Edward Saids Orientalism and its Implication for Reading Literary Texts - Research Proposal Example

Edward Said’s Orientalism and its Implication for Reading Literary Texts (Dissertation Proposal) INTRODUCTION The object of this paper is a proposalin support a dissertation and to state the approach to the work, research, and materials in support of the working thesis. The thesis is based on the theories of Edward Said’s Orientalism and its Implication for Reading Literary Texts. Edward Said “lived and taught at Columbia,”1, and in the latter part of his life focused on the ideas of imperialism, colonialism and nationalism, which led to his book, Orientalism (1979).2 Said held that contemporary Oriental literature legitimized colonialism.3 Said was influenced in his thinking and theories by the work of Foucault and Gramsci.4 “In Orientalism,” Said argued that Western cultural representations of the Orient contributed directly to legitimizing European rule over imperial territories. Far from being an abstract body of ideas, such representations were a means of exercising cultural leadership or hegemony. Oriental writers, from different periods and places, employed a relatively set repertoire of tropes that ‘put the Westerner in a whole series of possible relationships with the Orient without ever losing him the relative upper hand. These Orientalist structures of reference and attitude were, what is more, largely self-referential; Said noticed that writers would frequently echo each other. In fact, Orientalist writers often had very little first-hand experience of people and places in the East. According to Said, the discourse of Orientalism – that is, the repeated use and circulation of statements about the Orient – took on the status of ‘truths’ declaimed with authority by Europeans. Orientalists produced this knowledge about the Orient because they enjoyed the unilateral power of representation. Orientalism production of knowledge was not merely a conceptual exercise; it had far-reaching and profound material effects because it became the basis for imperial policy (p. 1).” The goal here will be to select a primary work by an Oriental writer-author as the focus of the study, and to selected a novel by the author’s to compare and contrast with other Oriental authors and existing body of works, including other works from the author’s own body of work; to understand whether or not Edward Said’s theories of Oriental literature is reflected in the author’s work. The questions that will be asked and analyzed through the literature will help determine whether or not the author in fact is a reflection of Said’s criticism, or has preserved the Oriental perspective. The questions that will be answered through the research conducted by me are: Does the selected primary source present multicultural interactions? Does the selected primary source feature culturally diverse characters? Is the protagonist an Oriental protagonist? Is the antagonist an Oriental antagonist? Is the setting a pre or postcolonial one? Does the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist arise out of colonialism, nationalism, or is it unrelated? How do the characters interact with another to overcome or resolve the conflict as it relates to Orientalism? Does the author take a nationalistic perspective in presenting the Oriental character? Does the author give the non-Oriental character(s) a nationalistic attitude towards the Oriental character(s)? Does the author, through the work, bring into focus Said’s most outspoken criticism of contemporary Oriental authors, and use the selected work to legitimize colonialism? Contemporary Authors Considered In making the selection of an author whose work serves as the focus of the proposed dissertation, a list was compiled of the existing contemporary Oriental authors. Contemporary, for purposes of this dissertation proposal and work, is defined as an author whose work is written and published in the twentieth or twenty-first centuries. The author, while having successfully written and published other scholarly journal articles, essays and other potentially published works; must have written at least one successfully published and received work of fiction. The authors meeting the criteria whose work was considered are: Rudyard Kipling (1901) Kim (the only work produced in the twentieth century) Salman Rushdie (2005). Shalimar the Clown (1981). Midnight’s Children (1983). Shame (1995) The Moor’s Last Sigh (1999) The Ground Beneath Her Feet (2001) Fury Arundhati Roy () The God of Small Things V.S. Naipul (1961) A House For Mr. Biswas Vikram Seth (19) A Suitable Boy Anita Desai (1999) Fasting, Feasting The ultimate decision to use Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children (1981) was made because of the vast body of work produced by the author, whose own work would provide secondary sources for comparison and contrast in addition to the other authors and their works selected for that purpose. What the selection process reveals, too, is that there is a rich body of work from which to select to discuss the dissertation topic and from which to address the questions that will be raised in the dissertation. The selection compiled shows, too, a steadily increasing number of authors joining this esteemed list of authors. The approach to the dissertation will be one of selecting the primary author and source from amongst contemporary Oriental authors/novelists. The focus will be a work of fiction written by the author. There will be a selection of literature and journal articles, no web site, to support the thesis, and answer the questions which put the thesis into perspective and lead to a logical conclusion based on the research. As is the case of all dissertations, this writer will work closely with the advisor (s) towards the goal of a comprehensive and informative work product. The guidance and wisdom of the advisor is both sought after, and appreciated in advance for the support and opportunity it affords this author to produce a work that is of value to readers, researchers, and students, and which will in and of itself be rewarding through the experience of researching and writing on this most interesting subject. Outline Title Page Abstract a. One paragraph, about 200 words Keywords a. Said, Edward b. Colonialism c. Post-colonialism d. Orientalism e. Multicultural f. Contemporary English Literature Acknowledgments Table of Contents List of Illustrations, Tables and Figures (probably none) Chapter I. Introduction a. Background A1 Said’s Theories b. Nature of the problem c. Significance of the study d. Objective of the study e. Thesis f. Organization of the chapters Chapter II . Literature Review a. The specific works used b. The process by which the works were selected c. Comparing/Contrasting the works C1 Colonialism C2 Post-Colonialism C3 Nationalism C4 Cultural Imperialism d. The relevance of the works to the thesis Chapter II Methodology a. Will discuss the methodology employed by this researcher in selecting the literature for the dissertation. It will describe the process, other sources available – for the student or researcher who wants to use this dissertation in conjunction with perhaps a comparative study; and it will provide support for the selections made for use in this dissertation writing and process. Chapter II Results a. Discussion on the thesis b. Argument in support of/lack of support c. Outcome The resulting research and findings will be whether or not the author has written from a perspective which accepts and projects, or rejects Orientalism, as demonstrated through the story and the character interactions in such a way that the work lends itself towards successful assimilation of cultural diversity, but preserving the cultural identity of Orientalism; or if it legitimizes colonial rule, rejecting the essence of Orientalism, thus, the eliminating the true Oriental cultural perspective as Said suggested.. Conclusion a. What the direction of future approaches to the study on the might be b. Bring together and summarize the findings undertaken c. What did the research reveal d. Weaknesses, problems remaining e. How does the research contribute the understanding of the thesis f. Conclusion The following bibliography of works and authors that has been compiled does not reflect the publisher information, since some of the individual books have not been received by me at this point, but research on the author and work for purposes of this proposal would support the inclusion of the authors and books in the dissertation research and writing. Bibliography (Bibliography Subject to Revision With Approval) Arundhati, Roy (1998) The God of Small Things Desai, Anita (1999) Fasting, Feasting Kipling, Rudyard (1901) Kim Naipul, V.S. (1961) A House For Mr. Biswas Said, Edward (1979) Orientalism; New York City, New York; Knopf Publishing Group: United States. Salman Rushdie (1981). Midnight’s Children (was Shame). (1995) The Moor’s Last Sigh (1999) The Ground Beneath Her Feet (2001) Fury (2005). Shalimar the Clown (May opt to use fewer Rushdie’s works for specific reference). Vikram, Seth (2005) A Suitable Boy The Bibliography The bibliography provided here is subject to change, depending on each work’s relevance to the overall dissertation. As of this proposal, the bibliography is extensive, but intended to show a vast body of work exists from which to select, and from which to draw upon in working through and writing this dissertation. However, at this time, this body of work seems both appropriate and substantial as to allow this writer to work towards the goal of the dissertation. Journal and news articles will be introduced as secondary sources for support of views and ideas. While the following is a bibliography of some of those works, and types of work, this bibliography is not “cast in stone,” and should be considered for its contribution to the overall dissertation, and therefore considered to be subject to change at this author’s discretion. The following are some of the support sources that might be used, and while some may be added or subtracted, they are presented to support the vast body of information and discussion on the topic from which the thesis of the dissertation arises. Works Cited Boggs, Grace Lee. 1990. Beyond Eurocentrism. Monthly Review, February, 12+. http://questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002154686. Film. 2004. The Evening Standard (London, England) : 6. http://questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5005944182. Kietzman, Mary Jo. 1998. Montagus Turkish Embassy Letters and Cultural Dislocation. Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 38, no. 3: 537+. http://questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001367800. Orientalism. 2004. Manila Bulletin, August 31, NA. http://questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5006869663. Ramadan, Yasmine. 2005. A Bibliographical Guide to Edward Said. Alif: Journal of Comparative Poetics , no. 25: 270+. http://questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5010910788. Randall, Don. 1998. Post-Mutiny Allegories of Empire in Rudyard Kiplings Jungle Books. Texas Studies in Literature and Language 40, no. 1: 97-120. http://questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=97370179. Rege, Josna E. 1997. Victim into Protagonist? Midnights Children and the Post-Rushdie National Narratives of the Eighties. Studies in the Novel 29, no. 3: 342+. http://questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001521970. Rothkopf, David. 1997. In Praise of Cultural Imperialism. Foreign Policy, Summer, 38+. http://questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001524708. Siddiqi, Yumna. 2005. Edward Said, Humanism and Secular Criticism. Alif: Journal of Comparative Poetics , no. 25: 65+. http://questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5011756345. Windschuttle, Keith. 2000. Rewriting the History of the British Empire. New Criterion, May, 5. http://questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001745224. Yacoubi, Youssef. 2005. Edward Said, Eqbal Ahmad, and Salman Rushdie: Resisting the Ambivalence of Postcolonial Theory. Alif: Journal of Comparative Poetics , no. 25: 193+. http://questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5011744754. Read More