SELF-OTHERING: A SELF-ORIENTALIST PERSPECTIVE OF KAMILA SHAMISE’S BEST OF FRIENDS

Abstract

Self-Orientalism refers to the act of portraying the Orient from an Oriental viewpoint, employing an Orientalist techniques and styles. Self-Orientalism is predominantly rooted in the act of representing the Orient in a stereotyped and clichéd manner, hence viewing the oriental and orient as the Other. This process, known as Self-Othering, entails the portrayal of the Orient in Oriental discourses. The present research involves analysing the Best of Friends from a Self-Oriental viewpoint. The researcher utilised the theoretical framework of Self-Orientalism by Dirlik (1996) and Daura (1995), adopting a qualitative and analytical method. According to the research, Kamila Shamsie's Best of Friends has the same difficulties that Orientalists have already highlighted in their writings. The main text is filled with stereotyped depictions of Oriental individuals, and the study notably shows that Oriental individuals aspire to relocate to the Western world in order to assimilate with Western culture. The reason for this is that the West enjoys privileges and actively supports the Orient, while the Orient is portrayed as deformed and subservient in contrast, as illustrated in the book. The text exemplifies the process of Self-Othering of the Orientals from a self-Orientalist standpoint in Kamila Shamise's Best of Friends.

Keywords: Self-Orientalism, Self-Othering, Orientalism, Orient, Occident, Best of Friends