An Upbeat Ending

The central character in Burmese, Flory, is given a physical sign that he is doomed from the start of the story. It is the ugly birthmark, that Orwell describes so vividly, that runs across his cheek. Flory has been in Burma for years. He has lived in the relentless heat, the cloistered expatriate community, working closely with the ‘maneuverable’ natives…nearly rotting away.

Suddenly this lovely young, British blossom arrives and Flory believes that she is the cure to all of his illnesses and defective self-esteem. First a few petals wither on the flower, when the audience learns how Elizabeth feels about art and education. The bitter tone of the book increases as we see that Elizabeth has a few thorns in her revulsion and racism towards the natives. Then we discover that the flower is actually a weed when Elizabeth dumps Flory for a man with a title, but blames the breakup on the fact that Flory had a Burmese lover (something that appeared to be quite common among the British).

Flory is able to take up with Elizabeth again when Verrall leaves for another assignment. Condemned from the start, we know that things will get worse for Flory again. No sooner than the courtship recommences does Ma Hla May, the puppet native, appear and create a spectacle by noisily demanding that Flory pay her. Elizabeth Lackersteen turns from Flory when he offers to explain, and Flory, in the utmost dejection, returns to his house, shoots his faithful dog, and then turns his pistol on himself.

The surprise in all of this is that the last chapter is a bit more upbeat after all the desolation. U Po Kyin is admitted to the British Club and decorated by the Indian government for putting down the rebellion. He is a grossly obese ‘crocodile’ and soon after his rewards, he dies of apoplexy. The biggest e surprise is that Macgregor proposes marriage to Elizabeth Lackersteen, who accepts and remains in Burma.