THE REPRESENTATION OF ARAB MASCULINITY IN THE FICTION OF THE ARAB-AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY NOVELIST SOHIER KHASHOGGI
Abstract
Contemporary Arab-American women's fiction is preoccupied with the Arab male's image. Analyzing Sohier Khashoggi's novels, this paper examines Arab masculinity from the point of view of an Arab-American female writer. It explores her portrayal from a feminist, religious, traditional, and social perspectives. Using these paradigms to understand her way of representation, this paper illustrates how this Arab-American novelist introduces specific key themes concerning the relationship between husband and wife, father and daughter, brother and sister such as individuality, marriage, marital rape, violence, and honor. A key feature of Khashoggi's texts is the manner in which her fiction highlights the negative representation of the Arab male.
Furthermore, this paper draws attention to how the author's fiction, following the stereotypical mainstream, demonstrates the Arab male's supremacy and wickedness by frequently referring to negative traditional practices which Khashoggi introduces as authentic religious laws. It therefore, aims to show how as an Arab-American female writer, who is of a hybrid identity, and whose ideology was passed on either by personal experience or by historical, literary, political, cultural, and mass media discourses, has boldly highlighted in her writings the patriarchal mode of the Arab male by questioning religious and traditional concepts of masculinity.
Hence, this paper evaluates Khashoggi's fiction by shedding light on the way the novelist reshapes the readers' minds through depicting the fierceness and viciousness of the Arab male living in a world governed by patriarchal precepts.
Keywords: Arab-American Fiction, Arab Male, Patriarchal Power, Religion, Tradition
References
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- Aleedan, Kholood. And Aldahsh, M. (2005). Surat almuslimeen wa alarab fi alaalam. صورة المسلمين والعرب في العالم.. [online] Available at: http://www.islamtoday.net/bohooth/artshow-86-5366.htm [Accessed 13 Apr. 2016].
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- Khashoggi, Soheir. (2003). Mosaic. Tom Doherty Associates, LLC. New York.
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- Said, Edward. (1978). Orientalism. London: Penguin Books.
- Shaheen, J.G. (1985). "Media Coverage of the Middle East: Perception and Foreign Policy'. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 4, pp.160-173.
- Shaheen, J. G. (1990). "Our Cultural Demon: The `Ugly' Arab". Washington Post, Outlook Section.
- Shaheen, J. G. (1984). The TV Arab. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
- Smith, Byron Porter. (1977) Islam in English Literature, New York: Caravan.
- Washington, DC. http://www.twf.org/Releases/Fears.html. Why The West Fears Islam: The Enemy Within.
- Qumsiyeh, M. B. (1998). "100 Years of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim stereotyping". [online] The Prism. Available at: http://www.ibiblio.org/prism/jan98/anti_arab.html [Accessed 15 Apr 2016].
- Wallace, R (2015). "Oprah Presents the Prancing Elites ~ The Destruction of the Black Male Image". [online] The Odyssey Project: Empowering Black America through Holistic Engagement. Available at: http://www.theodysseyproject21.com/2015/04/23/oprah-presents-the-prancing-elites-the-destruction-of-the-black-male-image/ [Accessed 14 Apr. 2016].
THE REPRESENTATION OF ARAB MASCULINITY IN THE FICTION OF THE ARAB-AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY NOVELIST SOHIER KHASHOGGI
Abstract
References
- Almujam Alwaseet (2004). المعجم الوسيط. Complex of Arabic Language: Cairo.
- Aleedan, Kholood. And Aldahsh, M. (2005). Surat almuslimeen wa alarab fi alaalam. صورة المسلمين والعرب في العالم.. [online] Available at: http://www.islamtoday.net/bohooth/artshow-86-5366.htm [Accessed 13 Apr. 2016].
- Ghareeb, E. (1983) Split Vision: The Portrayal of Arabs in the American Media. Washington, D.C. American-Arab Affairs Council.
- Jhally, Sut, Jeremy Earp, and Jack G. Shaheen. Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People. Northampton, MA: Media Education Foundation, 2006.
- Kabbani, Rana. (1994). Imperial Fictions: Europe's Myths of the Orient, London: Pandora.
- Khashoggi, Soheir. (1996). Mirage. London: Bantam.
- Khashoggi, Soheir. (1999). Nadia's Song. Tom Doherty Associates, LLC. New York.
- Khashoggi, Soheir. (2003). Mosaic. Tom Doherty Associates, LLC. New York.
- Michalak, Laurence. (1988). "Cruel and Unusual: Negative Images of Arabs in Popular Culture." Washington, DC: ADC Research Institute.
- Morgan, Hani. (2008). "American School Textbooks – How They Portrayed the Middle East from 1898 to 1994". American Educational History Journal, [online] Volume 35 (2), p315-330. Available at: http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ818637 [Accessed 22 Apr 2016].
- Morris International, (1980). The Arab Image in Western Mass Media. London: The 1979 International Press Seminar.
- Muzaffer, Dr. Chandra. http://www.peg.apc.org/~newdawn/misc2.htm#top. Dominant Western Perception of Islam and The Muslims.
- Saheefat Alrakoba, (2015). Riwayat garbiah wa arabiah tushaih surat alarabi.روايات غربية و عربية تشوه صورة العربي [online] Available at: www.alrakoba.net/news-action-show-id-219304.htm [Accessed 22 Apr 2016].
- Said, Edward. (1978). Orientalism. London: Penguin Books.
- Shaheen, J.G. (1985). "Media Coverage of the Middle East: Perception and Foreign Policy'. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 4, pp.160-173.
- Shaheen, J. G. (1990). "Our Cultural Demon: The `Ugly' Arab". Washington Post, Outlook Section.
- Shaheen, J. G. (1984). The TV Arab. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
- Smith, Byron Porter. (1977) Islam in English Literature, New York: Caravan.
- Washington, DC. http://www.twf.org/Releases/Fears.html. Why The West Fears Islam: The Enemy Within.
- Qumsiyeh, M. B. (1998). "100 Years of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim stereotyping". [online] The Prism. Available at: http://www.ibiblio.org/prism/jan98/anti_arab.html [Accessed 15 Apr 2016].
- Wallace, R (2015). "Oprah Presents the Prancing Elites ~ The Destruction of the Black Male Image". [online] The Odyssey Project: Empowering Black America through Holistic Engagement. Available at: http://www.theodysseyproject21.com/2015/04/23/oprah-presents-the-prancing-elites-the-destruction-of-the-black-male-image/ [Accessed 14 Apr. 2016].
Details
| Journal Section | Articles |
|---|---|
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | August 26, 2016 |
| Submission Date | November 6, 2016 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2016Volume: 2 Issue: 5 |
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