Thesis (MA (English))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis explores the themes of representation and identity in four post-9/11 novels: Khaled
Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Frédéric
Beigbeder’s Windows on the World and Don DeLillo’s Falling Man.
The novels of Hosseini and Hamid represent the experience of two Muslim protagonists from
Afghanistan and Pakistan who immigrate to the US. The protagonists offer two contrasting
understandings of fundamentalism, using this lens to understand the terrorist figure and
American society respectively. The construction of power for both the American society and the
terrorist is argued to be located in images which are linked to masculinity: money, sport,
militancy, sex and religious devotion. The personal experiences of these protagonists reflect the
political circumstances which they encounter, and both characters identify with national
identities in ways which relate to their readings of representations of identity and news media.
Beigbeder and DeLillo’s novels are discussed using the theme of trauma. The novels portray the
experiences of American characters who are confronted with 9/11 and suffer from disorientation
and loss. The negotiation of this loss takes place in relation to entanglements with the terrorist
figure, who penetrates the physical and psychological spaces of these characters. Images of
masculinity are evoked in order to signify this loss of power, where the destabilising of the
paternal role is linked to the pervasive sense of vulnerability which the characters experience
after the attacks. Memorials and rituals become ways of dealing with disorientation. The two
novels unsettle the distinction between terrorist and terrorised in order to negotiate a new
American identity after 9/11. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek temas van representasie en identiteit in vier post-9/11 romans, naamlik
Khaled Hosseini se The Kite Runner, Mohsin Hamid se The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Frédéric
Beigbeder se Windows on the World en Don DeLillo se Falling Man.
Hosseini en Hamid se romans verbeeld die ervarings van twee Muslim-protagoniste,
onderskeidelik afkomstig van Afghanistan en Pakistan wat na die VSA immigreer. Hierdie
protagoniste verbeeld twee uiteenlopende beskouïngs van fundamentalisme wat gevolglik
aangewend word om die terroris-figuur en die Amerikaanse gemeenskap te verstaan. Die
konstruksie van mag vir die Amerikaanse gemeenskap en die terroris-figuur word getoon, is
geleë in beelde wat verband hou met manlikheid, naamlik geld, sport, militarisme, seks en
toegewydheid. Die persoonlike ervarings van hierdie protagoniste weerspieël die politieke
omstandighede waarmee hulle kennis maak. Beide hierdie karakters vereenselwig hulself met
nasionale identiteite op grond van hul begrip van representasie van identiteit en die media.
Beigbeder en DeLillo se romans word volgens die tema van trauma vergelyk. Hierdie romans
beeld die ervarings van Amerikaanse karakters wat met 9/11 gekonfronteer word en met
disoriëntasie en verlies worstel, uit. Die oorweging van hierdie verlies vind plaas in verhouding
tot ontmoetings met die terroris-figuur wat die fisiese en psigiese ruimtes van hierdie karakters
binnedring. Voorstellings van manlikheid word opgeroep om die verlies van mag ten toon te stel.
Hierdie verlies van mag word gekenmerk deur die destabilisering van die vaderlike rol tesame
met die diepgaande sin van weerloosheid wat die karakters na die aanval ervaar. Gedenktekens
en rituele word vervolgens instellings om met die disoriëntasie om te gaan. Uiteindelik
problematiseer die twee romans die onderskeid tussen terroris en geterroriseerde om sodoende ’n
nuwe Amerikaanse identiteit ná 9/11 tot stand te bring.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/5384 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Andrews, Grant |
| Contributors | Viljoen, Shaun, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of English. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 113 p. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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