Burmese Days

¶ … Colonialism from the Points-of-View of Two Characters

In Burmese Days, George Orwell examines the pitfalls of British Colonialism in a complex, nuanced way that leaves no character free from blame. Indeed, while there is extreme injustice that occurs throughout the story, one of the most salient themes is the way in which the British Imperialists and Burmese natives alike are corrupted, to the extent that the traditional moral binary between "good" and "evil" becomes largely disrupted. Moreover, while certain characters are more sympathetic than others, it is also the case that sympathetic characters are in actuality the most at fault with regard to withholding the injurious cultural hegemony of British Imperialism. The best example of this complex dynamic can be seen in the contrast between James Flory and U. Po Kyin; while Flory is in many ways the more sympathetic character, he is also one of the characters who profits most heavily from the British cultural chauvinism. Conversely, while U. Po Kyin appears on the surface to represent the villain of the story, he is one of the dominant examples of a character who has suffered at the hands of the British. This essay explores the points-of-view of the two characters; through considering the contrasting ways in which they experience colonialism, it is argued that despite the virtuous nature that he displays on the surface, Flory is very much the colonizer while U. Po Kyin represents the colonized.

James Flory appears to be a sympathetic character; after all, he is perhaps the British character with the firmest intellectual grasp of the injustices inflicted by British Imperialism on the native Burmese. Furthermore, he enjoys spending time with the native Burmese, as evidenced by his friendship with Dr. Veraswami. James is also very alienated with his own duties, which involve removing wood from the jungle, an act that causes direct harm on the native landscape. He also appears to appreciate the Burmese women, demonstrated by his romantic endeavors with his Burmese mistress. Furthermore, he is open and willing to admit a single Burmese individual into the British club, of which he is a member.

All of the attributes discussed above would suggest that Flory is aligned with the plight of the colonized; however, it is more accurate to state that he is a colonizer in disguise. Despite his general state of malaise, he continuously derives pleasure from the natives without actually improving their living condition. For example, he sleeps with his Burmese mistress without actually marrying her, not wanting to suffer the blow in cultural cachet that he would receive from marrying one of the natives. Additionally, while he enjoys spending time with Doctor Veraswami, he does so without ever actually improving the socioeconomic condition of his Burmese friend. Consequently, Flory experiences colonialism in a very self-serving way.

In contrast, U Po Kyin is a highly disenfranchised native who suffers at the hands of British Imperialism. Although he is still a magistrate who holds some semblance of influence amongst his native peoples, his power is greatly compromised by the infiltration of the British colonialists. The very fact that he desires to join the British club demonstrates the extent to which he is a member of the colonized; where he previously held great power, he is reduced to conniving in an attempt to reach the status of his more fortunate counterpart, James Flory. While U. Po Kyin is not someone with a strong moral compass, he is nonetheless one of the most significant examples of a character who is colonized.