Orientalism is ...

1. a way of thinking about life and how things are related together ( ontological ) using an idea about how knowledge is organised ( theory of knowledge = epistemology )
• Said says that Knowlege is organised into something and its opposite. This means that we understand things through contrasting it with something else. For example,
• East Vs West
• Good Vs Evil
• White Vs Black
• Right Vs Wrong
• the Orient ( Asians / non-white ) Vs the Occident ( Western / British / American / French ... etc )
• These are called binary or binomial oppositions

 
2. a Western style ( way ) for
• dominating ( having power / control over / taking advantage of )
• restructuring ( changing the way / presenting in another way or in a false way )
• and having authority ( power ) over the Orient

Edward Said is saying that ...

1. many people see the world in binary oppositions ( opposites )
2. the oppositions usually portray the West and White ( Occident ) as always Good and Right compared to the East ( Orient ) which is always Black, Evil and Wrong.
3. this way of thinking is not an act of nature ( natural ) but it is manufactured ( created )
4. these ideas are there because the Occident perceives the Orient in this way ( regardless of whether the Orient is really like that )
5. this is because they think that the Orient is different from the Occident ( who they are ) and they could only understand who or what the Orient is by comparing it with themselves ( remember what I said about  knowing who you are by what you are not? )
6. using the logic of binary oppositions, we should be able to see that since they think of themselves of good, they will associate those that are not like them as evil
7. in this sense the Orient and the Occident need each other because they reflect ( remember what I said about Lacanian Psychoanalysis - the mirror stage? ) each other to a certain extent
8. because the Occident think in this way, the Orient becomes its Other and their actions, behaviour ... etc will follow this framework - ie.
• they think they are moral and us savages, so they try to make us more civilised
• they believe that they are superior, so they don't expect us to be intelligent or able of doing great things
• they imagine us to be exotic, strange ... etc and they portray us as such in their literature, film, conversations, textbooks ... etc. ( Can anyone name me a western film where the asian is a hero as good as, or even better than the white man? )
9. when colonisation happens, the coloniser brings his own literature, makes you study his language, learn his culture ( which is already bias against the colonised because of their Orientalist perspective and logic of binary oppositions )
• this makes the colonised learn to see the world like them, and we begin to believe that we are bad and they are good
• this keeps the colonised under the power of the coloniser
• this is not restricted to the coloniser and the colonised, the white man and the asian ( remember what I said about ultimately it is all about power relationships? ) - ANY group or individual can exercise this power over another, and Orientalism can refer to any marginalisation of anyone who had been Othered )
10. because of Orientalism, we cannot see the world innocently - what we see and learn may not be objective - they may be bias towards a particular point of view
11. therefore Knowledge and Power is ALWAYS linked together - if the knowledge available has a certain bias, then those whom the knowledge disadvantages will be subjugated by it

The following exercises are meant for your self-study. However, I would like to see you all discussing these questions on the forum page. This is because I can then participate in the discussion with you and it will be similar to having a discussion in class. I insist that you use your REAL names in the discussion and I will NOT tolerate poor language, insulting criticisms that serve no purpose, or personal attacks. The Principal made a comment that Swiss students didn't really know how to express themselves properly or handle a debate/argument effectively ( this means not getting emotional, focusing on the subject, reasoning logically and calmly instead of getting heated up ) - I like to believe that being Lit students, you are all more sensitive, mature, expressive and don't belong to the category described by the P.

I also want you to use your REAL names because I want to monitor your input, what you say, your rate of participation ... etc.
This is because I WILL be giving ( or deducting ) marks for taking part in this electronic learning exercise.
HINT: There is a maximum of 20 marks at stake and it constitutes 1 assignment for your CA.

Exercises ( Act 1 Sc 1-2 )

1. What are your first impressions of Pizarro and how does the rest of the characters behave towards him?
2. Apart from the search for gold, what other reasons can you see for the mission?
3. Compare Pizarro & Young Martin
4. What is the importance of the narrator in scene one?
5. Why is there tension between Estete and Pizarro in scene two?
6. What does Young Martin learn about soldiering from Pizarro?
7. Does Pizarro aim to persuade or dissuade Young Martin to accompany him? Why?
8. Read Act One Scenes 1-2 and note down the main ideas. From these ideas, try to come up with the themes of the play. ( make sure that you have evidence to support your answer )
9. How do you imagine the two scenes are staged and what is the significance of staging it this way?

Exercises ( Act 1 Sc 3-4 )

1. The mood in scene 3 shifts abruptly. How is this achieved?
2. What effects enable Atahuallpa to appear Godlike in this scene?
3. Why does Atahuallpa command his court to cover their mouths?
4. What is Atahuallpa's attitude towards the advancing Spanish and their God?
5. What impression do you imagine the soldiers have made on the Indians?
6. Piece together Atahuallpa's origins from information in these 2 scenes
7. What is the significance of scene 3's opening and the dramatic technique of keeping Atahuallpa on stage until scene 8?
8. Comment on the imagery used in scene 3
9. How is religion used by the Spanish and the Indians? ( Note especially Valverde's character )

Assignment ( Essay )

This essay in due Saturday 17th July 1999 ( there will be no extensions )