Question

Which one of the following best explains the primary purpose of the discussion of the colonisation of the Banda islands in "The Nutmeg's Curse"?

• A. To illustrate how systemic violence against the colonised constituted the cornerstone of colonialism.
• B. To illustrate how colonialism represented and perpetuated the mindset that has led to climate change.
• C. To illustrate the role played by the cultivation of certain crops in the plantation mode in contributing to climate change.
• D. To illustrate the first instance in history when the processes responsible for climate change were initiated.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

"These are the two points to which Ghosh returns through examples from around the world. One, how European colonialists decimated not only indigenous populations but also indigenous understanding of the relationship between humans and Earth. Two, how this was an invasion not only of humans but of the Earth itself, and how this continues to the present day by looking at nature as a 'resource' to exploit…."

The passage explores how the colonization of the Banda islands, as depicted in "The Nutmeg's Curse," serves as an illustration of the broader concept that colonialism played a significant role in shaping the attitudes and behaviors that have contributed to climate change. It depicts the exploitation of both indigenous populations and the Earth's resources during colonial times as a crucial factor in perpetuating the perspective that views nature merely as a resource to be exploited, thereby exacerbating the environmental challenges faced today. Thus, the primary objective of discussing the colonization of the Banda islands is to underscore how colonialism represented and perpetuated the mindset that has ultimately led to climate change.

The correct option is (B):To illustrate how colonialism represented and perpetuated the mindset that has led to climate change..