Edward Said article-- States - Essay Example

9th February Assignment Palestine has always held a wondrous idea in people’s minds with respect to the conflict that it has been caught upwithin all these years and the manner in which people have still been carrying out their daily lives, albeit without ease, but with a sense of determination. In Edward Said’s States, the author takes time to emotionally map out the experiences that he underwent while being exiled out of Palestine, his homeland, and the physically as well as the mentally pressing issues that he felt.

Even though he left the country as a child in order to avail of better opportunities, he finds himself in the midst of an identity crisis – something that many people around the world suffer today. It is very difficult to ascertain one’s identity and most people attach it to their ancestors and their homeland. Said on the other hand, left Palestine as a young child without having developed a rational sense of thinking and scientific temper and thus finds it tough to form a connection with Palestine in the present day – something that has been consistently talked about in his article.

An identity crisis takes place when an individual becomes unsure of the role that he has to play in his life; many a time this may be attributed to travelling during one’s fledgling years and or not knowing the family to which one may be affiliated to. Erik Erikson, the theorist that coined the very term, has linked this crisis to the childhood of an individual. In the present case, the same can be understood by reading about Said’s departure from Palestine when he was a young boy. (Cherry, K) He studied abroad and developed American ideals as he grew older.

The images and impressions that he has of Arabs and Muslims residing in Palestine are very different from the reality situation and this puts him in a tough spot when he begins to talk about his childhood. He has no memories of the country to reminisce and he feels inadequate in this regard. He has tried very excellently to explain the mechanism of Arabs and Muslims in the current scenario however finds that he can only do so with the help of Western ideals and imagery. He feels betrayed by his own ideas of a melting pot.

(Visual Memoir: Edward Saids "States") Another issue that has been touched upon greatly is the idea of race and ethnicity. America today contains a hybrid mixture of people belonging to various cultures and ethnic groups as opposed to places like Palestine where it is difficult for even a single group of people to survive. One’s race and ethnicity also amounts to the understanding of his identity and exploration of their descent. This is something many students and individuals around the world living away from their home countries are subject to and with time, as talked about in the article, they begin to form their own communities in order to feel at home and not ‘displaced’.

In conclusion, Said’s article explores a plethora of topics including contemporary issues ranging from race and ethnicity as well as displacement from one’s home country leading to an identity crisis that many people are trying to overcome in the modern world. Works Cited"Visual Memoir: Edward Saids "States"" Visual Memoir: Edward Saids "States" N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2013.Cherry, K. "Identity Crisis - Theory and Research." About.com Psychology. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2013.