There is nothing doubtful about the actions or intentions of self-proclaimed "altruistic" humanitarian ex-pats who share an equal disconnect between their from their "old" colonial world and the new developing ones - while manipulating and using gullible women to serve their macho prowess.
In the varied movies covering Africa, the Pacific, Indian sub-continent we usually see characters who lack any sizeable depth - fickle at best become the protagonist. It is very difficult to feel any sympathy or real anger to bear for these men are nothings - having not proved themselves to be of any character of worth.
Similarly, in Before The Rains we hardly see any real clash of worlds colliding in Kerala, India - for the Englishman's character shows no redeeming quality. - for he's so much like so many other opportunistic colonial types - taking advantage of the natives - in many more ways than one ...
The planter and would-be road constructor has an illicit affair with his hapless housekeeper - a very comely Indian women from a nearby village - while his assistant - a somewhat educated Indian man from the same village is almost forced to act as cover for his comings and goings - with no way of standing up against or objecting to his master's involvement with this very lovely married women - arranged married to a brutal misogynist. His somewhat elevated status overshadows his deep cultural ties with his own people. He forgets who he is - from whence he came for he has sold his soul to the devil - the British Raj who are facing their final days in their lengthy control of India.
The colonial argument of old, was that as Indians were often viewed as nothing more than "coolies" by the ex-pats (subjects of The Crown) - indentured labour in the colonies; the women - often taken advantage of, were doing nothing more than fulfilling their subservient duty of serving. Many were fooled into believing that their "white" lovers (often married) really cared for them - loved them and were going to leave their wives - often back in England and take them away from their lowly village lifestyles - back to England or into luxurious lifestyles in the cities.
In most cases, these women are oblivious to the "no-strings" relationships these ex-pats have with "native" women - for it is become a known fact that women love with emotion - whereas self-serving men love with passion and lust.
As they have nothing with which to compare their current lifestyles to - as opposed to the "new" ones promised them - they, in their innocence - become all the more ignorant of their lot in life - that of mere concubines ... to be used, abused and cast away ...
Who then are the real misogynists - the controlling brutal husbands - tied to old cultural ways or these free-loving ex-pats with their "hit and run" licentious ways?
To this day, do we still see this type of exploitation taking place in various regions of the world. And yet, people many worlds removed wonder why there is so much mistrust, animosity and hatred for foreigners who suddenly arrive in these somewhat innocent countries (for whatever reason) en masse ...
Washington, DC 5/16/08
In the varied movies covering Africa, the Pacific, Indian sub-continent we usually see characters who lack any sizeable depth - fickle at best become the protagonist. It is very difficult to feel any sympathy or real anger to bear for these men are nothings - having not proved themselves to be of any character of worth.
Similarly, in Before The Rains we hardly see any real clash of worlds colliding in Kerala, India - for the Englishman's character shows no redeeming quality. - for he's so much like so many other opportunistic colonial types - taking advantage of the natives - in many more ways than one ...
The planter and would-be road constructor has an illicit affair with his hapless housekeeper - a very comely Indian women from a nearby village - while his assistant - a somewhat educated Indian man from the same village is almost forced to act as cover for his comings and goings - with no way of standing up against or objecting to his master's involvement with this very lovely married women - arranged married to a brutal misogynist. His somewhat elevated status overshadows his deep cultural ties with his own people. He forgets who he is - from whence he came for he has sold his soul to the devil - the British Raj who are facing their final days in their lengthy control of India.
The colonial argument of old, was that as Indians were often viewed as nothing more than "coolies" by the ex-pats (subjects of The Crown) - indentured labour in the colonies; the women - often taken advantage of, were doing nothing more than fulfilling their subservient duty of serving. Many were fooled into believing that their "white" lovers (often married) really cared for them - loved them and were going to leave their wives - often back in England and take them away from their lowly village lifestyles - back to England or into luxurious lifestyles in the cities.
In most cases, these women are oblivious to the "no-strings" relationships these ex-pats have with "native" women - for it is become a known fact that women love with emotion - whereas self-serving men love with passion and lust.
As they have nothing with which to compare their current lifestyles to - as opposed to the "new" ones promised them - they, in their innocence - become all the more ignorant of their lot in life - that of mere concubines ... to be used, abused and cast away ...
Who then are the real misogynists - the controlling brutal husbands - tied to old cultural ways or these free-loving ex-pats with their "hit and run" licentious ways?
To this day, do we still see this type of exploitation taking place in various regions of the world. And yet, people many worlds removed wonder why there is so much mistrust, animosity and hatred for foreigners who suddenly arrive in these somewhat innocent countries (for whatever reason) en masse ...
Washington, DC 5/16/08