Planes Trains and Automobiles The Colonization and Imperialistic Powers of the British in David Lean s
British Railroads embody the ambivalent of nature of colonialism and illustrate the power of the British Imperialism. In David Leans Lawrence of Arabia, Nadine Gordimers "The Train from Rhodesia" and Walcott’s “A Far Cry From Africa”, we see the British Railroad running through native countries. The railroad, amongst other items, shows the British Imperialistic power and the way they colonize the natives. In the beginning of the film Lawrence of Arabia, we see a British officer who has no respect for the British, and likes to push their boundaries. ... When Lawrence is sent to Arabia to try and get him out of the way of the operations the British are planning, he realizes that he is not “British” and needs to find himself. Whenever he returns to the British base he always symbolizes something of the Arab culture. ... Lawrence upon his adventures is inflicted with the ultimate pain of trying to be an Arab and help his new “family” out, but at the same time being British from birth. The imperialistic metaphors of power we can see in the film are mostly the railway.