Juan Jose Olaizola
December 12, 2007
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Mister Gandhi, as I first knew him, in my eyes, was a man of knowledge, an advocate of peace with a message of peace and love for India and the world. He is one of the most predominant figures in the 20th Century, and the hero of India! Yet as I started to read Gandhi’s biography by Olivia Coolidige, I began to see a totally different side to Gandhi… a “human” side to him, capable of mistakes, emotions, and violent actions. I regarded him as a saint, but then I also realized saints were humans enlightened by God, but still capable of bad habits, so I began to read and take in the human side of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar. Born into a devout Hindu Modh family, from very little Gandhi was a faithful to his Hindu religion, even though he sometimes didn’t quite understand it sometimes and was afraid of the dark, and cold temples to various different gods and goddesses and other sacred entities. He was actually quite a timid, quiet, and self-concealed boy with very little social life. When he would go to school, he would much rather run home at the end of school, than to hang around with his class mates. His social wasn’t his entire fault to be honest, people would laugh, scoff, or simply look at him oddly for his somewhat funny and weird physical appearance. He was short, skinny, with a big head, big ears, and a big nose. Pretty much a little elf, as to how the Brits might have thought of him. At the age of 13 Gandhi was married off to a young girl named Katsurbai, she would become Gandhi’s life partner for life. This fixed marriage would not only bring much excitement to Gandhi, mainly for the sex, but also distress and depression, caused by the sex. Gandhi would become extremely jealous of her activities outside or in the house, and would ban from going out into the public. Yet besides all this they were married for over 50 years.
At the age of 18 Gandhi moved to London, England, to become a lawyer, and would later move to the United Colonies of South Africa to serve as a medic in the Boer Wars, and as a lawyer for the administrative government of South Africa. Yet at the sight of soo many Indian casualties at the hands of British maltreatment and racial hatred from both Zulu and Europeans, Gandhi decided to move back to India and serve the Indian-British Government. So even after all he has gone through in that short span of his life, so much pain pressed on Indians and on himself, he still remained a loyal subject to British Crown, he was a prime example of a British subject. Also throughout his lifetime he would grow increasingly spiritual, and develop great love for his gods or god. This great display of faith in his superiors would later deteriorate as he begins to recent the British for favoring one White subject over a Indian subject at a criminal court…
His idea of independent would really begin to evolve with the aid of Indian nationalists and groups striving for independence in India. This would later be accomplished with great success. Yet the plans Gandhi had for India were unreal. He would want it to be a state for Muslim and Hindu citizens of India, where any foreigner would had to submit to Hindu and Muslim laws and practices in everyday life. His political, social, and economic reforms would be utopist, lacking in the sense of realism and neglecting factors from other countries. He was too hardheaded to accept the views of others and was critical on Westerners, rejecting different political ideals, religion and culture to the point of deporting some European citizens of India.
So in the end I realized that this humble, religious, and peaceful man was actually the opposite in some cases. He was an abusive husband, advocate for theocracy, a foolish and inefficient politician, and to a certain degree an admirer of Fascism and Communism. This book might be pages of lies, but it really made me think though of the human flaws everyone has, and the mistakes everyone is capable of their life, no matter who they are.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
What I Know About Ghandi
Gandhi is seen as one of the 20th century's greatest people by leading a revolution and independence of India without the use of violence. Seen as a calm, caring, spiritual, and philosophical man that had a vision of a free India, as its own sovereign state.
My First Look at Ghandi and His Youth (Entry # 2)
From the biography I've read of Gandhi by Olivia Coolidge, first tells us to look on Gandhi as a human being, like any of the saints. He is an imperfect man with his own flaws and faults, capable of hate, jealousy, love, and guilt.
She starts from his childhood, and quickly progresses to his late youth. I was amazed as to how Gandhi was, and his life as a child. He was born to a devout Hindu family, vegetarian (I would have never guessed), and to say the least, didn't show the personalities traits one would have to stand up to someone or something. He was a timid, emotional boy, who's emotional distresses grew worse when he was married off to a girl at 13 years of age. Sex was a new thing and fun for them to experience, but like the teens of today, they don't look at the emotional and psychological toll it takes on one, and becomes very distraught.
He would mature, as the years roll on, but his schooling was affected by his emotional troubles, and couldn't succeed at much, but his emotions were smaller issues compared to education being taught in English by Indians, who don't have the proper qualifications on the subject or the language.
His father dies before he turns 19 and his brother Laxmidas will inherit his father's positions as counsel to the many princes of India, but in order to secure Gandhi's future as well, he must be qualified to take his brother's role, in case anything happens. So he is shipped off to England to earn a degree in Law. It'll certainly be a tough journey for the young Gandhi, an alien, in and alien country, with an alien tongue. Things couldn't be worse...
She starts from his childhood, and quickly progresses to his late youth. I was amazed as to how Gandhi was, and his life as a child. He was born to a devout Hindu family, vegetarian (I would have never guessed), and to say the least, didn't show the personalities traits one would have to stand up to someone or something. He was a timid, emotional boy, who's emotional distresses grew worse when he was married off to a girl at 13 years of age. Sex was a new thing and fun for them to experience, but like the teens of today, they don't look at the emotional and psychological toll it takes on one, and becomes very distraught.
He would mature, as the years roll on, but his schooling was affected by his emotional troubles, and couldn't succeed at much, but his emotions were smaller issues compared to education being taught in English by Indians, who don't have the proper qualifications on the subject or the language.
His father dies before he turns 19 and his brother Laxmidas will inherit his father's positions as counsel to the many princes of India, but in order to secure Gandhi's future as well, he must be qualified to take his brother's role, in case anything happens. So he is shipped off to England to earn a degree in Law. It'll certainly be a tough journey for the young Gandhi, an alien, in and alien country, with an alien tongue. Things couldn't be worse...
Faith & Law (Entry # 3)
In the three years Gandhi spent in London England, he became very interested in Western culture, philosophy, and religion. He also becomes an advocate for vegetarians in England by joining a "club" for vegetarians.
He dives more into his own Hindu faith, and takes ideas of Westerns philosophers to make his own values and judgments. Yet his stubbornness, and arrogance blinds him, and tends to make him completely disagree with common ideals or personal faiths.
After his time in England he moved to South Africa to become a lawyer in the Indian quarter, and a representative to the Indians in South Africa. His stay will short lived, for soon he would return back to India.
He dives more into his own Hindu faith, and takes ideas of Westerns philosophers to make his own values and judgments. Yet his stubbornness, and arrogance blinds him, and tends to make him completely disagree with common ideals or personal faiths.
After his time in England he moved to South Africa to become a lawyer in the Indian quarter, and a representative to the Indians in South Africa. His stay will short lived, for soon he would return back to India.
From England to South Africa to India and back to Africa, then back to India...(Entry # 4)
After Mr. Gandhi graduated from his London college and ended his final studies of Law. He was sent to South Africa as a lawyer, but his career was soon interrupted by the Boer War, where he was sent to fight for England against the Boer settlements near the English colony of South Africa. He was a medic with no medical education...
At the end of the war, he returned to India for 5 months to see his wife and children, and later returned to Africa with them to work for the English government in South Africa. Again his career wouldn't be successful in South Africa. The Zulu population of the colony began to grow violent against England and its subjects, like the Indian population in Africa... So for his safety and that of his family, he had to return to India and work of the English-Indian government of India...
At the end of the war, he returned to India for 5 months to see his wife and children, and later returned to Africa with them to work for the English government in South Africa. Again his career wouldn't be successful in South Africa. The Zulu population of the colony began to grow violent against England and its subjects, like the Indian population in Africa... So for his safety and that of his family, he had to return to India and work of the English-Indian government of India...
Family Problems lead to Work Problems... (Entry # 5)
On returning from Africa, Gandhi had to immediately find work with the local government of the town, which he would, finding favour with a local Hindu preacher named Gokhal, who is encouraging his fellow Indians to resist the English oppressors, but in a peaceful manner.
This man, Gokhal, would become one Gandhi's inspirations to lead India in the peaceful revolution that would soon come and absorb India. This however will come later...
Sadly, Gandhi hasn't been the best provider for his family, and this is causing some strains with his wife and children. He is in dept and needs to find money quick in order to keep the house. So he commands his wife to sell her jewelry in order to help support the family(Apparently it was or is normal for Indians to treat their wives as their own possessions). This Gandhi has turned the children against her, by telling them she is guilty for not allowing them to go to school and get an education like infuriates her, because she has slaved for him in every way, and believes she deserves her jewels, also Gandhi...
This conflict will eventually boil over, and according to the book, his wife leaves him and stays with her brother and sister. This doesn't really concern Gandhi much, and she pretty much disappears from the book, along with her children. Very little is mentioned of Gandhi's family up to this point on now...
His loneliness and distress also affect his career as a lawyer and legal representative in India, and creates him political enemies for being associated with Gokhal, and his ideals. This creates Gandhi a catalyst in his personal faith and views toward England...
This man, Gokhal, would become one Gandhi's inspirations to lead India in the peaceful revolution that would soon come and absorb India. This however will come later...
Sadly, Gandhi hasn't been the best provider for his family, and this is causing some strains with his wife and children. He is in dept and needs to find money quick in order to keep the house. So he commands his wife to sell her jewelry in order to help support the family(Apparently it was or is normal for Indians to treat their wives as their own possessions). This Gandhi has turned the children against her, by telling them she is guilty for not allowing them to go to school and get an education like infuriates her, because she has slaved for him in every way, and believes she deserves her jewels, also Gandhi...
This conflict will eventually boil over, and according to the book, his wife leaves him and stays with her brother and sister. This doesn't really concern Gandhi much, and she pretty much disappears from the book, along with her children. Very little is mentioned of Gandhi's family up to this point on now...
His loneliness and distress also affect his career as a lawyer and legal representative in India, and creates him political enemies for being associated with Gokhal, and his ideals. This creates Gandhi a catalyst in his personal faith and views toward England...
Before and After the War of Wars (Entry#6)
Soon after Katsurbai leaves Gandhi, the First World War erupts between Austro-Hungarians, Ottoman, French, Russians, and English... At this time Gandhi had to prepare himself to be sent over as soldier or in any form, to help the English in the front lines. Gandhi would enlist himself as a medic, and go in for training with other Indian troops and medics. Yet he would never see the violence first hand, as his platoon wasn't called...
Instead of using the Indians as soldiers, the English in India used them as almost slaves, cheap labourers, to work in every kind of field, mill, construction, etc... The Indians would have this injustice be played on them! This is the beginning of the "peaceful revolution".
Instead of using the Indians as soldiers, the English in India used them as almost slaves, cheap labourers, to work in every kind of field, mill, construction, etc... The Indians would have this injustice be played on them! This is the beginning of the "peaceful revolution".
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