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A Division of the Spoils
HISTORY OF SOUTHERN ASIA
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WE ARE OPEN - WEEK SEVEN ~ A DIVISION OF THE SPOILS - October 12th - October 19th - BOOK ONE: 1945 - Section Three - The Moghul Room - Chapter One (pg 225 - 261)
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Chapter Overview and SummaryIn this chapter we switch to the first person narrative of Perron. He shares his correspondence with his Aunt who likes to use the term "bunburism" (made famous by a character in Oscar Wilde's writing) for India. Although she was interested in what was happening in India, she did not understand what part the indifference and ignorance of the British played in the history of the Raj.
Perron goes to meet Merrick to interview POWs released from Germany which is utterly pointless as they have already been questioned several times. It is just a scenario of manipulation arranged by Merrick to further himself at the dominating and controlling center. Merrick arranges for Perron to be seen with him and the Red Shadow (his servant) which alienates the men at the base against Perron. Merrick leaves for Pankot and leaves the Red Shadow to "take care" of Perron who is most uncomfortable about the situation. He catches the Red Shadow stealing money from his wallet and pushes him over the wall, chasing him off.
When the NCO Potter learns that Perron is not a friend of Merrick's, he begins to tell him why everyone hates Merrick.
It's too bad that Aunt Charlotte wasn't a part of the story before this chapter, since her observations are funny and sometimes hit rather close to home. Her "Bunbury" allusions are not too far from the truth when it comes to some of the actions of the British government, both in England and India. Would you agree?
Perron believes that the Hindu/Sikh/Muslim slaughter once partition was announced was due to English indifference and ignorance on the part of the British. (I hadn't realized that 1/4 million people died). But how could the British have prevented that internecine conflict?
By granting independence to India much earlier, at least according to the character White in the first volume. And that assessment seems, at least in my reading, to run through the quartet.It's easy to say in hindsight. The timing of WW II didn't help. I suppose an argument can be made that the war hindered.
But I think a stronger argument can be made that colonial powers grasp for control over their "children" more ardently than helicopter parents do over their charges.
So, perhaps a stronger argument could be made that WW II actually weakened the controlling hold the Brits had and actually acted as a catalyst.
I think the fact that Britain was pretty much economically depleted by the war and had lost so much industrial infrastructure, transport infrastructure etc. that it was important for Britain to first rebuild itself before spending money on India. Just a thought.The interrogation room for the POWs is arranged by Merrick like a stage play....moving tables, chairs, lights to fit his needs. Since these interviews seem to be a total waste of time,what does he hope to gain from them except the power he feels and "being in charge".
I agree on your first point. As an historical aside, immediately after WW II, the US controlled an enormous percentage of the world's wealth. Now, not so much.Yeah, these interrogations by Merrick are staged. It's interesting the thought he invests in them, with the intent, not of discovering truth, but of destroying the subject, the ultimate corruption of being in charge.
I think this is clearest during the exchange with Merrick when he explains the dynamic between the interrogation and history. I can't put my finger on it at the moment, but Merrick sees the interrogation as the seed of history where people strive to dominate one another to the point of annihilating the other, assuming memory serves me correctly.
I think it was in Day of the Scorpion...Got it. It's Merrick's theory of history as a sum of "situations."
The basic relationship between people is contempt expressed through the three stages of subjugation:L 1) humiliation, 2) subjugation, 3) charity.
Hari sees that Merrick's dialectic only works if he, and through him other Indians, participate. If he/they don't, then Merrick's dynamic doesn't work.
In this sense, Hari is the embodiment of Gandhi's satyagraha.
Perron's hatred (I don't think that is too strong a word) is finally coming to the forefront as he sees him for what he is. And he feels that Merrick has chosen him for just that reason. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer (although Merrick has no friends).....it works to solidify his control over Perron who doesn't resist for fear of insubordination. Is there an end game here or just a continuing need to be a total b*****d?
Neither, I think, although your effort Jill to grind away at generating interest in this marvelous quartet is admirable.At some point, Scott points out that service in the Raj put people in positions they never would have experienced back in England. Merrick is the poster child, and I think Mildred on the women's side of the equation is another.
But Merrick especially would have been most unlikely to achieve the position and authority. And that advancement creates the causes and conditions that foment his pathology.
Perhaps, even, the decline of the Raj acts as a further catalyst, now that I think out loud about it. There seems to be no check, or brake, against his rise. In fact, I now recollect that transfer from police to military is considered unusual.
Maybe Merrick's rise, in inverse relation to the Raj's decline, is the issue.
I think heaven for you and Bentley every day, Martin!!!!
Is anyone going to say anything about Sophie Dixon, the gay nurse with the raunchy sense of humor? He's my favorite minor character in the quartet. Like Perron, I find him welcome comic relief. Who knew that on top of all his incredible talent in creating such a complex world of characters, Paul Scott can be funny, too!Historical tidbit on the history of war nurses. I learned from a Civil War book (Mothers of Invention by Drew Gilpin Faust) that up until Florence Nightingale, most nurses were men. In war, previously wounded and permanently maimed soldiers got the job. It was considered inappropriate for women to have such intimate contact with male bodies.
by Drew Gilpin Faust (no photo)
Sophie was next on the talking list, Kressel. He is such a welcome presence and during that time when homosexuality was still against the law in Britain,( it wasn't "decriminalized" until 1967!), he gets along just fine, because he is so likable. My thoughts were that his persona was developed to protect himself Plus he is very perceptive, isn't he?BTW, thanks to you Kressel for joining in the discussion since you have already read the book. It is very helpful.
Merrick is off to Ceylon to question INA members and attempt to get Perron assigned to him, without success. Instead he leaves the Red Shadow behind to "look after" Perron. Merrick seems to want all to think that he and Perron are "pals"......why is he trying to give this impression?
Perhaps because it validates his perception of himself if he's connected to someone of the established order at home.Then again, if he has a minion/pal, it projects his image of having power.
And, let's not sell a psychopath short. He needs a buddy, too.
I will go with your idea that it gives him an image of power since that seems to be his major drive in life. I think that Perron pushing the Red Shadow off the balcony puts paid to Merrick's power game and thankfully Potter sees the whole thing, which changes his mind about the Merrick/Perron. relationship. Otherwise he wouldn't have told the story of Pinky, of which we will hear more in next week's reading Since I am not reading ahead, I am guessing that Merrick is really going to show his true colors in the next read and that Pinky has played right into his hands. Merrick has many levels of psychosis (or neurosis) and Pinky is a vulnerable target.
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Martin I cannot agree more - Jill is doing and has been doing an awesome job on moderating and taking the group through the Raj Quartet which is a brilliant tour de force.
In the New Republic - there is the following quote in an article by Peter Green -
"The Quartet remains a tour de force virtually without rivals. The question is, how? How did this middle-class suburbanite—who left school at fourteen, had no experience of diplomacy or the civil service, in India or anywhere else, and never set foot inside a British university in his life—suddenly, after a solid but hitherto no more than middling literary career, acquire the vision that brought the world of the fading Raj to unforgettable life, in a quartet of novels that for range and power have been compared to Tolstoy?"
I honestly do not think people know what they are missing - this is a true saga about colonial India - that you will never forget. Jill - carry on - this is a mighty undertaking and very much appreciated.
Group members - start with The Jewel in the Crown and you will be hooked.
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Paul Scott
That's Paul Scott's bio? I never knew. Funny, he had so much in common with Merrick, except he wasn't a psychopath. (I hope.)
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But a self-made, self-educated man. So impressive!
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Paul Scott was a bit of a haunted man who was closeted and had a drinking problem. But what an impressive author who style is unlike any other.
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The History Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Jewel in the Crown (other topics)Mothers of Invention: Women of the Slaveholding South in the American Civil War (other topics)
A Division of the Spoils (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Paul Scott (other topics)Drew Gilpin Faust (other topics)
Paul Scott (other topics)
For the weeks of October 12th - October 18th, we are reading BOOK ONE: 1945 -Section Three - The Moghul Room - Chapter One (pg 225-pg 261) - A Division of the Spoils -Book IV,(pg. 225-261).
The seventh week's reading assignment is:
WEEK SEVEN- October 12th ~ PART ONE: Section Three ~ The Moghul Room (pg. 189-223)
We will open up a thread for each week's reading. Please make sure to post in the particular thread dedicated to those specific chapters and page numbers to avoid spoilers. We will also open up supplemental threads as we did for other spotlighted books.
This book was kicked off on August 31st.
We look forward to your participation. Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other noted on line booksellers do have copies of the book and shipment can be expedited. The book can also be obtained easily at your local library, local bookstore or on your Kindle. Make sure to pre-order now if you haven't already. This weekly thread will be opened up on October 12th.
There is no rush and we are thrilled to have you join us. It is never too late to get started and/or to post.
Jill will be leading this discussion and back-up will be Bentley.
Welcome,
~Bentley
TO ALWAYS SEE ALL WEEKS' THREADS SELECT VIEW ALL
REMEMBER NO SPOILERS ON THE WEEKLY NON SPOILER THREADS - ON EACH WEEKLY NON SPOILER THREAD - WE ONLY DISCUSS THE PAGES ASSIGNED OR THE PAGES WHICH WERE COVERED IN PREVIOUS WEEKS. IF YOU GO AHEAD OR WANT TO ENGAGE IN MORE EXPANSIVE DISCUSSION - POST THOSE COMMENTS IN ONE OF THE SPOILER THREADS. THESE CHAPTERS HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION SO WHEN IN DOUBT CHECK WITH THE CHAPTER OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY TO RECALL WHETHER YOUR COMMENTS ARE ASSIGNMENT SPECIFIC. EXAMPLES OF SPOILER THREADS ARE THE GLOSSARY, THE BIBLIOGRAPHY, THE INTRODUCTION AND THE BOOK AS A WHOLE THREADS.
Notes:
It is always a tremendous help when you quote specifically from the book itself and reference the chapter and page numbers when responding. The text itself helps folks know what you are referencing and makes things clear.
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If you need help - here is a thread called the Mechanics of the Board which will show you how to cite books:
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Introduction Thread:
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Table of Contents and Syllabus
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Glossary
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Bibliography
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Book as a Whole and Final Thoughts - SPOILER THREAD
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