Analysis #7
May 10, 2011
The construction of the binary known as the East/West Binary was founded by Edward Said, and was a key factor in the postcolonial theory. The argument of Said was that the Occident could not live without the Orient and vice versa. Therefore, Said’s deduction was that power and knowledge are inseparable; “The West’s’ claim to knowledge of the East gave the ‘West’ the power to name, and the power to control” (Postcolonialism 2). Orientalism denotes the East or Orient while the Occident refers to the West. The term “orientalist” was used since the 18th century to describe a scholar of Oriental studies; however, “orientalism” has been used to describe many 19th century artists, specializing in “Oriental” subjects.
Edward Said, a Palestinian-American, declared a “subtle and persistent Eurocentric prejudice against Arabo-Islamic peoples and their culture” (Postcolonialism 2). He felt that study of the Islamic civilization by the Westerners was strictly political intellectualism based on self-affirmation versus an objective study. This process is a tool used by imperialist domination which is actually a form of racism. Said was involved with the struggle for Palestinian statehood as well as other functions that brought him under scrutiny by the FBI. He was in opposition of many of the US foreign policy endeavors regarding the Middle East and elsewhere.
Said claims that “Western writings about the Orient depict it as an irrational, weak, feminized ‘Other,’ contrasted with the rational, strong, masculine West” (Said 3). His heartfelt feelings and desires seemed to encompass the Palestinians and their welfare. He did not mind expressing his true feelings about the United States even though he lived here.
In the Disney video of Aladdin, two clashing sides are seen—culture and nature. Genie brandishes a mixed profile—a variety pack of American celebrities, actors, and showmen. His character associates with the image of atomic power (a cloud-like steam figure). The transcendental figure appears closely connected to culture while the genie-essence is related to myths and legends of the Arab world; however, his forms and the people he embodies are of American and Western culture. The introductory song carries the character of Genie while his form reveals Arab cultural references. Different Western personalities are visible along with lyrics and point-of-view. American cultural elements saturate the song while Arabesque has an association with the melody. Oh I come from a land, from a faraway place
Where the caravan camels roam
Where it’s flat and immense
And the heat is intense
It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home
When the wind’s from the east
And the sun’s from the west
And the sand in the glass is right
Come on down
Stop on by
Hop a carpet and fly
To another Arabian night
Arabian nights
Like Arabian days
More often than not
Are hotter than hot
In a lot of good ways
Arabian nights
‘Neath Arabian moons
A fool off his guard
Could fall and fall hard
Out there on the dunes
Works Cited
“A Whole New World.” Borthaiser, Nora. Americana-E-Journal. Dragon Web. Volume IV Number I, Spring 2008.
5 November 2005. Web. 16 May 2011. http://americanaejournal.hu/vo14no1/borthaiser#
“Edward Said.” En.wikipedia.org. Wikipedia. 13 May 2011.
Web. 15 May 2011.
Leitch, Vincent B., ed. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.
New York: W. W. Norton and Company. 2010. Print.
“Postcolonialism.” En.wikipedia.org. Wikipedia. 20 April 2011.
Web. 15 May 2011.
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