In The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Gandhi describes the relationship between the foreign British rulers and the subjugated Indian members of the empire's colony. The story starts with himself as he travels to England to study law. He temporarily adopts some British customs but sticks to his vows instead of taking up meat eating and liquor drinking.
When he returns to India years later, he advocates for the speaking of the native languages over the rulers' English, demonstrating the importance of language in identity formation. These quotations show how the idea of foreignness played out in the life of the famous Indian leader.
Questions About Foreignness and "the Other"
- Describe the impact on Gandhi of living in foreign England. How does he change in England? In what ways does he remain the same?
- How does language, according to Gandhi, affect national identity? How might the prevalence of a particular language relate to colonialism and who has power?
- Why does Gandhi's family fear for him to move to England? How does he reassure them? Are their fears justified? Do you think he was obliged to stick to his vows?
Chew on This
People should prioritize the language of their home country.
If foreign languages offer more advantages, people should prioritize them.