Blog Post #2 - Na

       In a historical context, the power dynamics of Southern Whites and Englishmen are understandable.  Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" and Orwell's " Shooting an Elephant" approach the topic underlying racial discrimination and how peoples perspective are influenced through those racial views. "A Rose of Emily" depicts a southern town's obsession and observations about an old lady called Emily. In "Shooting an Elephant", an English police officer is stationed in Burma and has to make a decision about shooting an elephant. These stories reveal how southern whites and Englishmen influenced their societies.

       In Falkner's "A Rose for Emily", the influence of the southern whites are clearly seen and observed through the perspective of the townsfolk and through the actions of Emily. "A Rose for Emily" is approximately placed in the post-civil war era. Emily is depicted as "a tradition....[and a] hereditary obligation upon town". This reveals how southern whites traditionally based power and influence through their family and hereditary line. The idea reflects post-civil war era in which southern families still had influence and control even though modernization was in approach. We can see also that the town fails to recognize the housekeeper as an individual and resorts to calling him the  "Negro man". Even though slavery was banned, post civil war people still have yet to have changed their perspective on people of color. Instead in this story they avoid him and don't utilize him as a resource even though all the townsfolk's questions about Emily could of been answered if they approached the housekeeper without racist discrimination.

       On the other hand in Orwell's " Shooting an Elephant" we are able to gain a different perspective of Englishmen through the eyes of Orwell and the Burmese. The story is set during imperialism in which England exerted control over many countries. Orwell, the presumed narrator is depicted as "all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British". The story reveals that the narrators opinion about how British exerted control and oppressed the native people from living their normal lives. During this time period the British took over countries for the pursuit of money, religion and enlighten. Enlighten was seen as a way to civilize the uncivilized. In this case the uncivilized people are the Burmese. Orwell has good intentions about his actions he still viewed the Burmese as " evil-spirited little beast". A racial discriminatory term that could easily translate to the idea that native people were beast and needed to be tamed or "civilized".  "Shooting an Elephant" revealed how the British took total control over people because they thought it was best. Orwell said he was coming to Burma because of his hatred of imperialism. Which is ironic because like so he is covertly racist and doesn't realize his some of his actions aren't reflecting what he expects to do. Which mirrors the British. The text shows how the British thought they were doing other people a favor by taking over and controlling every aspect of the country. The British thought that not only were they better because of their country, they also thought they were better because they were white.

        Both text show how the power dynamics effected social situations. In "A Rose for Emily" we see how the towns dynamics are still influenced by pre-civil war ideals'. The story shows how race defines an individual's role in a small town and how a person's class and parentage are the major influences on social respect and power. In contrast " Shooting an Elephant"  English men were  discriminatory but also supportive at the same time. The English had total control of the social environment that was enforced through sheer force, while the southern whites had a false sense of power and security that was driven by class.