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Analysis The Mimic Man
Analysis The Mimic Man
The novel, The Mimic Man, a novel by British-Trinidadian author V.S. Naipaul combines
fiction and non-fiction elements.
First of all, the key themes that come up from reviewing his novels have been linked
to conquered people's issues: their sense of alienation from scenery, their internal conflict, the
paradox of freedom, as well as the problem of neocolonialism in ex-colonies.The characters
involved are Ralph Kripal Singh, Sandra,Cecil, Kripalsingh,Wendy Deschampsneufs, and
Ethelbert Browne.The main characters that can be seen in this novel are Ralph Kripal Singh
and Cecil.Ralph Kripal Singh, the protagonist, and narrator, is a politician in retreat serves as
the protagonist and narrator. Singh, the son of a poor school teacher and a wealthy woman, is
a member of the Indian minority on the Caribbean island of Isabella. He is intelligent and
sensitive. He gets insulted throughout his young age, university years in London, and later
years on his native island as a real estate developer and politician. Ralph is banished after a
coup is finished at the age of forty, a purposeless exile living in a lower-middle-class area of
London.Cecil, Ralph’s uncle, and schoolmate.Cecil is Ralph's uncle and a classmate since he
is Ralph's mother's younger brother. Cecil appears to be over-the-top and charismatic in
several scenes. These characteristics, along with his violent behavior, are said to have been
established in his childhood. Cecil reclaims the beverage patent that forms the basis of the
family fortune, but he eventually loses both the family's wealth and his license. He tyrannizes
Isabella's villagers while armed with a Luger pistol. Cecil is certainly indicated to be the guy
who fired Ralph's father and his common-law wife.
The symbol that can be seen in this novel are Bella Bella Bottling Works and The
Mimic Man.The company,The Bella Bella Bottling Works symbolize the wealth,economic
and colonial factor on the Isabella island.The company was the largest bottles company in the
island and the most influenced company in the island.However,the main contractor of the
company,which is Coca-Cola represents the influence of foreign business and
colonization.Although the company influenced on the economy of Isabella but it is managed
and owned by non-isabellan shows the colonization.Next,The Mimic Man.The people in the
Isabella island have the colonial experience that caused the colonized to identify themselves
is lower than the colonizer.Colonial education and culture is well known as
higher,wealthier,discipline,well-manner and success.So the native people who lived in this
colonial consider their own culture,traditions, religions and race to be minor toward the
colonial.Reflect to the Isabellan,since they were far from their homeland,they tends to mimic
the colonial behaviors such as their culture and traditions in order to associate with the
colonizer.
The plot that can be seen in the novel The Mimic Man are during his childhood and
his political career.During his childhood,Ralph grow up in Isabella.His father is a school
teacher while his mother is working on bottles company.Ralph experienced many things
during his childhood.His uncle,Cecil who was a few year older than Ralph has intense
relationship with Ralph’s father.Ralph studied in Isabella Imperial and have many friends
there such as Brown.Brown ends his friendship with Ralph due to Brown’s poverty.To
continue,Ralph’s father quits his job and join social activist and lived in the forest with the
people.However,his father is arrested and was placed in the camp.Cecil inherits the bottle
company but due to his age and arrogance,the company start to move downward.Before
Ralph went to London,he reunites with his father.Then,ralph heard a rumor that his father
was killed by Cecil.The second plot that can be seen is his politics career.His politic career
can be seen clearly in the novel when he reunites with Brown,who was social activist and
newspaper writer during that time.Cecil is free from any charges and reunites with Ralph and
run political office while Brown is selected to be Chief Minister.Ralph is sent to England to
negotiate with a deal but failed. After finding himself excluded,Ralph leaved the island and
move to London at ages 40.This is the end of his political career.