Jaclyn Rosebrook-Collignon on Naipaul

Jaclyn Rosebrook-Collignon [[email protected]], February 24, 2002

Well, at the risk of lighting a fuse .... Yes, I can imagine someone saying that. However, it would be misconstrued as antisemitism. Many Jews don't want their "entire" identity to be tied to the Holocaust (or the question of Israel, for that matter). Isn't this the lesson we've learned about the "reductionist" traps postcolonial analysis tends to set for us? Perhaps this is why Rushdie has become such an American patriot? Because he's tired of being known as "that Indian poco writer". I don't have any particular sympathy for Naipaul, nor do I find his appalling lack of courtesy appealing. I can, however, understand his perspective. But then one might ask, why the hell did he go to the conference in the first place?

Last Modified: 1 March 2002