The Utopian concept of free state in Gerald Vizenor’s The Heirs of Columbus: An anarchist study

Authors

Fayaz Khan Department of English Language and Literature, Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5007-9090
Amir Turkey Department of English Language and Literature, Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan.
Sehrish Ashraf Department of English, The University of Lahore, Sargodha Campus, Sargodha, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47264/idea.jhsms/2.1.9

Keywords:

Red-Indians, marginalized community, survival, anarchist spirit, moccasin games, free state, survivance, communist state

Abstract

The present research aims to explore the struggle of the marginalized community for a free nation, where individuals try to regain their culture. Gerald Vizenor’s The Heirs of Columbus has depicted their longing for survival and cultural liberty. Vizenor has tried to regain the voices of the Native people through trickster stories because these stories have a healing power. The analysis shows that Red-Indians in the late fifteen century were never uncivilized as portrayed by the Western historians and the protagonist resisted for the survival of their unique civilizations. The present research has highlighted that how anarchist spirit stimulated a nation to reclaim their lost culture and identity. Their resistance through anarchist principles leads them towards getting a free state, where every individual try to preserve their culture through trickster stories and moccasin games. The tribal people wanted to represent this state as an anarchist Communist state, where there will be no property and land theft. The people will be free from the burden of taxes and prisons. The study concludes with the suggestion to resist power with anarchist spirit of survivance. Future researches are suggested to focus on the theme of marginalization and its strategies in the present novel.

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Published

2021-08-28

How to Cite

Khan, F., Turkey, A., & Ashraf, S. (2021). The Utopian concept of free state in Gerald Vizenor’s The Heirs of Columbus: An anarchist study. Journal of Humanities, Social and Management Sciences (JHSMS), 2(1), 95–107. https://doi.org/10.47264/idea.jhsms/2.1.9