Discourses of Orientalism and Counter - Orientalism in Post- September 11 Movies: United 93 and Rendition
Abstract
The tragedy of September 11 was a world-changing
event, as it penetrated the inner crevices of human consciousness and
inaugurated a new World Order governed by a discourse of Orientalism and
counter-Orientalism. The symbolical value of attacks became a powerful tool to prove
historical conflicts between East and West conflicts, arouse psychological
fears and anxieties, and justify the use of force against an enemy who had
brought this unfortunate day on the United States. The artistic works produced in response to
the attacks became the topic of critical debate about how to portray the
attacks. The representation of the Muslim “Other” is one of the issues
addressed in this debate. In the wake of the terrorist attacks, post-September
11 movies responded to the Orientalist discourses and stereotyping that
dominated mainstream media. Some filmmakers reproduced the same stereotypical
image of the “Other” while others challenged these stereotypes and Orientalist
discourses. The present paper analyzes the representation of the Muslim “Other”
in two movies: Paul Greengrass’ United 93 (2006) and Gavin Hood’s Rendition
(2007). This juxtaposition is meant to present perspectives on the
September 11 attacks among movie directors. I
investigate continuities and transformations of Orientalism in both movies. My analysis indicates that United 93 reinforces and perpetuates
orientalist discourses while Rendition refutes the same discourse by
employing a more balanced approach.
Keywords
References
- Ahmad, Leila. (2008). Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate. New Haven: Yale University Press. Boston. Print. Ashcroft, Bill, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin. (2002) The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post-colonial Literatures. New York: Routledge, 2002. Print. Butler, Judith. (2001)“Giving an Account of Oneself.” Diacritics 31.4: 22-40. Clifford, James. (1980). Review Orientalism by Edward Said. History and Theory 19.2 204-23. Ebert, Roger. “Rendition.” 18 October 2007. Accessed March 30 2015. Web. Ford, Elisabeth.(2001). “Hollywood’s Take On September 11.” In Horror After September 11; World of Fear, Cinema and Terror. Ed. Aviva Briefel and Sam J. Miller. University of Texas Press. Grewal, Inderpal. (2003) “Transnational America: Race, Gender and Citizenship after September 11.” Social Identities: Journal for the Study of Race, Nation and Culture: 9.4 535-561. Gray, Richard. (2001) J. After the Fall: American Literature since September 11. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley,. Kumar, Malreddy Pavan. (2004).“Introduction: Orientalism(s) after September 11.” Journal of Postcolonial Writing: 33-40. Khalid, Maryam. (2011). “Gender, Orientalism and Representations of the ‘Other’ in the War on Terror.” Global Change, Peace & Security 23.1: 15-29. Lebling, Bob. (1980). “Orientalists.” Review Orientalism by Edward Said. Journal of Palestine Studies: 118-122. Rendition. Dir. Gavin Hood. New Line Cinema: 2007. Rothberg, Michael. (2009). “A Failure of the Imagination: Diagnosing the Post- September 11 Novel, A Response to Richard Gray.” American Literary History 21.1 : 152- 158. Rickli, Christina. (2009). “An Event ‘Like a Movie’? Hollywood and September 11.” COPAS: Current Objectives of Postgraduate American Studies 10. Ross, Stevens. (2014). Movies and American Society. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons. Said, Edward W. (1981). Covering Islam. London: Vintage. Said, Edward W. (2014). Orientalism. London: Penguin. United 93. Dir. Paul Greengrass. Universal Studios: 2006. Zizek, Slavoj.(2006). “On September 11, New Yorkers Faced the Fire in the Minds of Men.” The Guardian September 11.
Abstract
11 Eylül trajedisi, insan
bilincinin iç çatlaklarına nüfuz ederek, Oryantalizm ve karşı- Oryantalizm söylemiyle yönetilen yeni bir Dünya
Düzeninin başladığı bir olaydı. Saldırıların sembolik değeri ise tarihsel çatışmaları
ve farklılıkları ispatlamak, psikolojik korkuları ve endişeleri uyandırmak ve
bu günü ABD'ye yaşatan bir düşmana karşı
kuvvet kullanımını haklı kılmak için güçlü bir araç haline getirmiştir. Saldırılara tepki olarak üretilen sanatsal
eserler, saldırıların nasıl tasvir edileceği
ile ilgili eleştirel tartışmanın da konusu olmuştur.
Müslüman “Diğer” in temsili bu tartışmada ele alınan konulardan biridir. Terörist
saldırıların ardından 11 Eylül sonrası filmler oryantalist siyasi söylemlere
tepki göstererek, ana akım medyaya hakim olan basmakalıp söylemleri de reddetmiştir. Bazı film yapımcıları "Öteki"’ in
aynı basmakalıp imgesini yeniden üretirken bazıları bu kalıplaşmış söylemlere
ve Oryantalizme meydan okumuştur. Bu çalışmada, Paul Greengrass'ın United 93 (2006) ve Gavin Hood'un Yargısız İnfaz (2007) adlı filmlerinde Müslüman
"Diğer" in temsili analiz
edilmektedir. Bu karşılaştırmada,
film yönetmenleri arasındaki 11 Eylül saldırılarına ilişkin perspektifler sunulmuştur. Her iki filmdeki Oryantalizm’ in
süreklilikleri ve dönüşümleri araştırılmaktadır. Yaptığım
analiz United 93'ün oryantalist söylemleri güçlendirdiğini ve sürdürdüğünü
gösterirken, Yargısız İnfaz da daha dengeli bir yaklaşım sunarak aynı söylemi çürütmekte olduğunu göstermektedir.
Keywords
References
- Ahmad, Leila. (2008). Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate. New Haven: Yale University Press. Boston. Print. Ashcroft, Bill, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin. (2002) The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post-colonial Literatures. New York: Routledge, 2002. Print. Butler, Judith. (2001)“Giving an Account of Oneself.” Diacritics 31.4: 22-40. Clifford, James. (1980). Review Orientalism by Edward Said. History and Theory 19.2 204-23. Ebert, Roger. “Rendition.” 18 October 2007. Accessed March 30 2015. Web. Ford, Elisabeth.(2001). “Hollywood’s Take On September 11.” In Horror After September 11; World of Fear, Cinema and Terror. Ed. Aviva Briefel and Sam J. Miller. University of Texas Press. Grewal, Inderpal. (2003) “Transnational America: Race, Gender and Citizenship after September 11.” Social Identities: Journal for the Study of Race, Nation and Culture: 9.4 535-561. Gray, Richard. (2001) J. After the Fall: American Literature since September 11. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley,. Kumar, Malreddy Pavan. (2004).“Introduction: Orientalism(s) after September 11.” Journal of Postcolonial Writing: 33-40. Khalid, Maryam. (2011). “Gender, Orientalism and Representations of the ‘Other’ in the War on Terror.” Global Change, Peace & Security 23.1: 15-29. Lebling, Bob. (1980). “Orientalists.” Review Orientalism by Edward Said. Journal of Palestine Studies: 118-122. Rendition. Dir. Gavin Hood. New Line Cinema: 2007. Rothberg, Michael. (2009). “A Failure of the Imagination: Diagnosing the Post- September 11 Novel, A Response to Richard Gray.” American Literary History 21.1 : 152- 158. Rickli, Christina. (2009). “An Event ‘Like a Movie’? Hollywood and September 11.” COPAS: Current Objectives of Postgraduate American Studies 10. Ross, Stevens. (2014). Movies and American Society. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons. Said, Edward W. (1981). Covering Islam. London: Vintage. Said, Edward W. (2014). Orientalism. London: Penguin. United 93. Dir. Paul Greengrass. Universal Studios: 2006. Zizek, Slavoj.(2006). “On September 11, New Yorkers Faced the Fire in the Minds of Men.” The Guardian September 11.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal Section | Turkish language, culture and literature |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | April 21, 2018 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2018 Issue: 11 |
