Differentiation and imperfectionality in John Updike’s Terrorist

John Updike, one of America’s eminent 20th century novelists, provides his own fictionalized presentation of the Muslim other within the American socio-cultural context in his 22nd novel, Terrorist. This novel is abundant with binary representations of Muslims whose acts and interactions with fell...

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Main Authors:	M Ikbal M Alosman, Raihanah M. M., Ruzy Suliza Hashim
Format:	Article
Language:	English
Published:	Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2018
Online Access:	http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12886/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12886/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12886/1/21754-78291-1-PB.pdf

id	ukm-12886
recordtype	eprints
spelling	ukm-128862019-05-12T21:56:38Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12886/ Differentiation and imperfectionality in John Updike’s Terrorist M Ikbal M Alosman, Raihanah M. M., Ruzy Suliza Hashim, John Updike, one of America’s eminent 20th century novelists, provides his own fictionalized presentation of the Muslim other within the American socio-cultural context in his 22nd novel, Terrorist. This novel is abundant with binary representations of Muslims whose acts and interactions with fellow Christian and Jewish Americans are scripted by their respective religious values. Updike’s exemplifications of Islam and Muslims within the American context are investigated through the problematizing of Muslims’ socio-cultural imperfections within the lens of orientalism and psychology of (im)perfection. Imperfectionalism as used in this paper refers to the inconsistent, unreliable and unpredictable characteristics that define the Muslim Other in comparison to mainstream American society. Using themes of ‘religious differences,’ ‘differences between religions,’ ‘social differences,’ ‘gendered and exotic differences’ and ‘optimized differences,’ Updike’s Muslim characters are presented as flawed and faulty in their beliefs and conviction. In addition, Updike’s representation of Islam rests on its blemishes including its disregard for self-improvement and modernity. Designs of orientalism and imperfection as seen in this novel frame the Muslim other as the imperfect version of the perfect non-Muslim American. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2018 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12886/1/21754-78291-1-PB.pdf M Ikbal M Alosman, and Raihanah M. M., and Ruzy Suliza Hashim, (2018) Differentiation and imperfectionality in John Updike’s Terrorist. 3L; Language,Linguistics and Literature,The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies., 24 (2). pp. 58-70. ISSN 0128-5157 http://ejournal.ukm.my/3l/issue/view/1096
repository_type	Digital Repository
institution_category	Local University
institution	Universiti Kebangasaan Malaysia
building	UKM Institutional Repository
collection	Online Access
language	English
description	John Updike, one of America’s eminent 20th century novelists, provides his own fictionalized presentation of the Muslim other within the American socio-cultural context in his 22nd novel, Terrorist. This novel is abundant with binary representations of Muslims whose acts and interactions with fellow Christian and Jewish Americans are scripted by their respective religious values. Updike’s exemplifications of Islam and Muslims within the American context are investigated through the problematizing of Muslims’ socio-cultural imperfections within the lens of orientalism and psychology of (im)perfection. Imperfectionalism as used in this paper refers to the inconsistent, unreliable and unpredictable characteristics that define the Muslim Other in comparison to mainstream American society. Using themes of ‘religious differences,’ ‘differences between religions,’ ‘social differences,’ ‘gendered and exotic differences’ and ‘optimized differences,’ Updike’s Muslim characters are presented as flawed and faulty in their beliefs and conviction. In addition, Updike’s representation of Islam rests on its blemishes including its disregard for self-improvement and modernity. Designs of orientalism and imperfection as seen in this novel frame the Muslim other as the imperfect version of the perfect non-Muslim American.
format	Article
author	M Ikbal M Alosman, Raihanah M. M., Ruzy Suliza Hashim,
spellingShingle	M Ikbal M Alosman, Raihanah M. M., Ruzy Suliza Hashim, Differentiation and imperfectionality in John Updike’s Terrorist
author_facet	M Ikbal M Alosman, Raihanah M. M., Ruzy Suliza Hashim,
author_sort	M Ikbal M Alosman,
title	Differentiation and imperfectionality in John Updike’s Terrorist
title_short	Differentiation and imperfectionality in John Updike’s Terrorist
title_full	Differentiation and imperfectionality in John Updike’s Terrorist
title_fullStr	Differentiation and imperfectionality in John Updike’s Terrorist
title_full_unstemmed	Differentiation and imperfectionality in John Updike’s Terrorist
title_sort	differentiation and imperfectionality in john updike’s terrorist
publisher	Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
publishDate	2018
url	http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12886/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12886/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12886/1/21754-78291-1-PB.pdf
first_indexed	2023-09-18T20:03:36Z
last_indexed	2023-09-18T20:03:36Z
_version_	1777407011719217152

Differentiation and imperfectionality in John Updike’s Terrorist

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