Orientalist Representations in Paul Bowles’Their Heads Are Green and Their Hands Are Blue: Scenes from the Non- Christian World(1963)
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Date
2015
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
university Mouloud Mammeri of Tizi-Ouzou
Abstract
This dissertation examines the Orientalist representations included in Paul
Bowles’ Their Heads Are Green and their Hands Are Blue: Scenes from the
Non-Christian World (1963). It aims to argue that Paul Bowles’s portrayal of
the exotic lands, as North Africa and the Far East regions, is Orientalist. To
achieve our purpose, we have relied on Edward Said’s ideas included in his
well know work Orientalism (1978). In the first chapter of the dissertation, we
have dealt with the representation of the native people of the Non-Christian
world and we have found out that Bowles employs stereotypes to focus on the
otherness of the Non-Westerners. The second chapter has been devoted to the
thematic study of exoticism within the essays set in the Orient. In this part, we
have focused more on Bowles’ stereotypical descriptions of the geographical
areas and the different towns. In the third chapter, we have tried to emphasize
Bowles’ Orientalist stance by highlighting the idea of his belief in “the Western
superiority”. The latter is analyzed in relation to identity, religion and culture.
We have concluded that Paul Bowles may be classified as an Orientalist travel
writer and that his work Their Heads Are Green and Their Hands Are Blue
provides enough evidence about his adherence to western ideology.
Description
62p.;30cm.(+cd)
Keywords
Stereotypical representation, Otherness, Exoticism, Religion,Identity.
Citation
CULTURAL AND MEDIA STUDIES