comment on the influence of english - the language and the way of life - on indian life as reflected in the story. what is the narrator's attitude towards english.
In the story, Ranga's Marriage, the English language serves as a form of currency to gain social standing in the village due to its novelty factor. There were not many people who had command over the language and those who did know English,used the language as a means to show off their economic and social superiority over others. English has becomes the language of the masses nowadays but initially, the knowledge of English was considered to be a prized possession and people used to be in awe of those who knew the language. This fascination with English indicates a colonial hangover,an obsession of the natives to master the language of the British and continuation of the unequal relationship between the colonizers and the colonized. Usage of English words in common parlance or people studying abroad are hardly a cause for surprise nowadays but the situation was different earlier on. However,the narrator cannot understand this element of awe attached to the language. He seems to reprimand those who put people on a pedestal just because they know a foreign language. It seems gimmicky to him and an extremely pretentious act on the part of the English speakers.