LIT3671 - Global Issues in Multicultural Literature

Assesment 1: My interaction with the Other and its Location on Todorov’s Axis

...According to Todorov’s article, my location on Todorov's Typology of Knowledge, would be (-x, 0, 0). I would be considered as more of a Cortez and Conquest or Columbus scenario. As Todorov notes that the epistemilogical axis in particular is an endless gradation and so Cortés’ location on the x axis can be compared to that of Columbus in a positive trend. Cortez did not see the Indians as subjects in the sense of being comparable to himself, but neither did he see them as objects. This is the same situation I faced at the lunch table, the other kinds did not consider me as part of them, but rather “the weird girl.” The children had no prior knowledge of my lunch habits, as Columbus did not have any knowledge of the Native Americans. The children also had no desire to learn more about me, like Columbus, rather than Cortez. On the axiological level, Cortés rates lower than Columbus. I also feel like my encounter ranked lower than Columbus’ because they rejected me as part of their own. This entirely negative value judgment of the Other, made my encounter negative on the axiological level. Praxeologically, the children did not ask me to assimilate into their group but instead I was shunned to continue to be weird on my own terms. Therefore, I rate this at 0. That is why I would locate my encounter at (-x, 0, 0).