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Terrorizing Islam: Building American Identity in the 9/11 Novel
Sullivan, Rob Sullivan, Rob
Sullivan, Rob
Sullivan, Rob
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Abstract
In the years after 9/11, a number of novels appeared that purported to examine the perspectives of both Islamic fundamentalist terrorists and American Muslims . While ostensibly giving their American audiences an insight into an Islamic perspective, what these novels are actually unconsciously doing is using their Muslim characters to create a new sense of American identity in the post-9/11world where older conceptions of American identity have been disrupted by the violent intrusion of an alien presence . Drawing upon the work of Edward Said and Toni Morrison, this thesis will examine the ways John Updike's Terrorist, Amy Waldman's, The Submission, and Don DeliIIo's Falling Man, construct a Muslim Other in order to create an American identity. The presence of the Muslims in these novels serves as an occasion for the Americans to explore their new identities after 9/11,where American exceptionalism and such American qualities once constructed as intrinsic and essential as freedom, inviolability, and tolerance are called into question
Title
Terrorizing Islam: Building American Identity in the 9/11 Novel
Date
2014-05-01
Subject
Islam
Muslim
terrorism
identity
America
9/11
Muslim
terrorism
identity
America
9/11
Material type
Collections
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RobSullivan2.doc
Microsoft Word, 3.88 MB
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auto_convert.pdf
Adobe PDF, 494.38 KB
Abstract
In the years after 9/11, a number of novels appeared that purported to examine the perspectives of both Islamic fundamentalist terrorists and American Muslims . While ostensibly giving their American audiences an insight into an Islamic perspective, what these novels are actually unconsciously doing is using their Muslim characters to create a new sense of American identity in the post-9/11world where older conceptions of American identity have been disrupted by the violent intrusion of an alien presence . Drawing upon the work of Edward Said and Toni Morrison, this thesis will examine the ways John Updike's Terrorist, Amy Waldman's, The Submission, and Don DeliIIo's Falling Man, construct a Muslim Other in order to create an American identity. The presence of the Muslims in these novels serves as an occasion for the Americans to explore their new identities after 9/11,where American exceptionalism and such American qualities once constructed as intrinsic and essential as freedom, inviolability, and tolerance are called into question
Duration
Location
Advisor
Sponsor
Course
Department
English
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)