KIM XII -- chapter 6.2: I Will Wait but the Boys Will Beat Me

Mahbub Ali

Start reading at: "On the morning of the fourth day a judgment overtook that drummer."


Okay.  I've decided I need to be more optimistic and assume that there's more of substance here than just the "window" to Indian cultures.  My fear is that I may simply be too ill-equipped to get it.  Normally, I'm pretty adept at culling bits and pieces of meaning from between the words and lines, but, here--and especially here as there is so much dialog and so little exposition--I'm distracted or lost, which alone are usually not so bad, but [again] here accompanied by a regrettable disinterest, those bits and pieces may go entirely unnoticed.  Of course, I can't cast the book aside; we've begun and we will finish (or I'll finish it on my own, at least).  So here are a few things I plan to look out for, all of which are potentially significant, as they've shown up in other important works:

1. this is a historically significant book--the reputedly best of an author who won a Nobel Prize for literature--and its seeming lack of excellence is almost certainly my fault, not Kipling's;
2. there is as much, if not more, "melting pot" going on in India as there is in England or the United States or anywhere else, and so there's got to be some statement about the influence of one culture upon the next and, as we've already examined to a degree, the inherent bigotries and tolerances that come along for the ride;
3. as Kim moves between the various cultures, bearing his passport of "Friend to All the World," and eventually assumes his birthright under one in particular, how will he maintain or lose the others;
4. Father Victor puts it most succinctly as he claims the label of "ethnologist" for himself, which, in the case of his obvious amateur status thereof, reminds me strongly of the enthusiast, amateur dinosaur hunters.

KIM XI -- chapter 6.1: Trousers and Jacket Cripple [the] Body and Mind

"First I will take my pay."

Stop reading at: "This somewhat consoled Kim for the beatings."


While I enjoyed this chapter perhaps more than much of the rest of the book to this point, there's not really a lot to discuss or question.  One thing, however, that caught my eye here as well as previously, and which also connects to something I learned prior to beginning the reading of the novel, is the issue of Kipling's racism.  While decidedly racist (and how could one supporting imperialism not be, really?), his bigotry appears to toe a line.  In this chapter we see the distasteful word, "nigger," repeatedly, but Kipling's use thereof is about as favorable as that of Twain's--that is an indicator of ignorance, stupidity, or simply [the stultifying, as opposed to Kipling's subtler and entirely non-self-conscious, brand of] racism and superstition on the part of the one uttering it.  Kipling appears here to recognize a line dividing acceptable and unacceptable "levels" of racism.  Thoughts?  In support of this, there is the issue of Kipling's use of the swastika as an accompaniment to his signature and emblem appearing in early editions of his books.  Despite the immensely negative connotations of the swastika, it's originally/etymologically intended use is markedly innocuous.  The word itself is Sanskrit for "auspicious object" (and I prefer Princeton's definition of "auspicious" simply for its simplistic elegance).  In other words, a swastika is pretty much a good-luck charm.  Yet, according to Wikipedia and its pertinent article's sources, Kipling tossed aside the symbol as soon as there was even the slightest possibility that it might associate him with the Nazi movement, which, of course, was founded nearly entirely upon racism, bigotry, and supposed biological superiority.  But isn't this essentially what an imperialist movement is also built on? --that one race (or government/religion) is exactly what makes the moving country better than / superior to the one it's invading and conquering?  Kipling supported imperialism.  Where did his racism lie?

KIM X -- chapter 5.2: Injia's a Wild Land

Begin reading at: "They found the lama where he had dropped."

1. "...once a Sahib is always a Sahib...."  This interpretation of Kim's heritage makes sense coming from imperialistic England; since we're dealing a bit with politics right now, how might an American approach Kim differently?
2. "Kimball, I suppose you want to be a soldier?  . . .  "...and you should be grateful that we're going to help you."  Explain Bennett's forceful and indignant perspective here.
3. From his current perspective, which would Kim have preferred: the brief, though likely severe, beating and releasing if he'd been solely judged a native beggar, or his current predicament of, essentially, kidnapping and enslavery to a British school?  What has this situation done to his attitude toward his father's prophecy?

not exactly Kim's destination....  (wikipedia)

KIM IX -- chapter 5.1: Nine Hundred Pukka Devils

courtesy: dontaylorbookbinder.blogspot.com

Stop reading at: "'Powers of Darkness!' was all that Father Victor could say, as Bennett marched off, with a firm hand on Kim's shoulder."

1. The psychology of prophesies (and I can't help but mentally separate from the red bull those which I believe to be "true" prophesies, on the/my religious front, though these must by necessity be just as subject to this question as any other, as Christianity is as much a mythology as any other religion) interests me, inasmuch as the fulfillment of Kim's father's prophesy is subject upon Kim's interpretation of both the prophesy and the circumstances around him.  We've already seen one instance when perhaps the prophesy had potential to be fulfilled (the red-faced "bullish" horse trader), but as of now Kim has disregarded it.  What would have happened had he believed it the fulfillment of his prophesy back at that point?  Rather, now, the red bull on the green flag, which also happens to be the flag of his father's Irish regiment (the deus is it!), appears, and Kim believes it to be the fulfillment--or, at least, a signpost toward (and, admittedly, this is a much stronger potential fulfillment than the old horse trader!) --the prophecy.  Thoughts?
2. The Royal Loyal Mavericks
3. The Lama: "I have considered the countenance of that priest, and I think he is learned."  Is this possible?
4. Kipling doesn't spend (waste?) any time describing the internal emotional machinations of his characters, and in this case we see little physical evidence of how the discovery makes him feel, beyond Kim's muttering "It certainly was a Red Bull—my Red Bull".  Is there turmoil?
5. An obscure, nearly-impossible, yet potentially humorous cross-textual comparison: Kimball O'Hara, Jr. and the Lama :: Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins.
6. Coincidence???  (the regiment is his father's who and their symbol is his)  --  Regardless, I finally feel a connection to the story (and yes, I'm still so callow a reader that, while not requiring one, a connection is yet highly desirable and influential).