Quratulan

M.phil English Literature

Foundation University Islamabad

Topic: Theme of otherness in Lord of the Flies and A Passage to India

1. Introduction:

The questions of the other and otherness took the geographical world by storm beginning in the
1980. Otherness is the result of a discursive process by which a dominant in-group (“Us, ”the
Self) constructs one or many dominated out-groups (“Them,” Other) by stigmatizing a
difference, that may be real or imagined presented as a negation of identity and thus a motive for
potential discrimination. To state it naïvely, difference belongs to the realm of fact and otherness
belongs to the realm of discourse. Thus, biological sex is difference, whereas gender is otherness.

The creation of otherness consists of applying a principle that allows individuals

to be classified into two hierarchical groups: them and us. The out-group is only coherent as a
group as a result of its opposition to the in-group and its lack of identity. This lack is based upon
stereotypes that are largely stigmatizing and obviously simplistic. The in-group constructs one or
more others, setting itself apart and giving itself an identity. Otherness and identity are two
inseparable sides of the same coil. The Other only exists relative to the Self, and vice versa. The
asymmetry in power relationships is central to the construction of otherness. Only the dominant
group is in a position to impose the value of its particularity (its identity) and to devalue the
particularity of others (their otherness) while imposing corresponding discriminatory measures.
Therefore, if the Other of Man is Woman, and if the Other of the White Man is the Black Man,
the opposite is not true (Beauvoir, 1952; Fanon, 1963). Dominated out-groups are Others
precisely because they are subject to the categories and practices of the dominant in-group and
because they are unable to prescribe their own norms. Out-groups cease to be Others when they
manage to escape the oppression forced upon them by in-groups, in other words, when they
succeed in conferring upon themselves a positive, autonomous identity (“black is beautiful”), and
in calling for discursive legitimacy and a policy to establish norms, eventually constructing and
devaluing their own out-groups.

Western society, in relation to otherness stands out for two reasons. First, otherness
and identity are based on binary logic. Western thought, whose logic has been attached to the
principle of identity, the law of non contradiction and the law of the excluded middle since the
time of Aristotle, has produced a number of binaries that oppose a positively connoted term and
a negatively connoted term and thus lends itself well to the construction of the self and the other.
Many such dichotomies exist: male/female, Man/animal, believer/non-believer, healthy/ill,
heterosexual/homosexual, Black/White, adult/child, etc.
 Second, colonization allowed the West to export its values and have them
acknowledged almost everywhere through more or less efficient processes of cultural integration.
Western categories of identity and otherness, transmitted through the Universalist claims of
religion and science and forcibly imposed through colonization, have thus become pertinent far
beyond the boundaries of the West.

2. Orientalism

According to Edward Said, Orientalism was a thought that was shaped by the academics to teach
the European about the exoictic orients.

In his book Orientalism, he defines the title as a “collective notion identifying us European as
against all those non -European it is the idea of othering the orient that contains certain
preconceived notion in the minds of the European”.

“Orientalism is a manner of regularized writing, vision, and study dominated by imperatives,

perspectives, and ideological biases ostensibly suited to the orient.”

Edward Said argues that the Europeans alienated the globe into two parts; the east and the west
or the occident and the orient or the civilized and the uncivilized. This was totally the fake
border; and it was laid on the idea of them and us or theirs and ours. The Europeans used
orientalism to describe themselves. Some meticulous attributes were linked with the orientals,
and whatsoever the orientals weren’t the occidents were. The Europeans discribe themselves as
the superior race compared to the orientals; and they vindicated their colonization by this notion.
They said that it was their job towards the world to civilized the uncivilized world.

According to Edward Said, the idea of orientalism is connected with colonalism.It creates a
binaries between west and the east in which west is consider as centre and the east is consider
as a margin.Foster describes the british as superior and the east as inferior.In A passage to india
we see that british are under the notion that they are better to all of the inhabitants of india. As
Mrs.Turton reminds Mrs. Moore and Miss Quested;

“You’r e superior to them, anyway.Don’t forget that.You’re superior to everyone in India

except one or two of the ranis, and they’re on an equaility”.

In this line the superiority of British is clearly seen .Basically the British are in opposition to the
inhabitants. In the case of A Passage to India the Islam and Hinduism were given negative
connations, whereas the religion that Mrs .Moore practices christanity was given positive
connations.religious conviction is a device that is used by the conqueror to increase the
authority, occidents want to convert the orients into Christianity.

There are attempts to lessen the space between the two civilizations but they are unsuccessful
because the orients remaine orients and occidents remain occident.
 In Lordof the flies boys divided them intotwo groups.Ralph isa leader of one group andJack is
the leader of other group.Ralphgroup is consider superior because they behave in a civilized
manner.He consider jack’s group as others as this is mentioned in the text when Ralph said
when looked up to the conch;

“We can use this to call the others”

This was the idea of Ralph;

“We are English;and the English are best of every thing.”

Here the notionof orientalism are very much evident.

3. Women character in both novels

In both novels women are other by society. They are not treated in good manner. In lord of the
flies we don’t find any woman character. Writer of Lord of the flies did not considered women
worthy to mention in his novel. In a passage to India women are shown inferior to men. They are
other by male characters in the novel. Women characters in “A passage to India” are also other
by one another. British women are shown as superior, as center while Indian women are shown
inferior to British women. They are marginalized in this novel. This creates hierarchy between
women.

In addition to race, gender also divides colonial society. British colonial society in India, made
up as it is of administrators and their wives, is not exactly English society in miniature , it tends
to aggravate whatever is most conservative and traditional about English culture, including a
traditional attitude toward women as the much weaker sex. The stereotypical idea is that
Englishwomen need white knights in shining armor to save them from lusting Orientals; thus
Adela, as an Englishwoman, needs to be saved from Aziz by Englishmen. Englishwomen further
demonstrate their weakness by being far more racist than their men: a character like Mrs. Turton
doesn't have the benefit of her husband's education or civic-mindedness. On the other hand,
British colonial society dismisses the Indian practice of purdah, or of segregating women from
men, as backwards and unenlightened. Despite its criticism of the British colonial attitude toward
women, A Passage to India seems to harbor sexist attitudes. In fact, some critics have argued that
female characters such as Adela and Aziz's wife are reduced to pawns that are exchanged
between men to establish relationships between men, excluding the possibility of equal
relationships between men and women.

In A Passage to India that Forster highlights, is the “strange” attitude of the British, Hindus and
the Muslims towards their womenfolk. Each has quite a few layers and sub-layers of women in
it, the overlooked Hindu woman, the sketchy Muslim woman and the apparently prevailing
British woman. Each group of women is a victim of sorts of the exploitation meted out to her at
the hands of man, and at times even woman. The Muslim and the Hindu women are rather
marginalized. The Indian women, as compared to the British women, are not even introduced as
characters should be, perhaps keeping the societal norms in mind, they are not even worth a
prologue in the novel! They are marginalized to the extent that they are literally invisible in the
drama being staged out. They would not even count as extras. According to Silver (2005) A
Passage to India is a world “where white men speak, white women speak, and the Indian
men speak, but Indian women remain silent” (p.130).

The Muslim woman is very clearly divided into the woman of the house (the private sphere) and
the woman of the bazaar (the public sphere), nothing in between. Dr. Aziz’s wife and Ms.
Hamidullah begum are confined to their homes while some women of Calcutta are presented as
dancing women.

As such, Mills (2003) rightly points out that: The only Indian females who are represented in A
Passage to India are either restricted to the harem/purdah – for example, the wives of both
Hamidullah and Aziz, the latter maintained in purdah even after her death (p.135).

In contrast to the marginalized Indian woman, the British woman is apparently very vocal and
assertive. At the very beginning, Mrs. Turton emphatically clarifies to the new comers, “You’re
superior to everyone in India except one or two of the ranis, and they’re on an equality”
(Forster 1936: 33). Mrs. Nancy Turton is the wife of the Collector at Chandrapore. She is
introduced at the bridge party, which the Turtons have given in order to “bridge” the gap
between the British and the Indians. However, “Mrs. Turton would be glad to receive any ladies
of their families who were out of purdah” (Forster 1936: 28) and she exclaims “Oh, those
purdah women! I never thought any of them would come. Oh dear!” (Forster 1936: 33).
Besides, she had only learned a few words of Urdu to be able to communicate with the servants;
she did not know the politer form and only verbs of imperative mood (Forster 1936, p. 34).
Interestingly the name “Turton” seems a pun on turtle: who is under the notion that when ever
and where ever there is danger it can retreat in its shell. In Mrs. Turton’s case it’s the shell of
British superiority; the danger the Indians.

There is no doubt that the layers of women in A Passage to India have differences among them
and between their respective sub-layers as well. The biggest difference between the British and
Indian women arises because of social reasons; the British consider themselves far superior to
the Indians. They do not even share a common culture or religion. Therefore, the British women
are apparently far more vocal than their Indian subordinates. Whereas the Indian Hindu and
Muslim women may not share the same religion but they somewhat share the same social
structures, restrictions and pressures. In comparison to the British, they are almost invisible. But
one thing perhaps all the layers of women, including the British, do not realize is that whether its
India or England the domain belongs to man. Woolf (1973) believes that in A Passage to India,
“the men and women are shown to us pathetically, rather ridiculously, entangled” (p. 206)
The men are content to occupy themselves with the routine of administration and to eschew all
personal interest in local affairs, and for the rest, the women attempt to model the colony on the
lines of an English suburb (Unsigned Review 1973: 199). As such, the British women are not
concerned about the Indian women at all. The reason being that Indian women are always
confined in doors and even if they somehow are brought out they are not very comfortable. Yet,
both the British and Indian women do not realize that merely being women is something that
makes them inherently alike. Mills (2003: 135) makes a very interesting analogy, showing the
similarity between the British and Indian women:

“ The [Indian] female characters are presented in contrast to British females,

but interestingly enough British women are represented as themselves almost in purdah,
for example, when they are rehearsing Cousin Kate at the Club: ‘Windows were barred
lest the servants should see their memsahib’s acting’ (PI, 19).”

This simply proves that women whether British or Indian are in one or the other way controlled
by their men folk. After all both the races are the “Other” for each other. If on one hand
Hamidullah Begum is behind the veil and Aziz’s dead wife (her picture!) observes purdah on
religious or cultural basis similarly the British women do not want the Indian men (the servants
in particular) to see them performing because the British ladies will therefore not be in their
expected personae.

4. Mrs. Moore and Simon character

Mrs. Moore is the paragon of Christian decency and kindness. She personifies the religious
theme of the novel. . She is the symbol of spirit and universal love. Mrs. Moore came over to
India as a good Christian. Mrs. Moore is respectful, humble, and open to everyone and
everything she encounters. The novel chooses Mrs. Moore as the voice of Christianity and
universal love – "God...is...love," she tells Ronny (1.5.97). But she suffers from anxiety
concerning her own mortality. During the expedition to the Marabar Caves her confidence in the
order of the universe is shaken by an echo that she hears in one of the caves. Afterwards, Mrs.
Moore becomes sullen and depressed. When Ronny suspects that she will aid Aziz in his
defense, he arranges for Mrs. Moore to leave India. On the journey home, she dies from heat
exhaustion. We note in the novel that Mrs. Moore suffers because of her good nature. She wants
to help Aziz but she cannot do that and in bad weather condition Ronny says her to leave India.
In this novel we note that Mrs. Moore is other by her own people because of her good nature.

Simon in lord of the flies is also a good character. He is also a representative of

true Christianity. He is shy, sensitive boy in the group. Simon, in some ways the only naturally
“good” character on the island, behaves kindly toward the younger boys and is willing to work
for the good of their community like Mrs. Moore. Moreover, because his motivation is rooted in
his deep feeling of connectedness to nature, Simon is the only character whose sense of morality
does not seem to have been imposed by society like Mrs. Moore that she also not behaves like
other women of her society. Simon represents a kind of natural goodness, as opposed to the
unbridled evil of Jack and the imposed morality of civilization represented by Ralph and Piggy.
Like Mrs. Moore he also dies because of his goodness. So by that analysis we can say that both
Mrs. Moore and Simon are alike. Both have good intentions for others and both go in trouble
because of their goodness. Both characters are other by their own fellows.

5. Theme of identity in Lord of the flies

Identity is a state of mind in which someone recognizes/identifies their character traits that leads
to finding out who they are and what they do and not that of someone else. In other words it's
basically who you are and what you define yourself as being. The theme of identity is often
expressed in books/novels or basically any other piece of literature so that the reader can intrigue
themselves and relate to the characters and their emotions. It's useful in helping readers
understand that a person's state of mind is full of arduous thoughts about who they are and what
they want to be. People can try to modify their identity as much as they want but that can never
change. The theme of identity is a very strenuous topic to understand but yet very interesting if
understood.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1911-1993) depicts a world of violence and moral
desolation which is accompanied by the main characters' loss of identity. The plot shows a
process of events that finally leads to death and devastation. The boys go through gradual
degradation into the abyss of bestial behaviour. They take off the mask of socially organised
English lads and replace it with wild nature. They go through metamorphoses as they gradually
embark on a new life free from social restrictions and punishment. The transformation is
particularly observed in the three major characters of the novel; Ralph, Piggy and Jack.

The experiences the three boys undergo on the island expose them to the evil that lies beneath
their civilised surface. The experiences affect them drastically both physically and mentally to
the point where they lose their own identities.

The novel opens with the group of boys stranded on a deserted island. On the surface it seems a
beautiful harmonious place, but in fact beneath the surface it is a manifestation of evil and wild
nature. The fruits are at first a source of nutrition for Ralph, but later they cause him diarrhoea.
The jungle within the island is inhabited by wild pigs, the very source of their fear. As night
approaches the true nature of the island is revealed.

Eventually, the island casts something like a magical spell over the boys whose natures are
transformed into the worst. The conch that initially becomes a symbol of their order eventually
no longer unites them. They begin fighting for power. Jack turns into a hunter, Ralph starts
imposing his rule, and Piggy dies.
Ralph eventually starts to show signs of his ineffective leadership. He loses grip of his new
identity. He feels the need to build shelters and light fire as a signal to potential rescuers, but the
others desire to go hunting. He is unable to unite the boys. He is unable to bring order and
discipline until finally disintegration creeps in. He admits, to Simon and Piggy, his failure and
need for adults.

The group follows suit, veiling their features behind white, black and red clay. This act
completes their ultimate transformation into savagery. It is this metamorphosis into primitiveness
that indicates their loss of identity.

The transformation they boys go through is a process of regression whose signs began to appear
the moment they set foot on the island. For instance, on exploring and discovering the lagoon
they immediately strip and swim. Instead of lamenting over their situation and working towards
being rescued they prefer to enjoy the scenery. It is as if they lost the sense of their mission and
the importance of their existence.

Their complete degradation into savages is seen in the episode after they slaughter the boar. On
their return they set a fire and perform a blood dance around it like primitive cannibals who
celebrate victory over the prey.

The eventual arrival of the officer represents the only hope of their restoring their former
identities. The officer is saddened by what he sees. What he sees are merely shadows of the once
civilised English boys.

Theme of identity in :A passage to India”

Though A Passage to India is in many ways a highly symbolic, or even mystical, text, it also
aims to be a realistic documentation of the attitudes of British colonial officials in India. Forster
spends large sections of the novel characterizing different typical attitudes the English hold
toward the Indians whom they control. Forster’s satire is most harsh toward Englishwomen,
whom the author depicts as overwhelmingly racist, self-righteous, and viciously condescending
to the native population. Some of the Englishmen in the novel are as nasty as the women, but
Forster more often identifies Englishmen as men who, though condescending and unable to
relate to Indians on an individual level, are largely well-meaning and invested in their jobs. For
all Forster’s criticism of the British manner of governing India, however, he does not appear to
question the right of the British Empire to rule India. He suggests that the British would be well
served by becoming kinder and more sympathetic to the Indians with whom they live, but he
does not suggest that the British should abandon India outright. Even this lesser critique is never
overtly stated in the novel, but implied through biting satire.
In A Passage to India, there are some nameless Indian natives from the lower society. The
presentation of these Indians is either from the perspective of the author or from the perspective
of the English colonizers in the novel. As the target to be observed, these Indian natives are
silent. They have been deprived of a voice and a right to think. Therefore, Forster presumes that
no cultural identity can be found in them. Aziz is a typical westernized Indian intellectual. He is
characterized by the blend of Occidental and Oriental culture. In the colonial system, he does not
really belong to either of the cultures. The double cultural identity puts him in an awkward
situation and arouses his sense of loss, uneasiness and grief. What is worse, he is forced to be a
subservient man.

6. Colonization:

Colonialism is a political-economic phenomenon starting about 1500. During this time period
various European countries discovered, conquered and exploited various areas of the world.
Colonial fiction is a type of fiction that is written about the activities of colonization from the
point of view of the colonizer, usually for the consumption by the citizens of the colonizing
nation in their original country. Colonialism is, according to Said, about political and economical
relationships between the colonizers and the colonized. The idea of colonialism is characterized
by the notion of Orientalism according to which the Orient is inferior to the European nations.

3.1 A Passage to India:

A Passage to India starts with a description of Indian bazaars, which are then
compared with Chandrapore where the English live. The description of Indian Bazaars is a
comparison between the colonizers and colonized. Through this description Forster highlights
the relationship between the colonizers and colonized. E.M Fosters Passage to India refers to
Colonialism. It explores relationship between the colonized an Indian school master and a
colonizer a British schoolmaster. India is a colonized society where colonizers are seen as
superior and colonized are seen as inferior.

The novel begins with Dr Aziz, Hamidullah and Mahmud Ali discussing “whether or not it is
possible to be friends with an Englishman”. The three characters agree that it is impossible for
this to happen in India. The sequence that follows actually proves this notion.

India is a colonized society where colonizers (British) are seen as superior and colonized (Indian)
are seen as inferior. This is revealed in the complexity of the interaction between both sides;
Adela considered Indian women inferior. She does not want to be like them. There is also
misunderstanding between these two groups of the different cultures. This tension becomes
obvious in the social interaction between the two groups when Aziz invites Mrs. Moore, Adela
and other English women to visit the Marabar Caves. Aziz was worried about cultural
differences and greatly fears offending the women through cultural insensitivity.
Aziz fails due to do so because of the cultural difference between them and it disturbed the
whole society. This indicates that the connection between them is impossible. India refuses a
friendship between a native and a colonizer. The arrival of Ronny during Fielding’s tea-party
ruins the friendly mood. “It was as if irritation exuded from the very soil”. This indicates that
there was a wide gap between the two communities.
In A Passage to India, in the process of colonization the British have become ‘gods’ which are in
the land of India to bring peace and justice. The character of Ronny clearly presents this idea that
“we’re here to do justice and keep the peace.” Which Adela equates it to “sentiments ...of a
god?”

Aziz informs Fielding that their friendship is only possible once the British leave India.
This scene clearly exposes the land’s rejection of friendship between the colonizers and
colonized. Fielding asks: ‘Why can’t we be friends now?’ ‘It’s what I want. It’s what you
want.’ But the horses didn’t want it – they swerved apart; the earth didn’t want it, sending up
rocks through which riders must pass single-file; the temples, the tank, the jail, the palace, the
birds, the carrion, the Guest House, that came into view as they issued from the gap and saw
Mau beneath: they didn’t want it, they said in their hundred voices, ‘No, not yet,’ and the sky
said, ‘No, not there’. Indeed, Forster acknowledges the need for India to be free before such a
friendship can take place and he knows at the same time the problematic issues involved in the
effort to set India free.

3.2 Lord of the Flies:

William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies is the representation of colonialism. Golding tries to
depict Savagery in the heart of the British. His basic concern was to reflect the post-colonial
reality to the British ruling elite while doing that he was as harsh as he could be and greatly
attributed savagery to them. Especially, English Chauvinism was the term he most willingly
wished to attack British in his great novel, Lord of the Flies. Colonialism is influenced by the
notion of orientalism which creates a binary opposition of West vs. the East. In this binary
opposition, the West is considered superior whereas the East is considered inferior.

Traditionally, Britain has been believed to be an island on which a great kingdom of democracy,
liberty, freedom, justice and equality was set. British used to be something honorable and they
have felt the proud of having it in their bloods. Because one’s being British has meant one’s
being the leader of civilization in all aspects. In Lord of the Flies, the navy officer says to the
boys” you're all British aren't you? Would have been able to put up a better show than
that” (Golding). The navy officer is expecting the kids’ superior and behaves in a civilized
manner.

The encounter between the rescuers and the boys on the island helps to highlight British
colonization by emphasizing how one group perceives the other. For all practical purposes, the
boys have become "indigenous" to the island. When the naval officer encounters them, he
perceives them as "the other." While the boys might have been British, in the eyes of the naval
officer, they are "different" and viewed in a dismissive context largely reserved for indigenous
people under British colonization.

Colonialism is, according to Said, about political and economical relationships between
the colonizers and the colonized. The idea of colonialism is characterized by the notion of
Orientalism according to which the Orient is inferior to the European nations. Hence, the
Europeans believe that it is their divine duty to spread the gift of civilization to the ‘savage’
nations.

7. Concept of fear is related to colonialism.

In William Golding's novel The Lord of the Flies, fear plays an essential role. The fear is
primarily brought upon by the boy's fear of being alone. At nights as they are frightened and
alone in a new atmosphere, they conjure up an image of a beast, which little do they know is
merely depiction of the innate evil, borne within each and every one of them, unleashed beneath
certain situations. It is fairly comprehensible that the first mention of a "snake-thing" or "beastie”
be dismissed by the elder boys, as a nightmare. "He says the beastie came in the dark" (about a
littilun)

Lord of the flies: "But I tell you there isn't a beast!" (Ralph). From this instant on, the
smallest of the boys begin to have bad dreams and are terrified to go close to the jungle. In this
sense, the jungle represents the darkness, because it is a mysterious place, with little light, where
there is the possibility of endless horrors, together with death.The two other fears skillfully
described by William Golding in his novel were the fears of loss of power, and the fear of being
in the minority. These fears lead on successively from one another.

In the novel, the children are frequently tempted, and being as young as they are, the children
who are hungry for some real meat chase their leader Jack, instead of Ralph, and to their dismay
loose almost all civilization because of the savageness they have within.

“I gave you food”, said Jack, “and my hunters will protect you from the beast. Who will
join my tribe? ¨¨ ¨Who'll join my tribe? ¨ ¨I will¨ ¨Me¨ ¨I will” throughout the novel, there is
an effort for authority between two groups. This struggle illustrates man's fear of losing control,
which is another example of his selfishness and weakness.

The fear of monsters is natural; the fear of losing power is inherited. The author uses these vices
to verify the point that any type of uncontrolled fear contributes to man's instability and will
ultimately lead to his demise spiritually and perhaps even physically. Xenophobia drives from
two Greek words ‘xenos’ meaning stranger and ‘phobos’ meaning fear

A Passage to India in an encapsulated form. Many critics mark the crucial theme of the novel
as racism or imperialistic impact. The diverse phobias are accountable for the racial and
imperialistic mentality of the characters and xenophobia is a foremost part between them that has
been illustrated through different situations, statements and attitudes of the characters depicted in
the novel.

The utmost indication of xenophobia is Adela’s misconception of Dr. Aziz’s character. She
believes the dark shadow in the cave to be Dr. Aziz’s and socially blames him of sexual
harassment without any genuine proof. It seems that she extremely believes that “East has
always signified danger and threat” (Said 126).

After a few days she admits that she miss-conceptualized the entire issue, the shadow was not of
Dr. Aziz’s but, may be, of the guide-boy’s. This suggests that “the web of racism, cultural
stereotypes, political imperialism, and de-humanizing ideology holding in the Arab or the
Muslim is very strong indeed” (Said 127.) and this, no doubt, leads Adela throw such a gross
accusation to the generous individual.

8. Imagery:

In both novels the writer has made a deep comparison between the occident’s and orients
through the use of imagery. Whenever occidents were mentioned the imagery mentioned is
bright and beautiful and when orients are mentioned the imagery is gloomy and dark.

A Passage to India:

A Passage to India begins with a description of Indian bazaars, which are then compared with
Chandrapore where the English live. In contrast to the “general outline of the town [which]
persists, swelling here, shrinking there, like some low but indestructible form of life”,
Chandrapore is “a city of gardens. It is no city, but a forest sparsely scattered with huts. It is a
tropical pleasance, washed by a noble river” The roads in Chandra pore are “named after
victorious generals and intersecting at right angles, were symbolic of the net Great Britain had
thrown over India” The use of the word “net” betrays Forster’s disapproval of the British
colonization of India. This shows the wide gap between them.

India refuses a friendship between a native and a colonizer. The arrival of Ronny
during Fielding’s tea-party ruins the friendly mood. “It was as if irritation exuded from the
very soil”. The sky also turns “angry orange” to express its objection to the presence of the
colonizers.

In the last scene in the novel, Aziz informs Fielding that their friendship is only possible
once the British leave India. This scene clearly exposes the land’s rejection of such a friendship
under the colonizer and colonized status-quo. Fielding asks:

‘Why can’t we be friends now?’ …. ‘It’s what I want. It’s what you want.’ But
the horses didn’t want it – they swerved apart; the earth didn’t want it, sending up rocks
through which riders must pass single-file; the temples, the tank, the jail, the palace, the
birds, the carrion, the Guest House, that came into view as they issued from the gap and
saw Mau beneath: they didn’t want it, they said in their hundred voices, ‘No, not yet,’ and
the sky said, ‘No, not there’

All these examples indicate that friendship between the colonized and colonizers was impossible.

Lord of the flies:

In lord of the flies, the children gradually move from civilization to savagery. Thus in the start of
the novel the imagery is bright but as they move towards becoming orients the childrens are
related with animal imagery. This shows that the west considers orients as animals. As the
littluns cannot be counted as long as they run “round like insects” boys swarm here and there.
Butterflies are another of insect “Even the butterflies deserted the open space where the
obscene thing grinned and dripped”

Forster choice of words shows the image of insects in their larval state. Simon “bent
down and wormed his way into the center of the mat”. Ralph “wormed out of the ferns and
sneaked forward to the edge of the impenetrable and thickest that fronted the neck of the
land”

Boys decided to hunt pigs that inhabit the island. Piggy resembled to those animals is also
chosen to be killed. “Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit like a pigs after it has been killed”.
The sea is also presented as a demon and its boil water with a growl as if the stupendous creature
were hampering the boys rescue.

This indicates that orients are considered worthless and occident’s as the masters.

9. Conclusion:

By analyzing the different aspects of both novels it becomes clear that the theme of otherness is
very evident in both novels. The connection between west and east is impossible. The main
connection of orients with colonization in both novels was Mrs. Moore and Simon but when they
died the connection between them lost and they were separated from each other.