Uprooting Primordial Values: Analysing The Neocolonial Influence In Sarah Joseph’s Gift In Green

Abstract

The paper titled “Uprooting Primordial Values: Analysing the Neocolonial Influence in Sarah Joseph’s Gift in Green” explores the neocolonial attitudes in contemporary society. Sarah Joseph’s Gift in Green can be read as a postcolonial ecocritical text that reveals the practices of neocolonialism in our modern society. This paper examines how neocolonialism disrupts the indigenous, eco-spiritual traditions in the mythical village of Aathi. The setting of this fictional work is Aathi, which lies cool and serene, in the womb of an inviolate purity. This utopian island community is threatened by consumerism and development. The work is a powerful commentary on how greed and materialistic definitions of success alienate people from nature and true happiness. Gift in Green assumes particular significance in the context of the rising stridency of a global culture. Globalisation often acts as a form of cultural imperialism, leading to the marginalisation of traditional knowledge, practices and values. Culture is a concept that encompasses the customs and behaviour of a group or society. The serene landscape of Aathi also encompasses unique culture and tradition of storytelling nights. The arrival of Kumaran, a metaphor for human greed, disrupts this unique culture. The loss of primordial values often erodes indigenous cultural identity and heritage, resulting in younger generations losing connection to their cultural roots. The study also focuses on the major character in this fictional work, Kumaran and his profit making motives. Kumaran eventually becomes a symbol of greed. Kumaran demonstrates how neo-colonialism can be witnessed from within by acting as an internal coloniser, a person who rejects the ideals of his community in favor of the alluring prospects of western style advancement. The study also explores the intertwined impacts of neocolonialism and globalisation on Aathi with a focus on socio-economic, political and cultural dimensions. The paper critiques the effects of neocolonialism, globalisation and development, calling attention to the voices and histories often left out of dominant narratives.