“The Upside-downness of the World as it Unfolds”

I just want to start by saying that I really enjoyed this short story. This was not only for it’s content and critique of power, colonization, etc, but because this is the type of story and content that stirs up conversation and dialogue about issues that need to be verbalized but are so easily swept under the rug.

Since it is a short story, all of the details the author gives in the story, or lack of details, are important to the types of issues she wants to raise in the reader. The fact that none of the big idea issue topics she addresses throughout the story, such as British colonization of India, cultural appropriation, power and privilege to choose what can be appropriated and commodified, etc., all never get wrapped up in a neat, nice way by the end of the story. Instead, a lot of the time, she just leaves these overarching themes to never be finished and finalized.

My first reaction after reading the story was a bit of frustration with the lack of completing these themes and dynamics within the story, but upon reflection I realized that there is a reason why the author chose to write her story in this way, to make it “incomplete”. These ideas never get a concrete answer to make them all nice and neat at the end; these topics, issues, themes, what ever you call it, are always changing and need to be discussed in the context of that change. The colonization of India by the British did more long lasting effects than are visibly recognized. You can see it in the way that Virginia and Meghan are able to appropriate and take in “Indian culture.” They have to power and privilege to choose what they name as “Indian” and do not address the effects on colonization on India and the impact on Indian culture.

I know some people said there was a difference when someone takes culture and is really educated and has a genuine interest in it and someone who just takes the culture as a fad, but I have to disagree. Culture is a touchy topic and to appropriate it is still appropriating it, even if it is out of genuine interest. I just have a problem with it in general and don’t think there is any means of justifying whether your cultural appropriation is legitimate or not. Also, I don’t think it’s okay for Virginia and Meghan to go around in saris and act “Indian” because they think it’s so exotic and great. I also don’t think it’s right that narrator felt the need to also appropriate “Indian” culture because she felt that she wasn’t aware enough. She lived within an Indian culture that was infused by colonization. The culture she knows is the effect of colonization and the importance put on etiquette and proper English, and that should not be forgotten.

I know I sound like I’m ranting, but I was really confused by the discussion we had in class because it almost sounded as if people were saying that it was okay that Virginia and Meghan acted the way they did because of their genuine interest in India. Genuine interest or not, it still bothers me when people appropriate another culture or even their own to sound like they are more “aware” about their culture. But even then, people in a position of power and privilege are still the ones who are choosing what is really an aspect of the culture that is tied to a country.