The Last Mapmaker

Many stories portray the effects of war and empire expansion from the perspective of a conquered nation. The Last Mapmaker represents a significant departure from this approach, for the novel portrays the effects of imperialism through the naïve eyes of Sai, a citizen of the conquering empire. This point of view places emphasis on the ruling power’s actions and intentions, a characteristic which distinguishes imperialism from colonialism. In An Lung, Sai experiences the hard truth that the costs of war affect even the conquering nation. When she joins an expedition charged with discovering new lands, she learns that the costs of war are far greater than she ever realized. Through Sai’s shifting perspective as she uncovers the truth behind the Queen’s propaganda, The Last Mapmaker exposes the imperialist implications of exploration and discovery.

During the journey, Sai soon learns that knowledge and glory are not the real objects of the voyage. Instead, the expedition focuses upon exploration and discovery as a means to increase the empire’s interests, thereby expanding its profit and power. Sai connects ideas of dominion and profit early in the book when she notes, “One result of winning a war meant that all the conquered places got new names, which was a pretty good deal for someone in the mapmaking business” (13). Her ties to one of the business that benefits, the mapmaking industry, initially makes it difficult for her to see the other side of the equation: the suffering of the conquered peoples.

When Paiyoon’s guilt forces Sai to confront the role of mapmaking role in enabling imperialist exploitation, she attempts to rationalize this effect by telling Paiyoon, “Those maps are your life’s work. They’ve saved lives. Without them, ships would have been dashed to pieces on rocky shores or missed their targets entirely. You should be proud of yourself!” (233). By the story’s resolution, however, Sai accepts that she must choose to either support or oppose her country’s exploitative practices, and she boldly opts to oppose them by choosing names for the Sunderlands that will deter those seeking profit and power.

Ethnocentrism, which is defined as a belief in the superiority of one’s own culture, ethnicity, or nationality, plays a central role in shaping Mangkon’s imperialist ideas about discovery. Paiyoon tells Sai that other people have likely crossed the 50th parallel already but adds, “Of course it doesn’t ‘count’ unless you hoist a Mangkon flag over your head when you do it” (112). His point is that claiming discovery of something which has long been known to other cultures reveals an inherent narcissism in Mangkon’s approach to exploration. Although he is lauded for making maps of places that he has supposedly “discovered,” Paiyoon emphasizes that “every place he ever went had already been discovered by someone else” (327). Such insight is lost on Mr. Larking, who tells Sai, “Yesterday I caught a new species of tuna, […] I believe I’ll name it after myself” (144). Witnessing Mr. Lark’s arrogance helps Sai to recognize that ethnocentrism makes people claim ownership of the things they find, and she realizes that such a practice makes them little better than thieves. The shrine that she and Bo erect in the Sunderlands to honor and thank the local spirits demonstrates her efforts to eschew the tenets of ethnocentrism.

In accordance with this shift in perspective, Sai is confronted with many of the harmful effects of imperialistic exploitation during her journey. As Paiyoon tells Sai, “A growing kingdom needs lumber, materials, food. Why pay for it when you can claim it and call it your own?” (2002). He further describes how Mangkon exploits the lands it conquers when he says, “Look at Fahlin. They surrendered, and we still took everything they had, down to the stumps” (200). His statements move Sai to question how societies like Fahlin’s can survive, even after the war has ended, given that the conquering nation is stealing most of their resources. In a moment of vulnerability, Paiyoon expresses deep grief for such exploitation, and for the role his work has played in it, lamenting that his detailed maps have allowed his fellow citizens to overrun and destroy so many places over the years. His view of his own country is hardly a complimentary one, for he refers to Mangkon itself as “a bloated beast, devouring all her neighbors” (231), and he hates the fact that his country uses his maps to do so. By allowing the character to deliver such a damning diatribe, the author sheds symbolism and subtext entirely, opting instead to insert a straightforward critique of colonialism.

Within this context, the whaling industry provides a stark example of the profit-driven violence and destruction that accompanies imperialist expansion. Witnessing the captivity of a baby whale and the hunting of its pod evokes a powerful emotional response in Sai, for she finds herself wishing that the whalers’ boat would capsize and send them all to the bottom of the sea. This scene truly drives the horror of imperialism home to Sai. Her interactions with selfish people such as Mr. Lark also enlighten her about the various ways that people rationalize such practices, for he claims that harming innocent creatures is against his nature, and is surprised by Paiyoon’s derisive response: “Are you a child? What did you think this trip was about, you fool?” (227). Thus, Paiyoon makes it clear that the purpose of the trip was apparent, but Mr. Lark simply chose not to see it. Similarly, Sai views the Slake’s determination to guard its nest in the Sunderlands as a symbol of all the victims of imperialist exploitation and destruction. She can envision clearly how people would kill the Slake to sell its parts, not caring about its dignity and right to life, and not even caring that it might be the last living dragon. As Sai observes, “They would mount her head in the Queen’s new museum. What a prize she would be: the Slake of the Sunderlands” (332). The compelling imagery in this description adds to its pathos and embodies the imperialist implications of exploration and discovery in a tangible example.