Question

“Here was I, the white man with his gun, standing in front of the unarmed native crowd–seemingly the leading actor of the piece; but in reality I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind. I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys. He becomes a sort of hollow, posing dummy, the conventionalised figure of a sahib.”

• A. Cynicism and existential exhaustion
• B. Violence and vendetta
• C. Self-reflexive shame
• D. Subversive performance

Hint:

In post-colonial works, the colonizer's self-awareness and shame often reflect the contradictions of their power and the internal conflict they experience while imposing tyranny.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A, C

Step 1: Analyzing the passage.
The speaker, a colonial officer, reflects on his role as a tyrant, where his outward authority hides his internal conflict and self-awareness. He sees himself as a puppet of colonial power, which destroys his own freedom and autonomy. This moment of self-realization reveals a sense of existential exhaustion and shame. 
Step 2: Explanation of the options.
(A) is correct because the speaker experiences a sense of cynicism and existential exhaustion, realizing that his role as a colonial tyrant undermines his own humanity and freedom.
(B) is incorrect because there is no focus on vengeance or direct violence in the passage, but rather on the inner turmoil of the colonizer.
(C) is correct because the speaker shows self-reflexive shame, recognizing the hollowness of his role in the colonial system.
(D) is incorrect because there is no subversive performance; the speaker is reflecting on the destructive nature of colonial power rather than engaging in a performance to subvert it.