected on Indian nationalist historiography. However, these studies were mostly conducted by Indian elites who received Western style education in the United States, resulting in Third World India being in a passive position in academic discussions. This chapter points out that postcolonial thinking is not solely derived from the West. Native Indian languages and literature, such as Rajah Lakf's Indian language study work "Your Excellency," have already demonstrated postcolonial consciousness long before Western postcolonial works. Your Excellency "portrays the changes in Indian society through the perspective of non-human narrator Jack, spanning time and space, and criticizes colonialism and nationalism, reflecting India's indigenous postcolonial ideology.

Jack: Subordination and Mobility from a Non Human Perspective

Your Excellency "has pioneered the" non-human autobiographical writing "of modern Hindi literature through the non-human narrator of the little dog Jack. Jack's non-human, subordinate, and fluid nature together construct a bottom-up, decentralized perspective. Jack's personification enables him to narrate stories and evoke empathy among readers, while his non-human traits lead readers into a field distinct from human experience through the effect of "unfamiliarity". Jack is not bound by the rules of human society, breaking free from identity constraints such as race, class, and caste, guiding readers to reflect on social reality. The title of the novel, Huzlur, reflects Jack's keen reaction to the hierarchical order between the British and Indians. Jack's subordinate nature endows him with a bottom-up perspective, guiding readers to focus on the "we" dominated by human beings through the first person narrative. The equal relationship between Jack and Sammy, the laundry worker's little dog, exposes the projection of racial and class inequality in human society. Jack's wandering journey transcends the limitations of a single time, space, or social category in his narrative, revealing the universality of unequal power relations and their continuity before and after colonization. Jack's liquidity pieced together a fragmented picture of India, highlighting the overall diversity of India's history, politics, and culture. Jack's narrative perspective itself provides a textual carrier for reflecting on and criticizing colonialism and nationalism at the ideological level, breaking the mainstream values and agenda settings dominated by elites in society.

Reverse Writing 'Empire Glory': Jack's Reflection on Colonialism

An in-depth analysis of Jack's reflection on colonialism in "Your Excellency" reveals its stark contrast with traditional colonial literature such as Kipling. Jack, as a dog of British and Indian descent, broke free from the framework of colonial knowledge and examined colonial rule with egalitarian values. Its negative evaluation of the British, its satire of colonial officials and its questioning of the colonial order show a profound reflection on colonialism. Meanwhile, Jack's perspective also reveals that colonialism is not limited to racial oppression, but rather a deeply rooted unequal power relationship. Even after the British left, colonialism did not disappear in India, but continued to exist as an unequal relationship in Indian nationalist politics. In addition, the chapter also cites Pandi's research, pointing out that colonial rule and its knowledge system artificially constructed religious communitarianism, including the Indo Muslim conflict, further proving the rationality of white colonial rule. Through Jack's perspective, the author cleverly questions the colonial order, prompting readers to contemplate the underlying issues of colonialism.

False National Independence: Jack's Reflection on Indian Nationalism

Deeply explored the political and social reality after India's independence in 1947, and criticized the optimistic view of independence in mainstream historical narratives. The article points out that although independence is seen as the beginning of a new era, political scientists believe that India's national governance system has continuity before and after independence, and the political interests of the Nehru era and the continuity of colonial rule still exist after independence. Research shows that the Nehru government's development oriented policies not only defended the interests of political groups, but also created a false harmonious unity by erasing backward groups.

The Pioneer of Postcolonial Thought in Indian Local Literature

Your Excellency "presents a bottom-up, decentralized narrative approach through the perspective of Jack the Dog, reflecting on the historical continuity of Indian politics and society before and after colonization. The novel reveals that the disappearance of racial inequality did not truly eliminate the inequality between rulers and subordinates, pointing out the continuity of India's elite politics and colonial era after independence. As a progressive writer, author Lakf's works have a Marxist flavor and are not limited by Soviet literary policies or political directives of the Communist Party of India, delving deep into society to seek creative materials. Your Excellency "and Western postcolonial theory, especially subordinate research, exhibit similar problem awareness because they share a common ideological source. However, the status and reputation of Indian indigenous literature in the contemporary knowledge production pattern are far inferior to Western postcolonial theory. This article calls for breaking down the boundaries of time, national borders, and disciplines, re examining the knowledge production process of postcolonial theory from the perspective of cross linguistic literature and transnational history, and rediscovering the intellectual contributions of ethnic language literature in former colonial countries.