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J.O — ORIGINAL WORK
29 November 2024
Literary Analysis Essay
Why Should Babel by R.F Kuang Be A Part of the Grade 12 English Curriculum?
R.F. Kuang’s Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History is a fantasy historical fiction novel that explores the themes of betrayal, loyalty, classism, and power. Born in Guangzhou, China, BIPOC author Rebecca Kuang’s novel is set in an alternate 19th century England, that follows Robin Swift, an orphan due to cholera in Canton, China—now Guangzhou—brought to England to study at the prestigious Royal Institute of Translation at Oxford University, known as Babel. Babel critiques not only imperialism and colonialism, but the complexities that arise within the act of translation. With this wide range of topics, Babel would make an excellent novel to read in the ENG4U1 course as it not only relates to the themes found in the other core works in the curriculum, but brings up questions excellent for discussion.
One of the novel’s most prominent themes is the tension between loyalty and betrayal. Robin Swift feels loyal to Babel, which offers him opportunity, education, and a place in the world. However, he comes to learn that Babel’s translation magic is used for British imperialism, enabling the exploitation of colonised nations by stealing their linguistic and cultural resources. Not only does Robin feel betrayed by Professor Lovell, his mentor and the man who took him in after the death of his mother, but also leaves Robin with the difficult decision of whether to continue his work at the place he’s studied for years to get into, or aim towards uncovering the truth and dismantling the harmful systems in place. This conflict reflects the dilemmas faced by individuals who want to fight against unjust systems while simultaneously benefiting from them. By looking at Robin’s struggles, we can look into betrayal and loyalty in our own lives, especially when those conflicts involve institutions like education, government, or family. The Guardian says Babel “asks what people from colonized countries are supposed to do when they reach positions of power” (Pulley).
Furthermore, the act of translation is a major theme which Kuang uses to explain power dynamics and classism. Babel describes the way translation can eliminate details, context, and cultural significance, giving a lot of power and control to the translator themselves to dictate how others read and understand the text. This mirrors what we see today in media bias, cultural appropriation, and the manipulation of language and opinions to support one's agenda. The magic in the novel is used through “silver-working,” a process that amplifies the meanings lost in translation between languages. However, this magic is weaponized by Babel and the British Empire to keep their dominance over the colonies and exploit them. This appropriation reflects the historical realities of colonialism, where the languages and cultures of those oppressed were stripped away, something seen in our own country with the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. With the Grade 11 curriculum surrounding these ideas and Canada’s history of assimilation, Babel would be an effective way to transition from the NBE3U1 course and further discuss these themes in ENG4U1.
Moreover, the conflicts between characters in Babel show complex family dynamics. For example, Robin’s relationship with his guardian and mentor, Professor Lovell, is complicated and fragile. While Lovell rescued Robin from an almost certain death of cholera in Canton and provided him with an education, he demands loyalty to Babel, ultimately revealing his role in continuing colonial exploitation. The novel also includes depictions of feminism in the early Victorian era with characters Victoire and Letty, depicting their struggles in a patriarchal society. In addition, Robin and his best friend Ramy—a muslim student originally from Calcutta, or present day Kolkata—both face a great deal of racism. Unfortunately, racism is still a present day issue with 1 in 3 students in a 2023 study by K-12 Driveclaiming they’ve faced racism in school. Furthermore, many of the foreign characters explain their difficulties adjusting to a new country which is another common challenge faced by youth today. According to Statistics Canada, approximately 37.5% of youth have at least one foreign‑born parent, and according to Environics Statistics, about 11% of students are first generation immigrants. This would mean that many high school students would be able to relate to the struggles the characters face, potentially seeing themselves in them. Expanding on that, the exploration of family dynamics between Robin and Professor Lovell could resonate with students who are navigating their own relationships with authority figures. Robin’s eventual rebellion against Lovell represents the difficulty of getting away from toxic relationships and the sacrifices required to stay true to your own values.
Additionally, Babel relates to the themes found in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Shakespeare’s Hamlet. All three texts have similar themes, from Amir and Hassan’s struggles in a classist society to Hamlet’s internal struggle with family dynamics and morality, all of which reflects Robin’s own conflicts between his loyalty to Babel, his allegiance to the “rebels” and the family relationships in Babel. By comparing the three texts, we can not only discuss similar themes, but have a broad range of diverse cultural influences. Each of the texts are based on a different era of history yet deal with many of the same issues, showing students how humans have been dealing with the same struggles since the beginning of time.
R.F. Kuang provides a unique perspective, and as the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Poppy War trilogy, Babel, and Yellowface, Kuang has solidified her place as a leading author in the literary space. Her work has received a lot of praise, including the Nebula Award for Best Novel, the British Book Award. These honours show her ability to create stories that are both intellectually challenging but entertaining. Babel itself is a powerful novel that deserves a place in the ENG4U1 curriculum with various themes that provoke questions great for analysis and discussions.