In Burmese Days George Orwell vividly describes life in a British overseas colony in the waning days of imperialism - Essay Example

Though the Europeans do little work, they complain about the prick heat and the possible acceptance of the locals into their exclusively European club. An overwhelming majority of British holds themselves superior to the Burmese and feel they should rule over the less intelligent niggers. In the story Elizabeth, the orphaned niece of Lackersteen’s, is surprised by Flory soft nature towards the locals. Elizabeth also learns from Mrs. Lackersteen’s that Flory keeps a native Mistress while she detests the locals and views them as ‘beastly’.

The relationship between the Europeans and the natives can be further described as discriminative. European men have intimate relationships with the natives, but the natives are strictly prohibited from marrying Europeans. A child born of a native and a European is regarded as an outcast and denied a job by the government until they denounce their European blood (Orwell 98). Further cruelty between the native Burmese and the Europeans is shown when Maxwell, the acting Divisional forests officer shots a local rebel.

Maxwell is brought back to the town dead a few days after that. A tense situation occurs between the locals and the Europeans, and the situation deteriorates after Ellis launches a spiteful attack on the local native children. Ellis decision to punish the children instead of the culprits responsible for Maxwell’s death proves that the relationship between the natives and the Europeans is that of a slave to a master (Orwell 84). Though the British do not despise the Asians as much as they detest the local Burmese natives, the relationship between the two is not hospitable.

The European community is highly against the acceptance of Dr. Veraswami an Asian into the exclusive European club. Based on Dr. Veraswami’s thinking, the British also views their position as superior to the Asians. Dr. Veraswami views his Asian kind as lesser humans compared to the Europeans (Orwell 59).This view can be presented as the same view possessed by the Europeans as majority of them are against acceptance of Dr. Veraswami into the all inclusive European club. Finally, Dr. Veraswami is demoted after the death of Flory, his only European supporter.

U Po Kyin a corrupt magistrate plots the escape of a prisoner, causing a rebellion which is blamed on Dr. Veraswami. Magistrate U Po Kyin plans to deny the doctor a position in the European club and claim the membership instead as he feels a non European is not deserving of a position in the club. The Asians view the Europeans as superior, and the gulf between them is widely divided by race and classifications of the inhabitants of the small town. The race composition is divided into: Europeans, Chinese, Asians and at last Burmese natives.

In the story we find that Dr. Veraswami wants to be part of the exclusive European Club although he doesn’t plan to attend any of the sessions (Orwell 101). Dr. Veraswami only wants to be part of the club because of the social prestige and respect that is given to members of the European club, particularly because he would be the only Asian member of the club. Dr. Veraswami also views his kind as lesser human beings, stressing the fact that the Asians considered the Europeans superior. The British view their main mission as economic exploitation and colonization of the