Exploring the Dominance of 'Commonwealth Literature' in the Man Booker Prize. Holding on to a Lost Empire?

Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,7, Humboldt-University of Berlin (Centre for British Studies), course: Empire and Commonwealth History, language: English, abstract: This paper delves into the intriguing trend observed since the inception of the Man Booker Prize in 1969, where nearly half of the winners have hailed from the former colonies, a phenomenon unique among prestigious literary awards. Notably, the trend persisted beyond 2007, with works like "e;The White Tiger"e; from India winning in 2008. This study compares the Booker Prize with other literary honours, examining its exceptional public profile and influence. The primary questions addressed include: Why do novels by citizens of former colonies or minority communities in Britain thrive in the United Kingdom? How can we categorize these works, and do they authentically portray former colonies and multicultural Britain? The paper aims to elucidate the role of 'Commonwealth literature' in the Booker Prize, investigating the meaning of this term and exploring alternative categorizations. Chapter two provides a concise history of the Man Booker Prize and its remarkable success. Chapter three delves into the definition of 'Commonwealth literature' and explores more precise terms for the novels under consideration. Lastly, Chapter four conducts an analysis to unveil the factors contributing to the prominence of these novels in the Booker Prize. The paper concludes with an overview of key findings, shedding light on the unique relationship between the Booker Prize and literature from the Commonwealth.