Negative Representation of the Other: A Cultural Comparative Study in Selected Arab and American Novels

Abstract

The paper sheds light on one of the important concepts in contemporary literature which tackles the representation of the Other or imagology in selected Arabic and American literary products. The representation of the other holds many misrepresentations and stereotypes, both varying and fixed; as such, the study of the literary representations of the other or imagology which comes as a remedy many fixed and prevalent frameworks between the self and the other which deals with the construction of an individual on cultural, political and social levels. The study tackles a topic of great importance for contemporary literary studies and comparative critiques, especially at the level of national literature. The research aims to conduct a comparative study to discuss how Arab writers envision the concept of the Other, on one hand; and it argues how American writers projects the concept in their novels, on the other hand. Also, it gives an insight about Arabs and Americans viewing the  term the self and other or utilize the term Imagology which is very significant because it differentiates between the Oriental and Western points of view. The paper is restricted to argue the representation of the other in these four novels. finally, the research ends up with conclusion and recommendations for further researches.