Empire

Since the first mention of Percival's group of boys at school who march in lockstep and leave mangled butterflies and injured boys in their wake, I've been trying to watch for the threads of imperialism and fascism within the text.

As was discussed in class, the fact that Percival, the school yard fascist, goes to India makes him a very obvious symbol for British imperialism. And Bernard's description of savage India provides a window into just how easily they have all bought into the mantra of imperialism and the idea of white-man's burden. Only a few pages after Percival leaves on his mission to India he dies. And his death is about as ignominious as possible, he fell off his horse. Shortly after the six primary characters learn of Percival's death, there is a description by one of the 6 (probably Neville, I can't find the page number!) where they imagine a scene where Percival rides up along side a cart that has been broken and uses 'all the powers of his race' to rally the natives and get the cart fixed. Wolfe then contrasts this imaginary moment of the triumph of the white-man's burden, by describing the same scene except instead, Percival is dead in the road. Neville also describes how the last message he received from Percival mentioned that he was off to play a game with his colonel. While the event of his death and the last letter may have taken place a few days apart, Neville's mind fits the two together saying "thus he ends our friendship" (109).

The thread of the white-man's burden and imperialism is further explored in Louis. It is significant Louis originally expressed a desire to join the crew of bullies who represented the youthful seeds of imperialism. But Louis's role in the system is very different from Percival's, and perhaps more worth of criticism because of how blithely it ignores it's impact. Louis works in a trading company, and although the company remains nameless, the connection to the British East India Company seems to hang in the back of the mind. In his position, Louis describes the world in terms of lines on a map yet claims to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders (146-147). In essence, Louis has joined the bullies by making himself the architect of the imperialist system they represent. Even going so far as to describe himself as having led "a violent, unruly, and vicious team" (147).

Yet ultimately all of Louis' work is made null by the fact that even as he ascends the ladder, he still prefers his tiny little attic. His work and success act merely as armor to hide his own self-doubt, so he continues to work, to propagate a system, the service of which cost Percival his life and it's up-keep may have damaged Louis' relationship with Rhoda. And those costs only include the ones that Louis can see. The cost of imperialism is being felt elsewhere.