Reflection on Exile review

Reflection on Exile review

In his book, “Reflection on Exile,” Edward Said defined exile as a strange, compelling thing to think about, but very dreadful for Edward to experience. According to Edward Said, exile refers to a split between individuals that cannot be cured or recovered as it takes a central place amongst identity and its true nature. Edward said, “It is an indispensable sadness that under no circumstances be surmounted.” He defines exile as a form of sadness that one has to live with and that which is hard to overcome irrespective of the circumstances. History has been seen to have content of romantic, glorious, triumphant, and even heroic chapters in the life of an exiled person. There are no additional struggles to overwhelm the crippling sorrows of hostility. The journey of experiencing exile is broadly and perpetually damaged by the loss of a touch left behind in life forever (Said, pp138-149, 2013).

The other book that speaks about migration and exile is “Breath eyes and memory” by Edwidge Danticat and first published in 1998. Its first setting countries include America (Brooklyn and New York) and Haiti (Port-au-Prince and La Nouvelle Dame Marie). It focuses on the inheritance burden, pain and violence, and the world of male debilitating and the purity of females (Danticat, pp1-15, 2015). The third novel is The Reluctant Fundamentalist, done by Mohsin Hamid and was first published on March 1st, 2007. Its central setting countries include Pakistan and the USA. It focuses on the difference in people judging others based on their skin color, mannerism, and clothing. The book’s essential character is Sophie, who is seen to have been raised in Haiti “her true home” but moved to New York, trying hard to adapt to the new culture of a new world. The author’s principal focus was on people judging and exiling others by their color and their different way of life, a factor that can cause a lot of pain and violence when people view each other differently. The weak at heart may even lack room to heal due to the racism factor. As a result of the racism Changez, a character in the novel develops an antagonism with the United States of America.

All of these books have been chosen for this contrast since they bear a related similarity in the sense that the two distinct writers have portrayed the topic known as exile. The way both writers narrate the long absence of the main actors in both novels draws a combined reaction and anticipation between the readers on what waits for the characters upon their comeback to their respective areas (Salih 17). Therefore, they offer a distinct perception of the exiles and the various situations which an exile might form inside a community. A comprehensive study of both novels is thus, fit for ascertaining the exile nature and their penalties towards the perspective and expectation of the viewers.

In America and Pakistan’s historical context, the Reluctant and Fundamentalist novel describes an excellent economic relationship between. Pakistan had military assistance over the gain of their independence. The limited US influence in Pakistan is easily understood by the framework of the patron-client relationship and arm of dependence. While Changez was in the Philippines, the 9/11 attack occurred, and he witnessed the collapse of the twin towers. This attack changed the relationship between America and Pakistan (Hamid, pp120-137, 2007). The sight of the important American building being brought to its knees was disturbing, but Changez (a Pakistan) was pleased. Due to the occurrence, there was an increase in discrimination and racism in New York. Changez felt uneasy and uncomfortable living in New York as a foreigner after 9/11. Changez travels back home, exploring angry with the USA supporting the aggression of India against his home. It showcases the glen amendment that provides sanctions against countries that transfer or acquires technology of nuclear reprocessing.

In contrast, the Pressler amendment also banned the economic and military assistance between America and Pakistan. The assistance program between Pakistan and America diminished significantly. (Hamid, pp120-137, 2007)

The Breath, eyes, and memory novel describes the Duvalier r[1] regime (1957 – 1958), which brought about a state of oppression, especially on women. Duvalier reorganized an existing power structure completely by conducting unique systematic violence forms. Like the Duvalier’s henchmen, it also had violence that had a distinctly gendered component. It occasionally employed acquaintance-rape, coerced marriage, and torture rape to silence the opposition of women. (Danticat, pp20, 2015)

Similarly, the Duvalier regime used humiliation and sexual violence as a tool for intimidation against political opposition. In Donette’s article, the author talks about how women were used in communicating men’s power; American imperialists raped women to demonstrate their power over the locals. Moreover, violence against women by the American militants in which women were raped depicted how the US government politicized violence against Haiti; thus, many people were forced to flee their homes. This is another instance in which political cases caused migration and exile.

Linked Analysis

• The Pressler amendment and the Glenn amendment are similar to the Duvalier regime as they form a political rule that has changed the correlation between countries and people.
• The pain felt by the increase in discrimination in the novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, based on the color and mannerism, is similar to Duvalier’s regime, which talks about the discrimination of women by treating them as sexual object and means of communication.
• Migration is a factor that leads to most exile, being poorly treated, unlike the culture that someone knows. Changez being an immigrant in New York America, felt as uncomfortable with the increase in racism, which led to him getting detained at the airport. Whereas in Haiti, many people were forced to flee their own homes. They settled in areas they were not mostly familiar with, causing them to struggle in coping.
• Politics cause migration and exile. Changez was forced to travel back home due to political instability, not favoring emigrants. The politicized government violence forced people from Haiti to flee from their homes.

Source of exile

Birth, eye, Memory

Sophie the main character in the Edwidge Danticat’s text, does not welcome the idea that she is to go and live with her mother in New York, something that made her attempt to distinguish herself from the adjoining – ‘exile’ herself. She says, “I only kept wishing that everyone would disappear so I could go back home” (Danticat, pp14, 2015). Sophie deems migrating to New York as going into exile since she only values Haiti as her hometown. In the same perspective, her mother – Martine – is in exile in New York upon leaving Sophie in Haiti 12-years ago. While in New York, she is seen keeping intimate communication with her daughter back in Haiti, something that demonstrates a situational and forceful separation from being with her daughter. (Danticat, pp97-115, 2015). The case of Tate, on the other hand, brings clearly how the old Haiti characterized exile – the unhealable rift to the self from its true home. Migration came along with political forces that resulted in women going into exile. Tate recalls why she did not get a chance to go to school; according to Danticat, women were constructed as enemies of the state during the post-colonial periods during Danticat (pp97-115, 2015)’s time in Haiti.

Sophie, after returning to New York and reuniting with her husband things did not favor them, and therefore, she ends up struggling with her marriage to the point of seeking help from a counselor. On the other hand, a tragic thing happens as Martine commits suicide to culminate her pregnancy as she felt she could not live with the burden of antagonism; she was unable to heal.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

After the September 11th attack, Changez observed the changes in the treatment of people towards the Pakistanis in public. To express his solidarity, he began to grow a beard. He noticed that his own country was being used as a Pawn. Jobs deprived, and Visa expired; hence there was no reason for staying in the United States of America. The return back home was due to fear of being poorly treated in a foreign country. Changez had moved to America in search of a better job, unlike his hometown, where they were much dependent on America’s assistance. He felt he was in exile in America, though there were chances of job opportunity, he was not happy at the native land. (Hamid, pp120-137, 2007)

As he travels through life, he cannot help but think of himself as a member of `we,` but he cannot for that he seems to settle on one `we` or even a consistent set of them. He is a Pakistan, a Muslim, a Princetonian, and a New Yorker. He feels uncomfortable with the retreat as he feels powerless as he moves through with life. He even finds factors of colonialism in the Underwood Samson (the place he worked). Changez felt like a target living in a foreign country, struggling with his cultural identity, and he was not able to heal with how people viewed each other because of the difference in culture, race, or color.

Conclusion

The journey of life has been difficult for both Sophie (as a woman) and Changez (as a native in another country). Changez, whose intention in a native land was to look for a better living, he returns home due to the cruelty of being treated differently. The implication of this is to illustrate the enormous gap that requires people to fill for them to treat each other equally. Additionally, women should also not be treated as tools of power as both male and female were created equally.

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