Introduction
One of the most vital and consistent themes running through Rushdie’s novels is the use of politics on the canvas of history. Rushdie resorts to subversive methods like the employment of myth and magic realism to yield new insights into the study of the postcolonial politicality of different situations. His novels are an amalgamation of political and social satire, internal identity struggle and a reinterpretation of historical events. This paper analyzes the new paradigms of postcolonial political issues inherent in Shame and The Satanic Verses.
Issues of Politics in Shame
In Shame, Salman Rushdie presented his critique of socio-political life in Pakistan. He projected the characters of Shame as emblematic representations for Pakistan. Many critics have recognized the two male protagonists — Iskander Harappa and Raza Hyder — as representing Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Zia ul-Haq respectively. The whole story takes place in a fictional country of Peccuvistan, which of course resembles Pakistan.
A parallel can be drawn between the characters and the era of colonization in Pakistan. The father represents the British Empire, the mothers can be looked at as the colonized period, and Omar is the reflection of new, independent Pakistan. Bilquis Kernel is representative of Muslim Pakistan during and after partition. The politics of postcolonialism is more obvious in the novel through ideology, way of thinking and acting rather than through technique of writing.
Issues of Politics in The Satanic Verses
Published in 1988, The Satanic Verses addresses the political mechanism of immigration from East to West — specifically, from India to the United Kingdom. The novel was written in a climate of British conservative reaction against immigrants, especially against South Asian ones. The novel addresses the politics of racism as an unfortunate but inevitable part of the immigrant experience.
Rushdie compares the fall of Chamcha and Farishta and their consequent transformation to a devil and an angel to immigration. The chapter “A City Visible but Unseen” highlights the frustration and rage that many immigrant youths feel in a society that excludes them. Although Saladin is a British citizen and has lived there since he was thirteen, the police officers do not believe him and beat him mercilessly.
The effect of globalization highlights the important issue of “identity politics” which is related with inflexibility and change. In The Satanic Verses, Rushdie challenges the idea of “centre,” reversing the idea of English/European/white sense of identity. London is projected as an exotic land where people follow strange customs. The city swarms with immigrants: Indians, Bengalis, Pakistanis, Jamaicans, German Jews, and others.
Conclusion
Most of Rushdie’s novels are always strongly connected to the history and politics of India and Pakistan. The characters and events in his books are fictional but they are very often a transparent allegory of real events and persons. His novels are metaphor itself to rewrite history, politics and several critical struggles.
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