Imperialism & Totalitarianism Through the Eyes of Fiction

Imperialism and Totalitarianism Through the Eyes of Fiction

By Robert Vest

     The focus of this paper will be to determine whether the fictional novels, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, can be useful tools in learning the effects of imperialism in Africa and totalitarianism in the Soviet Union, respectively.
     Imperialism, in a nutshell, was a result of Western militaristic and economic expansionism spurred on by the Industrial Revolution in the 19^th century. The Western powers sought raw materials, new markets, land, and cheap labor for their industries and found them in unindustrialized parts of the world, such as Africa and the Far East, which were quickly colonized. Competition for these colonies was fierce, as each Western nation wanted the balance of power tipped in its direction. Aside from economic and militaristic concerns, the West desired to "take up the White Man's burden" and raise their colonial peoples from backwardness to civilization [Brower, p 8 - 10].
     Totalitarianism is an extreme form of authoritarianism, which in turn is a government in which the welfare of the state eclipses that of the individual. Totalitarianism emphasizes 'total control' of a society and its individuals, wherein power lies in the hands of a disciplined minority. A good example of this form of rule is the Soviet Union under Stalin. Stalin controlled the USSR through a combination of charisma, propaganda, and fear. Stalin came to power in the USSR by first gaining control of the Communist party, and then using that control to remove his rivals from leadership positions. His desire for complete control soon escalated into paranoia, resulting in the USSR becoming a police state, complete with mass purges and prison camps [Brower, p 102 - 114].
     The simple answer to the question "Is historical fiction a useful learning tool?" is yes and no. When all is said and done, tools are only as effective as those who use them. Merely reading the books, without referencing other works for detail and clarification, may leave one with misconceptions or completely clueless. However, the scholar who uses these works to supplement other, nonfictional sources, can find himself richer for the experience. By reading these novels, one can identify with the characters, and through them, experience history as it unfolds - something a mere textbook can only hint at.
     For example, the reader of Things Fall Apart can jump to the simple conclusion that the West's invasion of Ibo society was, in all ways, for the worse. By the end of the book the taste of Western imperialism can linger in one's mouth like a piece of dung covered in rust. [p 208 - 209]. However, if one looks back over the preceding chapters, it can be seen that Ibo society had plenty of its own dirty laundry before the intrusion of the West: the callous killing of political prisoners such as Ikemefuna [p 61]; the disposal of newborn twins [p 61 - 62, 135, 151]; the acceptance of wife beating [p 29 - 30, 91 - 94]; and the shunning of the osu, or tribal outcasts [p 155 - 156]. These customs begin to change when the missionaries and British government representatives move in. In effect, the ruled become rulers, and the rulers become the ruled. Good examples of the last statement would be when Nwoye is sent to college (presumably to return as one of the "indigenous elite"), and when the tribal leaders are arrested by the District Commissioner and humiliated by the court messengers [p 193 - 195].
     The most important thing gained by reading Things Fall Apart is not just how much Ibo society changed when the West invaded, but seeing how quickly the changes took place. The rapid change is reflected in how much attention is given to each of the book's three parts. Part One takes up over half the book's length, analogous to the immense span of time in which Ibo culture remained effectively unchanged, or changed only gradually. Part Two squeezes seven years into less than 40 pages, and shows the West gaining a foothold in Ibo society, with only minor changes. Part Three, also under 40 pages, illustrates how much has changed in Okonkwo's home village in the seven years he was away. Now the West is firmly in control of Ibo society, best shown by the villagers' unwillingness to go to war [204 - 205]. In seven short years, one of the most powerful men in the village has been reduced to an anachronism. Things truly have 'fallen apart.'
     A reader of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, who assumes that living conditions in Soviet prison camps weren't as terrible as one would think makes a grave error. Such a conclusion could be drawn from Alyoshka's and Shukov's apparent resignation to their fates [p 199]. However, reading between the lines, it appears that the entire Soviet Union was a prison of a sort: "And he didn't really know if he'd be better off. At home or in here"; [p 199] and "But here you could yell your head off about anything you liked and the squealers didn't even bother to tell on you." [p177].
     In fact, many similarities seem to exist between life in the Soviet penal camps and life outside them. For instance, hunger seems to be a universal concern. Inside, prisoners are "really killing themselves to get that gruel they had coming," [p 164] fighting to see who would get to lick the dirty bowls clean [p167], and eating revolting things such as fish eyes [p 17]. A clue to conditions outside the camps appears when Shukov asks his wife not to send any more packages for fear of "...taking the bread out of their mouth for ten years." [p 154] Sources confirm that there was a famine in the eastern portions of the Soviet Union due to harvest failures in 1946 [Brower, p 178].
     Another parallel between life inside and outside the camps seems to be a lack of privacy. This is demonstrated well by the description of what happens to packages delivered to the prisoners [p153 - 154]. The book also implies that the Soviet government tampers with the mail of citizens outside the camps. For example, when a British admiral sends the Captain ". . . a little souvenir with an inscription that said: 'In gratitude'," [p 140] it is discovered by Soviet censors.
     One of the differences between life in this particular penal camp and life on the outside seems to be the comparative freedom of speech within the camp. As Shukov notes, "The great thing about a penal camp was you had a hell of a lot of freedom." [p 177] The statement becomes even clearer when one discovers that Solzhenitsyn himself "...was arrested for writing a letter in which he criticized Joseph Stalin and spent eight years in prisons and labor camps...." [http://www.almaz.com/nobel/literature/Solzhenitsyn.html]. The lack of freedom outside the camp helps explain why Shukov is unsure if he wants out. [p 199]
     The bottom line is that works of historical fiction, in order to be effective educational tools, should be viewed as supplements to nonfictional sources, rather than substitutions. By living vicariously through characters in the historical novel, one can get a better understanding of the times in which they lived. However, one must also be careful not to let their emotions overwhelm them to the point where objectivity is no longer possible.

Bibliography:
Achebe, Chinua (1959). Things Fall Apart. New York, NY: Doubleday
Solzhenitsyn, Alexander (1990,1963). One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
Brower, Daniel R (1996, 1992, 1988). The World in the Twentieth Century. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

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