Rudyard Kiplings finest pieces of adventure fiction in the Kim - Book Report/Review Example

“Kim” A Book Review Kim is considered to be Rudyard Kipling’s finest pieces of adventure fiction - uniquely merging the thrill of the adolescent adventures with the insightful prose about a young man’s coming of age and the search for his identity. But at the same time the themes and attitudes presented in the book are a cause of embarrassment to the modern literature critics or even the modern English reader (Mackean). The tale of ‘Kim’ is that of a poor, orphan boy of Irish-English descent, who is left to fend for himself in the streets of India during the British Raj. The story deals with over arching themes of self discovery, acceptance of a life objective, friendship and relationships - all set against a back drop of the ‘Great Game’ and the British rule of the region. Some questions that are raised when indulging the epic tale of Kim’s adventures are regarding Kipling’s Imperialistic worldview and how much have his adult ideas influenced the prose, dialogues and settings of the story. However, the impact of these questions doesn’t diminish the basic element of entertainment of the story and it is possible to ignore the imperial overtones and just focus on the journey of Kimball O’Hara. The book opens in Lahore, now a part of the country of Pakistan, a sprawling metropolis which encompasses of the declining grandeur of the bygone era with the modern structure and reflections introduced by the British. Kim lives his life amongst the ruins, buildings, alleyways and hidden passageways, and uses his extensive knowledge of the city to work as a messenger for the people with hidden agendas. Brought up as an orphan Kim has completely assimilated into the native culture; he speaks the same language and lives by the same standards, however, his background means that he is cannot completely relate to the natives he lives around nor can he identify with the more civilized British community. The book takes up the challenge of determining Kim’s place in the world beautifully in form of an expansive adventure which sees his transformation from a street urchin to chela or disciple of a Tibetan Lama, Teshoo Lama, to his induction in the military, schooling at St. Xavier’s school, his training as a spy for the British secret service and finally the climax of the book where we see Kim use his skill set to outwit a Russian spy mission and play his part to secure British’ victory in the great game. Kim is resourceful, cheerful and capable of looking after himself. During his years in Lahore he learned the arts of deceit of disguise as a necessary means of survival; despite the fact that he has had no constant adult support through his life Kim has learned to handle himself well and doesn’t show any signs of deprivation. Though Kim shows the desire for motherly affection and meaningful relationships throughout the story (finding those in the different people he meet, most notably the Lama and Colonel Creighton), this is not something which has ever hindered him in his life. This more than anything else shows that the book, aside from all the related themes and ideas, is still mainly meant as a fantasy filled fiction for young boys. After all, which young boy doesn’t enjoy the thought of living a free life without the control of authority figures, with the excitement of spying and traveler? Kipling spent his first 6 years in India in Bombay but was forced to live with foster parents in England for the next five years. Reading the story one can certainly infer that many of the sentiments and experiences that Kim goes through the course of the story were in fact derived from Kipling’s own life, records indicate that he was never happy during his stay in England and perhaps this story is a wish fulfillment of if he could have spend those few years in the Sub continent (Mackean, n.p.). This helps to explain the authenticity and emotions that can be felt in the narrative. Kim may be the central protagonist of the story but the supporting characters are the ones which really help to bring the story to life. Kim’s interactions with the Lama and their journey together through the vast area of India allows Kipling to paint an exquisite picture of India as it existed at the time with all its colors, cultures, traditions and landscapes. The author had a masterful knowledge of the Imperial India and he incorporates that into creating the settings that he incorporates in the story, there seems to be a sincere and strong appreciation for India and its native wonders in the prose and there is no shortage of warm, friendly and likeable native characters. The problem occurs with the ‘imperial’ attitude that was the norm for Victorian British of considering owner ship and possession of the land as their right. Despite the exaltations of India and people, the reader is reminded that the Colonists were certainly superior to the natives due to their greater cognitive abilities, education and civilities. Kim starts off with completely native influence but in order to find his true place he has to accept his heritage and the ‘scientific’ education and mannerisms of the whites. One glaring example of this occurs in the treatment of Teshoo Lama. A learned person on the quest towards enlightenment, he has the high status of an abbot in his native country - he is the constant companion and a source of support for Kim. Their quests are intertwined by the plot but in nature they serve as a point of contrast. Kim as the spy is deeply entrenched in the world affairs of the military which often require him to act in a morally grey manner, the Lama is set apart from the common world, seeking only the spiritual purity and the path of righteousness. As a major influencer for Kim and a crucial part of his life the Lama is an important character and could have been treated as one of the more dignified and noble of the native characters. But directly or indirectly it is implied that more than Kim it is the Lama who needs this companionship, being both physically and intellectually dependant on Kim throughout their journey. He may be a spiritual leader but it is Kim who has the analytical mind and the cunning to get them shelter, food and bearings in his native country. While one can attempt to dismiss this comparison as completely natural, due to the imperial overtones of the book it is hard not to critique this point. The other characters to consider are the white people that Kim eventually finds the company of. Here, Kipling does demonstrate that he can identify the flaws in his own kinsmen. At no point does he deny that they had the right to rule and control India, but he distinguishes between the learned and more compassionate characters like Colonel Creighton and other more ‘uncivilized’ ones like the minister at the regiment and his school master. The ignorant white men are those who bring out the worst of British mentality and are in Kipling’s books much lower than the natives in status. In Colonel Creighton, Kim finds the kind of father figure who can help him relate to his heritage from the West. This is also the person who identifies the skills that Kim has and recommends him spy training and recruitment in the British secret service. Through his schooling and informal training under “Shaib Lurgan” -one of the disguised spies- Kim hones in his map reading, observation and concealment skills. He is then ready to enter into the Great Game which was the focal point of the Military at the time. The Great Game referred to the race which was being fought between the British and the Russians to acquire, capture and control the Indo-Pak subcontinent and both sides were using ingenious methods to achieve their goals. Spies were an invaluable part of these plans and were used for espionage, gathering information and for stealth missions against the other side. Kim with his inquisitive and independent personality was uniquely suited to the isolated and devious lifestyle of a spy. After schooling, he even rejoins the Lama for his journey as this provides him the perfect cover for his missions. The climax of the book doesn’t disappoint. With all his training and experience Kim is able to disrupt the plans of two foreign spies; managing to steal away crucial documents from camp high up in the Himalayan mountain range. The success is not without its cost as both Kim and the Lama are grievously injured from their exertion and the struggle to get away from the mission. It is not without vain; however, as the climax helps the Lama finally reaching the answers he had been looking for and Kim has carved out the main essence of an identity for himself that he was desperate for. The ending is suitable for it provides a thrilling end for what was an adventure story, yet leaves the more mature reader feeling that the journey has been worth going through. This is one book which has managed to stand the test of time, despite the disagreeableness of certain elements and Rudyard’s skill as an author is the main reason behind that. Works Cited Mackean, Ian. Kim by Rudyard Kipling. November 2001. Web. Oct 1, 2012. Kipling, Rudyard. Kim. Edited with an introduction and notes by Edward W. Said. Penguin Classics. 2000. Print. Read More