Letters of Travel
'Letters of Travel' Summary
Kipling's observations are cast in a wry style that permits, as his work often does, different readings. The unsympathetic reader can hear a banal repetition of the patriarchal, racist and imperialist ideas of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century trotted out. (Or even in his characterisation of the Jewish power behind the pedlar in "The Face of the Desert" a suggestion of something worse.) A more nuanced reading will perceive an amused or wry smile in Kipling's remembering and the human sympathy that infuses all his writing. (US listeners should be warned that in Kipling's day "the N word" was in common use, and he therefore uses it naturally to describe people of Sub-Saharan African ancestry.) A paragraph in the "letter" written on Kipling's arrival in Japan might serve as example. It closes: "The father-fisher has it by the pink hind leg, and this time it is tucked away, all but the top-knot, out of sight among umber nets and sepia cordage. Being an Oriental it makes no protest, and the boat scuds out to join the little fleet in the offing." With its flippant tone ("all but the top-knot"), impersonal reference ("it" rather than he or she) and use of racial terms ("Oriental") and stereotypes ("makes no protest") this can be presented as an example of the worst of Victorian Imperialist prejudice. And yet... as the fisher family are introduced, not only was "the perfect order and propriety of the housekeeping" noted but mention was made of "a largish Japanese doll, price two shillings and threepence in Bayswater", which turns out to be a baby. At first glance this is merely another example of Western bigotry. Note however the words Kipling uses to show us that this is not in fact a doll: "The doll wakes, turns into a Japanese baby something more valuable than money could buy". The "Japanese doll" is a priceless human child and not a commodity to be bought in Bayswater. Perhaps the prejudice is not so much on the surface of Kipling's writing as under the surface of the reader's presuppositions? Time and again wry observation turns the familiar world into something fresh, and reminds the reader of shared humanity with the strange and foreign people being observed. Kipling as a tourist is no mere gawker whether in strange yet familiar Yokohama or in foreign Vermont.Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
Published In
Genre/Category
Tags/Keywords
Authors
Rudyard Kipling
Britain
Kipling's writing has strongly influenced that of others. His stories for adults remain in print and have garnered high praise from writers as different as Poul Anderson, Jorge Luis Borges, and Randal...
Books by Rudyard KiplingDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
Life of Isaac Mason as a Slave by Isaac Mason
Isaac Mason's 'Life of Isaac Mason as a Slave' is a powerful firsthand account of slavery in the antebellum South. Mason, born into bondage, details t...
If I May by A. A. Milne
'If I May' is a collection of short essays by A. A. Milne, known for his Winnie-the-Pooh stories and poetry. These essays, originally published in var...
Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
In a world where time is both a relentless master and a thrilling challenge, embark on an extraordinary journey that will test the limits of possibili...
Father by S.E. Kiser
This book is a collection of essays that explore the many facets of fatherhood. The author, S.E. Kiser, writes with humor and insight about the joys,...
Other Poems, 1871-82 by Henry Kendall
Henry Kendall's *Other Poems, 1871-82* is a collection of later works by the Australian poet, showcasing his mature style and evolving themes. These...
Lob der Narrheit by Desiderius Erasmus
In Praise of Folly is a philosophical work by Desiderius Erasmus, a Dutch Renaissance humanist. First published in 1509, the book is a satirical attac...
Explanation by Rudyard Kipling
The Explanation is a collection of Kipling's observations on the complexities of life in colonial India, touching upon topics such as the clash of cul...
Westward Hoboes: Ups and Downs of Frontier Motoring by Winifred Hawkridge Dixon
Westward Hoboes is a delightful and humorous account of a cross-country road trip undertaken by Winifred Hawkridge Dixon and two photographers. With a...
Thomas Carlyle by Gilbert K. Chesterton
Gilbert K. Chesterton's biography of Thomas Carlyle offers a multifaceted portrait of the influential Victorian writer and philosopher. The first half...
A First Year in Canterbury Settlement by Samuel Butler
In "A First Year in Canterbury Settlement," take a leap back in time to the raw, untamed days of European colonization in 19th-century New Zealand. Sa...
Reviews for Letters of Travel
No reviews posted or approved, yet...