Looks at exoticism in Lady Mary Wortley Montagu's "Letters", and Jean Dumont's "A New Voyage to the Levant".
Comparison Essay # 150395 |
2,005 words (
approx. 8 pages ) |
5 sources |
MLA | 2012
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$ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that exoticism in non-fiction is not inherent in things, places or people but rather reflects a quality projected upon them by writers using various approaches. Next, the author shows that Jean Dumont in his "A New Voyage to the Levant" presented the East as being foreign and exotic by showing how it differs from the West and uses typical stereotypes of orientalism, which is itself a form of the exotic. Whereas, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu's in her "Letters " compares the newness of the East to the West letting her readers get a sense of what it is like and tries to break down the stereotypes of orientalism. The paper concludes that these differences in presentation are due to their genders and the genders of their target audience.
From the Paper
"It is obvious that Dumont is less sympathetic and accepting of the differences he perceives in Turkey than Montagu appears to be in her Letters. Dumont s descriptions often appear to be hostile and racist, yet are typical of someone writing about a land he believes is in need of further colonisation: the East is different and therefore it needs to be saved. However despite this there is one aspect of Eastern life which though different he would gladly accept. This comes in the form of the customs surrounding Turkish women, where a man is "permitted to marry four lawful wives... [or] twenty concubines if they please... not to mention the pretty slaves whom they buy and sell. Those weary of their wives may turn "em away when they please" . Dumont goes on to ask his reader "Is it not pleasant and commodious? Tis a pity that we have not such a fashion..." . Through his descriptions of the following Dumont gives his reader a representation of a world unlike their own, and through his use of giving explanations which are completely opposite to his Western culture and society, he is successful in constructing an exotic piece of writing."
Tags:colonisation, stereotypes, genders, turkish, realistic
Canadians and Native Stories
A look at answer to Lenore Keeshig-Tobias question of why Canadians are so obsessed with native stories from her essay "Stop Stealing Native Stories".
Analytical Essay # 46674 |
2,043 words (
approx. 8.2 pages ) |
12 sources |
MLA | 2003
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$ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes how in her in her essay "Stop Stealing Native Stories" , Lenore Keeshig-Tobias refers to non-native authors' interest in telling native stories as "cultural theft" and the "theft of voice". In order to comprehensively understand Lenore Keeshig-Tobias' argument, it explores Canadian society and defines and contrasts opinions on what it is to be "indigenous" to a land. It also looks at the importance of Canada's well-known native poets in particular, Marilyn Dumont and E. Pauline Johnson.
From the Paper
"Another of E. Pauline Johnson's interests was the depiction of Natives in white literature. The decision to include Natives and the way in which they were portrayed was a topic she explored as a part of her essay, "A Strong Race Opinion: On the Indian Girl in Modern Fiction". Marilyn Dumont shows similar interests in her involvement in representing "part of a new literary trend that encourages indigenous writers to create more realistic images of Native women and ultimately break down the established misrepresentations portrayed in non-Native literature." (Kobayas) In exploring Natives in non-Native literature in such a way, both Johnson and Dumont are acknowledging that white Canadians do, indeed, write Native stories or perhaps stories with Native characters in them."
Tags:anthropology, culture, dumont, indian, indigenity, johnson, marilyn, metis, pauline