Interpreting Kipling. . .

Kipling's Kim

 [1]

Reading Kim reminded me of a Thomas Hardy poem called Welcome Home.

Welcome Home by Thomas Hardy

To My native place

Bent upon returning;

Bosom all day burning

To be where my race

Well were known, 'twas much with me

The to dwell in amity 

     Folk had sought their beds,

     But I hailed: to view me

     Under the moon, out to me

     Several pushed their heads,

And to each I told my name,

Plans, and that therefrom I came.

  "Did you? . . . Ah, 'tis true

I once heard, back a long time,

Here had spent his young time,

Some such man as you. . . 

Good-night."     The casement closed 

  again,

And I was left in the Frosty lane. [2 ] 

As much as I like the cold feeling I'm left with after reading Hardy's poetry, I felt it necessary to read biographical information on Kipling to warm my perspective on Kim. It seems there is an interesting parallel between Kim and Kipling. Kipling was sent to England to be educated and upon his arrival recieved quite a cold welcoming from the Brits. Further, my analysis reveals a hegemonic relationship between Britain and India that mirrors  Kim and the Lama....  Kipling was born in Bombay, India, on December 30, 1865 and contributed significantly to literary genres of short story, poetry and novel. [3 ] He came from a wealthy family, his father holding the post of Professor of Architectural Sculpture at the Bombay School of Art; his mother was also accomplished.  When his parents decided to sent him to England where he lived the next six years detached from the direct influence of the Indian culture; he became deeply affected by "beatings and general victimization."  [4 ]Kim's character portrays the exploitation England and its imposition of greed leading to British government in India and similarly Kim is caught in a situation resembling world politics.

After reading the beginning of Kim it became apparent: Kim is the parallel of England and colonization and the progressive idea imposing its imperialism through any means necessary, including deceit, theft and lying.  Like Gandhi , Kipling seemed to hold similar ethical standards to Buddhism and there are lessons to be learned in Kim.  My guess is while Kipling's childhood represented Kim in the Novel to an extent, Kim's broader characteristics play an important role in portraying British colonization. Further, If we analyze one of Kipling's poems we may find his characteristics representing certain philosophies as well. Below is one of the most inspiring short poems I've ever heard; it rings of a connection with India and some of the religious philosophies within the country:

 [5]

In a way I think this poem applies to Kim, Kipling himelf, Britain... and us... or... U.S. within   the entangled web that comprises the dynamic aspect of imperialism and  coaxed relationships established presently, but require resolution. For some reason (if we're going by my analysis), Kipling seems to put the onus England's actions and the dynamics of the world and its divided relationships as a whole.

 

Imagining a world that abided by the lyrics in the poem of  If, our world, I think, would be as close to complete harmony as possible (though I'm not sure how fun that'd be). It'd definitely make my life in this imperialist world more exciting If I could, if only imaginatively, compare the current world to one that followed the basic philosophy in Kipling's If.  If Kim represents a country, then he is European superiority with the Lama obliged to obey, "The Lama rose obediently, and they passed out of the serai like shadows.''[6] There seems to be quite a few innuendos riddled throughout this text, but I'm not sure what Kipling meant by them exactly. Speculation would have us believe resentment towards the Englishmen were present, but also within' Kipling to a degree. However, this is hard to believe. Unless he hides his resentment well... 

  [7]

Reading Kim also struck peevishly my social class nerve and my subsequent redundancy radar went off. Of course these things exist, particularly in novels, but it's so obvious in Kim that it's seemingly emphasized intentionally to exacerbate the divisive effect between European colonization and India at the time. It's also apparent in his dialogue, 'For here is always war along the Borde,' rumbled a deep voice. 'For there is always war along the border--as I know." [8] Additionally, almost annoyingly abundant is Kipling's savage depictions of lama and others, `Ho, shameless beggars!' shouted the farmer. `Begone! Get hence!' [9] He goes on, `But thou hast said he was low-caste and discourteous.' And yet once again, The man shuffled uneasily in his slippers. `The land is full of beggars,' he began, half apologetically. [10] When I finally got to chapter eight, I joyously found myself daydreaming about Victorian Literature class.

 [11]

 [12]

 

 [13]

And  I'm left with thinking  the key to repetition is finding new ways to repeat the same thing. In this case, we should take a note from Kipling's message in Kim..... which I think eventually will be a moral lesson. Although I haven't finshed the novel, I think it's going to have more than one parallel. The good authors can imply many things with one character, scenario language or setting...

Strangely enough this view leaves me listening over and over to If, one of my favorite poems... now.




















1http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/flashbks/images/kipling-fb-image.jpg
2 Hardy Thomas, Late Lyrics and Earlier; (London: Macmillan and Co., LTD 1922) 25
3 http://www.geocities.com/athens/aegean/1457/biograph.htm

4http://www.geocities.com/athens/aegean/1457/biograph.htm

5 Kipling Rudyard, Kim, (Mineola, New York: Dover Publications Inc. 2005) 35

6 http://www.old-picture.com/american-history-1900-1930s/pictures/Rudyard-Kipling.jpg

7Kipling Rudyard, Kim, (Mineola, New York: Dover Publications Inc. 2005) 37

8 http://www.mind-control-method.com/rep.gif

9Kipling Rudyard, Kim, (Mineola, New York: Dover Publications Inc. 2005) 34

10 Kipling Rudyard, Kim, (Mineola, New York: Dover Publications Inc. 2005) 34

11Kipling Rudyard, Kim, (Mineola, New York: Dover Publications Inc. 2005) 34

12http://www.mind-control-method.com/rep.gif 

13http://www.thomevans.com/images/gal4/Repetition.jpg