Sahibs with Black Faces? - Installing and Escaping Whiteness in Rudyard Kipling's “Kim“

Exposé Écrit pour un Séminaire / Cours , 2004 , 11 Pages , Note: 1,7

Philologie Américaine - Littérature

In recent years, more and more attention has been drawn to the study of whiteness, that is, to the way in which whiteness – the state of being of white complexion, and, therefore, of the “white” race – is perceived, both by whites and non-whites, as a race-category, and, ultimately, as a fact; and how this perception came about, how it was constructed – and to what end. Authors like Richard Dyer, among others, have begun deconstructing what has become the commonly accepted perception of white image1, and white self-image, and have found out that whiteness, as a race-category, has, over centuries, been constructed, by white authors and white authorities the world over, into something that has assumed an almost normative function – representing a racial “norm”, used to compare, distinguish and ultimately separate those who deviate from the norm, and thereby installing a device of control and, at its heart, a white, Eurocentric view of the world. Alongside their discoveries, scholars like Eric Lott have begun turning their interest to a different question: if, as Dyer had stated, the construction of whiteness was a means of establishing power, then what reason was there for white people to impersonate nonwhites, a phenomenon that had come to broader attention in the early 19th century with the emergence of minstrelsy and so-called “blackface”-performances? In this paper, I will give a short overview on the theories of Eric Lott and David R. Roediger regarding this point and, set before the background of these theories, present a reading of Rudyard Kipling's novel “Kim“ in which I will try to determine in how far the protagonist - a young orphan living on the streets of Lahore, India - is constructed as a white person, to what extend he may be said to be using “blackface“, in what manner he profits from these two facts, and, ultimately, what might be derived from this regarding the construction of white – non-white identities and relations in the novel.

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1 In “White”, 1997

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• The Construction of Whiteness & The Impersonation of the Other
  • A Theoretical Overview
• Rudyard Kipling's “Kim“ - a Case Study
  • The Novel
  • "Little Friend of All the World" or "Sahib" - Constructing and Escaping Race in “Kim”
• A Few Concluding Words

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper explores the concept of “whiteness” as a constructed category, particularly within the context of Rudyard Kipling's novel, “Kim.” It investigates how white characters can both embody and escape this constructed identity, drawing on the theories of Eric Lott and David R. Roediger to analyze the phenomenon of “blackface” and its implications.

• The construction of whiteness as a racial norm and its impact on social relations.
• The reasons behind white people's impersonation of non-whites, specifically through the lens of “blackface” performance.
• The examination of whiteness and non-whiteness in Rudyard Kipling's novel “Kim,” focusing on the protagonist's identity and his interactions with other characters.
• The analysis of how “Kim” might be seen as a case study of white characters exploiting and simultaneously distancing themselves from constructed racial categories.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: The paper introduces the concept of whiteness as a constructed category and highlights the work of authors like Richard Dyer in deconstructing the commonly accepted perception of white identity. It then poses the question of why white people might choose to impersonate non-whites, referencing the phenomenon of “blackface” performances. The paper's focus on Rudyard Kipling's novel “Kim” is established, aiming to explore how the protagonist embodies and escapes the constructed category of whiteness.
• The Construction of Whiteness & The Impersonation of the Other - A Theoretical Overview: This section summarizes the theories of Eric Lott and David R. Roediger concerning the phenomenon of minstrelsy. It discusses the ambiguous nature of minstrelsy as both racist and subversive, highlighting its potential for white performers to engage with and temporarily escape their own social roles.
• Rudyard Kipling's “Kim“ - A Case Study: This chapter outlines the main themes and narrative elements of Rudyard Kipling's novel “Kim.” It sets the stage for the analysis of the protagonist's identity and how he embodies and escapes constructed notions of whiteness.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper centers around the themes of whiteness, race, identity, minstrelsy, “blackface,” and Rudyard Kipling's novel “Kim.” It draws on the theoretical frameworks of Richard Dyer, Eric Lott, and David R. Roediger to explore how “whiteness” is constructed and how white characters can simultaneously inhabit and escape from these constructed categories. The analysis focuses on the protagonist of “Kim” and his experiences in navigating racial and social identities.

• Université: Free University of Berlin (Institut für Englische Philologie)
• Cours: PS/ Blindness to Whiteness? Whiteness in Literature
• Note: 1,7
• Auteur: Heiko Kumsteller (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2004
• Pages: 11
• N° de catalogue: V71993
• ISBN (ebook): 9783638682497
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Sahibs, Black, Faces, Installing, Escaping, Whiteness, Rudyard, Kipling, Blindness, Whiteness, Literature