BY Emily Gonzalez
In my previous reflection, I discussed how I felt like the text was challenging. I believe that due to the break, I had time to process these topics. As a result, I have achieved a sense of understanding of Said’s writing style. The topics he is discussing seem to connect to what I read last week. In the previous reading, Said introduced the ideas of Balfour and Croner, and in this reading, he uses the ideas and expands on how the enablement of these ideas has created this idea of the West vs. the East. I found the quote, “That Balfour and Cromer, as we shall soon sec, could strip humanity down to such ruthless cultural and racial essences was not at all an indication of their particular viciousness. Rather, it was an indication of how streamlined a general doctrine had become by the time they put it to use, how streamlined and effective”. Interesting and challenging. I personally thought this was challenging because, in my opinion, these scholars are being vicious due to their picking apart these cultures with the justification of power and that these people need someone to save or guide them. I also found this interesting because Said states that race and culture aren’t the main reasons why Orientalism became widespread, but I would argue with this claim. Although it might not have been the reason stated, this was an underlying motive in the justification of power and oppression against the Middle East. I learned how, despite French and British colonial possessions being different and often causing disputes, they shared this idea of orientalism. I noticed that it reintroduces this idea of superiority and inferiority between the west and the east. I found it interesting how Said explains that the idea of superiority and inferiority is polarized by the distinctions of the “west” and “east.” He discusses the negative portrayal of those from the east in relation to the media and those with political influence, such as Henry Kissinger. What was interesting was how, even though centuries have passed since the introduction of Balfour and Croner’s idea of orientalism, these ideas are still prevalent to a degree in the world we live in today. As I read, I understood that the concept of Orientalism cannot be defined by one concept; rather several scholars from the west have established these ideas that make up this concept a result of the translation of Arabic text. I established that one thing that is essential to the concept of orientalism is the distinction between those in power and those who aren’t. As I focus on the idea of the west and the east and this idea of superiority between one another, what is clear is that the negative connotations surrounding the east are what enable the continuation of this behavior. I personally enjoyed Said’s writing more than Ernst’s.
