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Introduction to orientalism edward said
Analysis of orientalism
Introduction to orientalism edward said
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Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism manifests itself greatly in ‘Tarzan of the Apes’; displaying that even though Tarzan was born in Africa, he is different and superior to other Africans due to his genetic ancestry. Not only is Tarzan displayed as superior to black men, but he is also shown as superior to other white men as well - being displayed as a new ideal for the white man. The following will be examining Tarzan through Said’s theories of Orientalism - demonstrating that Burroughs treats black Africans as oriental others. The concept of orientalism is demonstrated through having the character Tarzan placed in an unfamiliar environment, where he must then overcome various circumstances. Tarzan is faced with not being as strong as the other apes, however he overcomes this inferiority with the assistance of his self-taught knowledge. This self-taught knowledge is, on its own, a display of superiority to the other Africans because other men were not required to teach themselves. Similarly, in the text, Tarzan makes the choice not to eat Kulonga, which implies that he is superior to the blacks of Africa because they are not intelligent or caring enough to not eat another man. This implies to the reader that perhaps they are not men at all. This further contributes to the idea that there is a concept of “whiteness”, and that in describing an individual as black, you are defining them as different. Conversely, defining a person as white is simply defining them as human. The story of Tarzan of the Apes also displays the concept of ‘whiteness’ through D’Arnot’s description of the tribe who plans to eat him. D’Arnot describes them in terms of animals, beast like, not that of a man. D’Arnot places himself on a level of superiority, ... ... middle of paper ... ...ating people by the color of their skin. Furthermore showing this racism throughout all walks of life even within the novel. This furthers supports Said’s theory of Orientalism in that it is displaying the Westernized world deeming itself as superior to that of the Orient or others. Racism can be seen in Tarzan through Burroughs having the characters think and say things that directly and indirectly imply that the blacks of Africa are inferior. Also having the black Africans carryout cannibalistic rituals that in today’s world would not be accepted by society. By doing this, he has isolated them from the rest of humanity, allowing individuals to see them as an “other”, or something that is not of the same group because of this behavior. Upon examining Tarzan through Said’s theories of Orientalism it is seen that Burroughs treats black Africans as oriental others.
Elizabeth Ammon’s “The Myth of Imperial Whiteness” and Kenneth Bernard’s “Imagery and Symbolism in Ethan Frome” both have two vastly different perspectives on the same work of literature. Ammons goes into extensive detail to support the concept of racism that exists in Ethan Frome. Through the rich usage of symbolism, dynamic and static characters as well as imagery, Bormand offers his analysis on the characterization of Ethan Frome as well. Through the comparison of each critical work’s beginning, or introduction and conclusion, the variations in style and approach are quickly perceived.
people of different ethnicities. Such harm is observed in the history of North America when the Europeans were establishing settlements on the North American continent. Because of European expansion on the North American continent, the first nations already established on the continent were forced to leave their homes by the Europeans, violating the rights and freedoms of the first nations and targeting them with discrimination; furthermore, in the history of the United States of America, dark skinned individuals were used as slaves for manual labour and were stripped of their rights and freedoms by the Americans because of the racist attitudes that were present in America. Although racist and prejudice attitudes have weakened over the decades, they persist in modern societies. To examine a modern perspective of prejudice and racism, Wayson Choy’s “I’m a Banana and Proud of it” and Drew Hayden Taylor’s “Pretty Like a White Boy: The Adventures of a Blue-Eye Ojibway” both address the issues of prejudice and racism; however, the authors extend each others thoughts about the issues because of their different definitions, perspectives, experiences and realities.
The first chapter focuses on the first impressions between the people of different color also the reasons Africans had evolved or changed into what they now appeared to be. The section on causes of complexion was both fascinating and entertaining. Many of the theories were of the wall and far fetched. One such opinion of how Africans gained their complexion that the book gave includes an ancient Greek myth of Phaeton. This character drove a chariot into the heavens and thus altered in his appearance (p11). Though this Greek myth, probably not the truth of how Africans gained their color many did believe it probably had something to do with the sun. The theory of equatorial dwellers of Africa, this being the reason for the skin pigmentation, became illogical once Africans were compared to the Indians living in the hottest parts of the New World (p14). Some believed that the African was merely dark because they had left their colder northern climate. Experiments quickly ruled this out as a possible answer (p15). The most far-fetched and humorous theory came through the biblical illustration involving Noah. Many believed it the curse given upon Noah’s son Ham for “looking upon his father’s nakedness” (p17). Each of these contrasting views on color needed to be used in this book. For no better reason in that it showed from an initial point that the English viewed the color of the Africans as a plague. Instead of excepting that Africans may in fact be different, the English consistently made attempts to explain the dif...
The book, The Jungle, written by Upton Sinclair, has portrayed how conditions and social norms of the early 1900’s helped shape society through social reform. Sexism, racism, and class, shaped the experiences and choices of the immigrants in The Jungle throughout the book. The huge difference between the classes was the most significant of the three. Sinclair used the story of one immigrant and his family to help show what was going on in society at that time, to raise awareness, and to promote socialism.
The portrayal by Apess of the rampant racism that existed in America in his time is accurate and clear. He understood that the nature of racism is found both in the regular citizen as well in the ruling classes or politicians. As an example, during the time Apess wrote his essay, it interracial marriage was illegal in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He mentions this as a direct infringement of the rights of the individual by both the state and society. It is Apess’ argument that the white man doesn’t even consider other races, especially the Native Indian or the Blacks, as qualified to have rights in the first place. The dehumanization of the Indian by the white man allows the latter to oppress and murder the former, to take his land, and to
Though her argument of intersectionality’s effectiveness presents itself though various examples of individuals sharing collective ideals, she is quick to acknowledge the heterogeneous nature of those who attended the rally, despite their unifying connection of desired peace. Such an acknowledgement offers strength to her argument that a ‘reimagined humanity’ beyond simplified, stereotypic imagery and opinions, requires some application of understood differences. Or as she concludes, “…a recognition of another’s ‘difference’ without ‘Othering’.” (Brah 44). With this I easily agree, as ‘Othering’, as Brah offers, is a readily applied tactic to justify the demonization of those individuals and or societies, transgressing the laws of one’s own. Such was undeniably present in the decontextualized portrayals of the Taliban and Afghan culture during 9/11 media coverage, resulting in dehumanized subjects to fear. The power of these tactics is also present in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, as the actions of English “traders” throughout the novella capitalized on such ‘Othering’. This being most apparent in their physical brutality and raids of the Congo for ivory, as they were dependent upon a disassociation from the “Others”, or the non-European “natives”. Marlow himself utilized such narratives, using descriptors like, “The prehistoric man…” (Conrad 32) and “They howled and leaped, and spun, and made horrid faces…” (Conrad 32). Thus creating dehumanizing associations about those living in the Congo consistently, which seemed to ultimately relieve Marlow of moral responsibility. Perhaps not wholly, as he wrestles with such subjects as the story progresses, but surely to a degree which permits racist and imperialistic
The novel is loaded with a plethora of imageries of a hostile white world. Wright shows how white racism affects the behavior, feelings, and thoughts of Bigger.
As an American citizen we seem to make presumption that all cultures are different from ours, and some might even call those cultures weird. Americans fail to realize just how similar we are to these “weird” cultures. By reading Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe and The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald , it makes the reader realize how similar the African culture is from the American culture. There 's those obvious differences we already knew about with the two cultures, but readers can learn that not just American culture value men and give them advantages, but many cultures including 1900 's African culture. In both books we come across two main characters that is portrayed as being more superior compared to others. Okonkwo, main
The monkeys of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book are a very unique group of characters. They are viewed by the other animals of the jungle, or the Jungle People as they call themselves, as outcasts and outlaws. The most prominent chapter they occur in, “Kaa’s Hunting”, shows their lawless, shiftless, and uncivilized way of life. This image in itself does not give off any racist undertone. However, Disney’s adaption of The Jungle Book carries this view of the monkeys, while also giving them strong attributes that are commonly associated with African-Americans.
then thought of their humanity – like yours. Ugly.” [pg.5] Conrad is a kingship, and a kingship is a kingship. Achebe makes the point that this racism is overlooked simply because racism against Africa is a “normal way of thinking” [pg.4].
It is intriguing how Eugene O’Neill stages the audience for The Hairy Ape. When the curtain opens upon the forecastle of the transatlantic liner, the audience is immediately beset by Yank’s seemingly unassailable sense of identity. “Everting else dat makes de woild move, somep’n makes it move. It can’t move without somep’n else, see? Den yuh get down to me. I’m at de bottom, get me!” (261). Yank trumpets himself, in effect, as the prime mover of the industrial world. He “belongs” because that world, like its metonym the ocean-liner, depends upon him to function: “I’m de ting in coal dat makes it boin; I’m steam and oil for de engines . . . Steel, dat stands for de whole ting! And I’m steel—steel—steel!” (261). It is undoubtedly easy for an audience to be swept up by the conviction of Yank’s speech. Nevertheless, O’Neill’s expressionistic imagery, which emphasizes confinement and impotence, almost certainly exposes “Yank’s rhetoric” to be what Marden J. Clark describes as “a frighteningly blind hubris” (373). What Yank sees as evidence of his subjectivity—his association with commodities—is, in actuality, confirmation of his objectivity. In effect, O’Neill creates an explicit discrepancy between dialogue and mise-en-scene, thereby not only demanding the intellectual contribution of his audience to interpret this incongruity but also distancing that audience from Yank through dramatic irony. But O’Neill does more than rely upon irony to distance the play’s spectators and stimulate their critical participation. He draws upon Brechtian alienation techniques to emphasize Yank’s brutish nature in the opening scene. Yank is given to outbursts of violent threats against his fe...
According to Said, one definition of Orientalism is that it is a "style of thought based upon an ontological and epistemological distinction made between 'the Orient' and the 'Occident'." This is connected to the idea that Western society, or Europe in this case, is superior in comparison to cultures that are non-European, or the Orient. This means that Orientalism is a kind of racism held toward anyone not European. Said wrote that Orientalism was "a Western style for dominating, restructuring, and having authority over the Orient." This Western idea of the Orient explains why so many European countries occupied lands they believed to be Oriental.
As Marlow, the main character of the novel, comes across Africans along his journey, his racism shows through his reflections on what he observes. When Conrad refers to Africans through his characters, it seems as if he views them as animals. “Mostly black and nake...
Chinua Achebe states in his essay, “An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness”, that, “Africa is to Europe as the picture is to Dorian Gray--a carrier onto whom the master unloads his physical and moral deformities so that he may go forward, erect and immaculate. Consequently Africa is something to be avoided just as the picture has to be hidden away to safeguard the man’s jeopardous integrity” (Achebe, p. 259-260). Achebe is essentially arguing that Conrad’s portrayal of civilization uses Africa as a scapegoat so that it can hide the hypocrisy of European imperialism. It is not Africa that is responsible for their madness, but it is their own delusion. Additionally, this doubles as a driving force in regards to the creation of Things Fall Apart where Achebe contrasts this theme through the explanation of the Igbo tribe’s structure and order that was in place before the arrival of the
What is racism? Racism can be defined as – “The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.” Racism occurs when a racist group finds it necessary to put down other ethnic groups in an attempt to strengthen their own. A very strong racist comment or action might make the other group feel hurtful, degrading, humiliating. The novel, “Heart of darkness”, written by Joseph Conrad provides such instances which are racist and biased against the people living in Africa.