My Place
Most simply a character is one of the persons who appear in the play, one of the dramatis personae (literally, the persons of the play). In another sense of the term, the treatment of the character is the basic part of the playwright’s work. Conventions of the period and the author’s personal vision will affect the treatment of character. Characters are also an element of any short story which usually has only a few characters in which they play an important role in the whole story and the events takes place.
In the two short stories that I have read, I will discuss two characters and will explain the existence and effects of the characters in the story. In the short story “Sautu” which written by Subramani, the protagonist or the main character was Dhanpat. In here, the story describes more about the setting of Dhanpat’s community, Sautu as it focuses on the life of Dhanpat. The story focuses mainly on the emotional situation and social interactions of Dhanpat that later resulted in madness. The main character’s name itself depicts that it is of an Indian origin which holds true for the short story.
The story relates to the loss of cultural value of the ex-indentured laborers rather girmityas as they feel dissociated in the environment of Sautu. Moreover, the social relationships of the protagonist, Dhanpat with the other Sautu community members accentuate the physical as well as the emotional difficulties that they come across in their everyday life. In fact, the title “Sautu” accurately means peace and prosperity in Fijian but it was totally different from what the story like as it reflects on the life of Dhanpat.
Instead, the village, Sautu in the story suggests grinding poverty, evil and boredness of its dwellers that includes the main character, Dhanpat. The village represents the dehumanizing experiences of indenture as the people are obsessed with uneasiness and fear of their history. Obviously, Dhanpat and his friend, Kanga could not relate their indenture system history into a meaningful conversation. Therefore, the author of the story, Subramani had mentioned about indenture, but the period was no longer clearly defined; it seemed like a tangle full of shadows and memories.
Overall, the story had evolved around Dhanpat who was described as a free thinker in the story and was also deeply affected by the unfriendliness and dissociation felt by the ex-girmirtyas in Sautu which poses the same for those that currently dwell in the Fiji communities. As already mentioned, Dhanpat eventually got into madness after the death of his wife, children and friend; he was not able to muddle through with the current situation in Sautu. However, Epeli Hauofa a Pacific Islander pokes amusing things at the social illnesses of the Pacific island people.
In the story, “Tower of Babel”, he had written about the resentment attitude of Pacific islanders towards developments and businesses. This story was based from the biblical interpretation of how the overseas development reps have tried to assist in the development of Tiko but became unsuccessful because of the native’s casing attitude towards developments. In addition, Hauofa had highlighted about Toa Qase. He had switched from a market gardener and banana grower to a chicken farmer with the assistance of the Great International Organization.
Instantly, he was becoming successful as well as famous with his chicken business. This was only possible under the watchful guidance of an elite, overseas development expert. However, in the process, he forgets of the usual customary generous sharing of Pacific Islanders that resulted in the disappearance of all his chickens. Hauofa had quoted (1983:268) that in Tiko if you give less you will lose more and if you give nothing you will lose all. The people of Tiko have helped themselves onto his chickens and no necessary legal actions were taken against them as it would happen in a modern society.
Eventually, Toa Qase gave up on his dream of becoming a modern businessman as he seeked advice from a clergyman. According to Hauofa (1988:268) the clergyman then read the scriptures to Toa Qase which read “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal”. From then onwards, Toa Qase decided to become more spiritual and grow spiritually which lay him treasures in Heaven that no one can steal.
This shows that the people of Tiko, including Toa Qase claims that their resentment towards development is somehow due to their spiritual beliefs. Their claim only serves to support their resentment and laid back attitude towards development. Furthermore, the behavior of Toa Qase have been a concrete example of the social illness of laid back Pacific island attitude that Epeli was poking fun at in the story. Toa Qase actually reverts to an ordinary Pacific Islander when he did not really excel in his chicken business.
In addition, it depicts the relaxing environment at factious Tiko that is similar to that of any Pacific island nation. Finally, Epeli Hauofa had highlighted the conflict between the dominant and marginalized culture whereas Subramani had highlighted the dissociation of ex-girmirtyas in the Fiji communities. The descriptions and the position of the characters, Dhanpat and Toa Qase in the two short stories above have played an important role in relating the story to its title as the writer’s interpretations.
Therefore, the features of the characters themselves have contributed to the essence of the story as it enhances the setting and plot of the story. (approx. 945 words) [pic] 2) Choose a character from 2 short stories and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards NAME: RATU EPELI DRAUNA ID : 2010004706 DISCIPLINE: ENFI II
