“The Man Who Would Be King” Essay Reflective Exercise

Part I

1. I found the contrast between British and local power structures to be interesting, as well as the loafer subculture of British people in India.
2. These themes were interesting to me because they ran counter to the view of the British Empire as uniform and polished, with clearly defined roles and castes.
3. Across Kipling, Shakespeare, and Chaucer, you have the presence of this underclass (e.g. Pistol, the Miller) that plays a crucial but overlooked role.

Part II

1. My final thesis was very close to my original one, however, upon rereading the story I became more anti-Fussell/Kipling.
2. My main challenge was making sure that my argument was targeted and consistent, and only repeated drafting and rereading ensured that it was.
3. I think the strongest part of my paper was my extensive use of the text itself to support my points.
4. If I had more time, I would incorporate more references to Myers in response to Fussell.