Edward Said Theory

Coming into this class I was expecting to be introduced to literature spanning from the East to the West.  It seems that the course has a more focused purpose, more than just an overview or insight into diverse cultures.  Although unexpected, the idea of analyzing why the West and the East view each other in the ways that they do is intriguing

            In the reading from Edward Said I found the first section about literary critique quite dry but informative.  I did find it interesting to learn about the progression of literary theory.  Many of the ideas such as “worldliness” of the text and of the critic reminded me of readings for the practice of criticism course where I read theory written by Eagleton.  One things that came as a surprise was the idea of the “exile” being better suited mentally to analayze literature.  Having never thought about it, it makes sense that someone exiled from their home would have more experience reading into other cultures.    The experience of being an exile also seems to coincide with the latter part of the reading on Orientalism. This makes Said's writing seem real and gives it exigence.             

            The idea that the “Orient” and the division of the Earth into East and West had never occurred to me as something that was fabricated by imperial powesr, I had just assumed that it was the way things had happened naturally throughout history.  Knowing that imperialistic powers from the West made these distinctions and categorized countries and cultures with their own identities into one entity was perhaps the most shocking realization from the reading.  From this idea the general purpose of this course seems clearer, as I am more aware now of the negative implications that can arise from seemingly harmless categorization.