الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract The gradual ideological development of Nadine Gordimer toward ”the other” through her historical and social consciousness during and after apartheid is the thesis’ aim. The thesis proves this through drawing a comparison between her portrayals of ”the other” in three of her novels. At the beginning, Gordimer represents the blacks like Caliban in The Tempest or Friday in Robinson Crusoe; a representation that she refutes as she moves the blacks to the center which allows her to go deep inside their feelings, problems, needs and conflicts. The thesis also clarifies Gordimer’s acknowledgment that racism, one side of colonialism, has its impact on other nations; the Arabs. She concludes that both the blacks and the Arabs, as being othered, suffer from identity crisis that highlights their rejection of their land, language and heritage. The thesis supports its analytical study through various literary theories specialized in the unequal relationship between the oppressor and the oppressed. The thesis explains in a logical way that as racism deforms the relationship between ”the self” and ”the other”, it also deforms the woman figure from all races. To explain, it puts women in certain stereotypes: white women are weak and obedient wives and mothers, black women are servants satisfying their white masters’ instincts, and Arab women are ignorant and their place is the harem palace. Gordimer’s attempt to break these stereotypes proves her ideological development, since she discovers that the concepts of colonial ideology upon which she was raised are a big lie that deforms the world. Her updated ideology allows her to DROP all the masks to show the ugly face of racism through her portrayals of ”the other” and women as well. In general the thesis highlights the success and the failure of her characters to adopt and mix with ”the other”, as well as their reason. The thesis also analyzes Gordimer’s adoption of a pessimistic or optimistic view in each of her novels. |