How did British settlers, officials and experts understand the Mau Mau Essay

How did British settlers, officials and experts understand the Mau Mau - Essay Example The movement also managed to unite the rest of the country under the objective of liberating the country from colonial rule. British experts viewed the movement as a collection of people who wanted justice for the atrocities committed by British settlers. It suited British settlers and administrators to brand Mau Mau as a primitive and cruel organization (Barnett 1972, p. 5). They also hid the real objectives of the movement in order to deny the local population justice and equality. This was important for the settlers because it gave them a platform for justifying their brutal repression and approaches towards the Mau Mau. British experts who viewed the Mau Mau as a freedom movement willingly offered legal and political assistance to the leaders of the movement (Durrani 2006, p. 17). They even provided platforms for the education of the leaders of the movement. British settlers strategically condemned the movement and freedom fighters in order deny them justice. Mau Mau was isolated from its historical context by British experts and elitists. These individuals did not consider the freedom movement as an organization that stood up against the atrocities of the settlers. Mau Mau was historically placed as a group of people who took arms to protect their native land against British settlers (Elkins 2006, p. 28). From the moment, settlers began to enter the country, natives organized themselves to counter the invasion. Many studies by British scholars and administrators during the period of the Mau Mau described the freedom movement as a modern nationalist response to the oppression and unfairness of the settler’s domination (Bennett 2013, p. 22). Colonial administrators and settlers considered the movement as an uprising that needed to be stopped vigorously. In response to the Mau Mau insurgency, British settlers and administrators created policies that confined natives to reserves and camps. Natives who lived in

Read book Mystic River by Dennis Lehane Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Read book Mystic River by Dennis Lehane - Essay Example In the case of the character of Dave, his ‘tanha’ had caused him to question and even deny God’s rule over the earth. This may be influenced by significant events of Dave’s past, namely the incident of when he is sexually molested which ultimately changes his childhood and his outlook and attitude towards the outside world. Moreover, those around him find him hard to understand, as it is difficult to comprehend him due to the ambiguity of his statements and expressions. This makes him seem like a conspicuous character, suggesting perhaps, that he is ill at ease and unsettled, lacking a sense of peace and direction. There is an internal conflict within Dave, wherein he is struggling with his dark side that not only allures him with satanic temptations, but also forces him to treat others in the same way he had been treated in his life. Again, the theme of the power of the past contributing greatly to the characters is apparent with Jimmy. Jimmy’s atta chment to the past causes him a lack of Apatheia. Despite his efforts to take control of his own life, he finds it difficult to accept the fact that there are certain circumstances for which he has no control over; that is, he cannot go back to the events of his past. This may be exhibited in his question of guilt. These questions have made his wife wonder if is indeed feeling remorse or if his actions are merely an obligation due to his love and responsibility of his daughter. The fact that he himself is conflicted on whether or not he feels guilty further elaborates this. To him, guilt is merely temporary, it comes and goes in passing, but there is a disconnect with true emotions. As he continues to struggle with moving forward with his life, stark reminders of his past continue to plague him. Because is unable to rescue the deeds of his past (his karmas), he remains in an altered form of Apatheia. According to Hindu mythology, a man must face his own karmas for the duration of hi s lifetime (Livingstone). His lack of Apatheia causes him to seek a life of innocence, which is impossible for him. This frustrates him and causes him to lead a life of suffering. Sean on the other hand, is a character who believes in Halakha, which is the idea of a perfect moral ethic. Halakha is a perfect ethical rule that may be able to lead mankind to peace. Sean is a character who had lived a comfortable childhood and partially believes in laws and commandments which may result in a healthy solution. He is one who would have preferred religious ethics such as perfect theocracy to their religious insight. Although Sean’s profession prompts him to bring about law and order, issues in his personal life tempt him to opt to misuse law and order for his own gains. Theological reflection is not only seen in the characters, but in the setting as well. However, the classical approach to religion is replaced by authors and philosophers that may be termed as ‘religious existe ntialist’. Jimmy’s struggles with his actions reflect the kind of punishment described by Dostoevsky in his view of Christianity. His view sees Christianity as closer to spiritualism such as with Hinduism, Islam, and other eastern religions (Dostoevsky, n.p.). In Hinduism, ‘karmas’ leads one to the punishment he must face. In the same way Jimmy’s actions leads him to the punishment he would eventually have to deal with. Jimmy deals with a moral crisis when he reflects on how