1. Who is Rushdie trying to influence with this novel. What is the audience he's trying to reach and what is he trying to express to them?
2. Does Shalimar succeed in saying anything significant about terrorism and the relationship between the East and the West?
3. Where does Rushdie consider himself in the world? If we could have a clearer understanding of his worldliness, we could better understand his perspective in his writing.
4. Why is it important for this educated guy who is given the gift of influence to reinforce certain unpleasant stereotypes? Has he no shame?
5. Often times, Islam is branded as a religion that hates the West merely for its Western-ness. In this sense, there is an idea that a clash between America and the Muslim world is inevitable. What can be said about the parallels between America's prevalent patriotism and the Muslim world's strong loyalty towards Islam and it's ideals? Is patriotism America's answer to Islam?
2) Does Shalimar succeed in saying anything significant about terrorism and the relationship between the East and the West?
ReplyDeleteI feel that Rushdie succeeds in portraying events that parallel those in the real world that lead to terrorism. As we’ve learned in class, particularly for me in Who Speaks for Islam, acts of terror seem to stem from the radical Islamists who see their way of life being condensed and oppressed by the Western world, especially the United States. When General Kachhwaha and the Indian army become progressively barbaric in their treatment of the people of Kashmir, fidayeen bombers arise frequently whereas their presence was virtually unknown before the Indian Army’s intrusion. In Who Speaks for Islam, it was said that many radical Islamists fight back with brutality and suicide bombings typically because they have a pessimistic view of world politics and the treatment of the Eastern world by the West.
5) Often times, Islam is branded as a religion that hates the West merely for its Western-ness. In this sense, there is an idea that a clash between America and the Muslim world is inevitable. What can be said about the parallels between America's prevalent patriotism and the Muslim world's strong loyalty towards Islam and it's ideals? Is patriotism America's answer to Islam?
ReplyDeleteThe Muslim world’s loyalty to Islam seems more rational than the typical example of patriotism I’ve witnessed in the states. Islam has been portrayed by the West as a violent religion in many regards, but when we take a closer look it is actually profoundly peaceful. As I stated before, many radical Islamists lash out when they feel they are being heavily oppressed by the West, and fight back almost like a trapped animal in a cage. When I hear patriotism in the United States, I see a lot of “Support the Troops!” bumper stickers, cheap American flags waved ubiquitously across the country, and an excessive spike in the thirst for war. As if that wasn’t enough, the archetype of a stereotypical Muslim is pasted all over the media, and discrimination of Muslims becomes a commonplace. None of these actions of “patriotism” bring the United States together, or present a respectable image of the Western world. The same could be said of terrorists poorly representing Islam. In both cases, the media will augment the ugly, and tension perpetuates. Patriotism and a strong loyalty to Islam are not what cause conflict, it’s the light we choose to see the other world in that leads to tensions.
1. The only message Rushdie is trying to send is one of compete orientalism. He, I presume, would be very successful in convincing readers that eastern people are inherently evil if they are not train to identify an orientalist text. I feel as though his target audience are people who feel anger towards the east because of past terrorist events. He completely separates the east and west, ultimately promoting binaries between the two.
ReplyDelete2. Personally, I feel that he continues to feed into the stereotypes exposed in Who Speaks for Islam. He basically says that terrorist (like Shalimar) are mystical people with terrible likes. He portrays the terrorists as losers, hungry to kill the "west" based on personal-gone-political motives.
4. It is so important to educate people like Rushdie. He has appeared on CNN, hung on the arms of Olivia Wilde on the red carpet and has a significant readership - he influences people in one way or another. Its like the Kardashians - many people listen to what they say, but most know they are not credible. The problem with Rushdie is that many people think he's credible - he has had a connection to the east, so people feel his opinion on the subject of east and west relations is valuable.
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