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395068

Resisting Orientalism in Hwang's Fresh off the Boat

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Last updated: 25 Dec 2024

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Abstract

        Orientalism, according to Edward Said, is a constructed idea of the Orient that differs from its real image, as it positions the West over the Orient in a hierarchical order. Thus, the discourse of Orientalism accentuates the polarity of self/other. The Other is hence often restrained by the stereotypical representations of the domineering group. These anachronistic depictions are signs of how Orientalism breaks in upon the Other's space and identity. However, the power of Orientalism can be resisted through exposing its aspects to criticism. In that way, Orientalism can ironically give power to the subservient subject. That is what David H. Hwang, an Asian American writer, tries to do in his Fresh off the Boat (1979). In this play, he aims at contesting and resisting Orientalism through criticizing the representation of Asian Americans in America. Then he suggests ways through which they can re-appropriate their stereotypical representations and set themselves free from the fetters of Orientalism. The most effective means of doing that, according to Hwang, is through adhering to one's mythic past. That is to say, for Asian Americans to achieve relocation, they must refer to the literary legend of the past. In brief, this proposed paper will attempt to point up how Hwang resists Orientalism in his play FOB.

DOI

10.21608/herms.2016.395068

Keywords

Orientalism, Edward Said, David Hwang, Asian Americans, Self and Other- Postcolonialism, resistance, Assimilation or rejection, FOB

Authors

First Name

Gihan

Last Name

Mahmoud

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Affiliation

Assistant Professor at English Department, Faculty of Arts, Cairo University

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Volume

5

Article Issue

3

Related Issue

51864

Issue Date

2016-07-01

Receive Date

2024-12-04

Publish Date

2016-07-01

Page Start

163

Page End

189

Print ISSN

2090-8555

Online ISSN

2974-4695

Link

https://hermes.journals.ekb.eg/article_395068.html

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https://hermes.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=395068

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7

Type

المقالة الأصلية

Type Code

1,100

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

هرمس

Publication Link

https://hermes.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Resisting Orientalism in Hwang's Fresh off the Boat

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Article

Created At

25 Dec 2024