Orientalism

How does your text reflect or confirm Said’s ideas about Orientalist discourse? Does your text complicate Said’s argument? Do the depictions of Oriental “Others” in your text reflect embedded cultural notions and stereotypes Said believes are promulgated through Orientalist discourse? Does the East/West binary remain in place in your text or are the boundaries between these two ostensible opposites blurred at any point? Does the text you’ve chosen point to a counterargument to Said’s piece?

Said states that,”Orientalism is an entrenched structure of thought, a pattern making certain generalizations about the part of the world known as the ‘East’. In this short essay I will be comparing Said’s idea of the entrenched mindset that is witnessed with in the novel and comparing it to another form of entrenched thought. The comparison although unorthodox will both display how the British in general were the main culprits in their oppressive mindset and how enforcing the norms and ideologies were a grueling process.
The novel 1984 by George Orwell is a classic display of what the oppressive government is capable of. Within the novel the main character in there are many-situation of the British government imposing their ideology on the blue-collar population and society in general. Although fiction in nature the novel is also very similar to the real world in the punishment and torture apprehended. The totalitarian regime could be contrasted with the aggressive and manipulative nature in which Mustapha the main character within Season of Migration to the North is depicted. The government within 1984 is a pervasive, surveillance-obsessed government that watches each and every move of each member within society. Members are therefore not afforded the freedom to do as they please. Human rights and freedom in general is the main theme of the book and the banners scattered within the city that read: “WAR IS PEACE; FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH” and “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU “show the image of a brainwashed and disillusioned society.
The text tends to vindicate Said’s argument due to the fact that the government is so fixated and obsessed with this ideology they’ve created of a rebellious and dangerous society. There is therefore this highly volatile aggressive nature to the government and their actions. The government is guilty of constant propaganda; hence the government is always right. In the same way Mustapha woes English women by telling stories of a falsified past when he is in the midst of Orientanlism the British government manipulates history to suit them. So it would be logical to compare Mustapha to the regime in the nature of his actions. Mustapha is born on the day colonialism begins and disappears prior to its dissipation. Mustapha is the colonist. He is imposing revenge by manipulating British women and in turn colonizing them. Said’s believes of stereotypes of the Orientalist discourse are somewhat evident in that there is equally violent treatment amongst the individuals that are not affiliated with the government. The binary remains in place however the structure changes because the oppressed are subjected to such volatile action that they are resigned and accept and come to love the oppressor at the end.

The counterargument exists because Said’s text sees the colonial individual garner the strength to fight the colonizer although Mustapha is the oppressor he is also an anti-Hero in that he goes about liberating or avenging his nation In Orwell’s 1984 the brainwashing is so drastic that that society has no choice but to crumble and learn to love “BIG BROTHER”.