What Happens in Afghanistan, Does Not Stay in Afghanistan

55 Pages·2016·0.4 MB·English

by  Katrine Ørnehaug Dale

What Happens in Afghanistan, Does Not Stay in
Afghanistan

Understanding American Literary Representations of
Afghanistan Through a New Orientalist Approach

Katrine Ørnehaug Dale

A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Literature, Area Studies and European
Languages
UNIVERSITY OF OSLO

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the MA Degree
Spring 2016
30 Point Master´s Thesis

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What Happens in Afghanistan, Does Not
Stay in Afghanistan

Understanding American Literary Representations of
Afghanistan Through a New Orientalist Approach

“The challenge is to see each other´s humanity”
– Fatemeh Keshavarz

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© Katrine Ørnehaug Dale

2016

What Happens in Afghanistan, Does Not Stay in Afghanistan: Understanding American
Literary Representations of Afghanistan Through a New Orientalist Approach

Katrine Ørnehaug Dale

http://www.duo.uio.no

Printed: Reprosentralen, University of Oslo

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Abstract

This study presents a thorough representation of how New Orientalist narrative is evident in
Khaled Hosseini´s The Kite Runner (2003), Susan Froetschel´s Fear of Beauty (2013), and
Trent Reedy´s Words in the Dust (2011) in order to understand how American authors
portray Afghanistan in contemporary fiction. By presenting a historical and socio-political
framework for New Orientalism and highlighting how examples of this is evident through
what is being referred to as the American presence, this study presents an understanding of
how fiction can serve to reinforce and emphasize negative stereotypes and misconceptions.
The analysis draws on theories such as Mahmood Mamdani´s “good” vs. “bad” Muslims,
Hamid Dabashi´s “Native Informers”, and Samuel P. Huntington´s “clash of civilizations” in
order to highlight how the examples of New Orientalist narrative influence the Western
public´s understanding of Afghanistan and its culture and people.

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Acknowledgments

To my advisor, Rebecca Scherr, I am grateful for your continuous support and belief in my
work. Thank you for introducing me to the world of humanitarian literature, and raising my
awareness around important issues. Your positivity, constructive input, and patience with me
as I worked through these ideas have meant a great deal to me. You were a valuable resource
through the entire process: from the very first idea to the completion of my work. I really
appreciate it.

To the English Department at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, USA. Thank you
for making me feel welcome and providing me with the support I needed. A special thanks to
Corinna McLeod for showing interest in my research and providing me with useful advice, I
appreciate you taking the time.

To my fellow students who have laughed and cried with me throughout this journey – thank
you! – You know who you are.

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Table of contents

Introduction
 ..............................................................................................................
 1

1
  The
 Kite
 Runner
 ..................................................................................................
 9

1.1
  The
 Westernized
 Protagonist
 and
 the
 Bad
 Muslim
 ............................................
 13

1.2
  Ideological
 Homeland
 and
 Changing
 Families
 .....................................................
 17

2
  Fear
 of
 Beauty
 &
 Words
 in
 the
 Dust
 ...........................................................
 23

2.1
  Imperial
 Feminism
 ........................................................................................................
 27

2.2
  Clash
 of
 Civilizations
 .....................................................................................................
 29

2.3
  Good
 Americans
 and
 Bad
 Muslims
 ...........................................................................
 33

2.4
  The
 Heroic
 American
 Soldiers
 ...................................................................................
 37

Conclusion
 ..............................................................................................................
 41

Works
 Cited
 ............................................................................................................
 43

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