Edward Said defined “orientalism” as a “social construction based on fantasized perception.” After looking back at my previous blog posts, one topic that remains consistent is the way the texts are written through an oriental lens. Orientalism is an attitude sculpted by hierarchies where the “other” is viewed as inferior.  Many of the authors we read this semester wrote of the cultures, people, and surroundings of places foreign to them. While some authors presented truthful illustrations others supported assumptions fabricated by orientalism. Throughout many of the texts,  orientalist ideas are demonstrated and how damaging they are to Muslims. In the letter written on May 17th, 1717, readers can see Lady Mary participating in oriental ideology. After watching a ceremony to honor the Grand Signor, Montagu details how the Turkish took part in an act of self-inflicted mutilation in order to present their devotion to fighting for their leader. Rather than seeing it as something natural in Turkish culture, she sees the action as barbaric, in the same fashion Europeans referred to indigenous people when colonizing countries. With that being said, orientalism was widely shaped by imperialism. Likewise, in Letter VIII, Dean Mohamet recalls “an elegant building finished in the English style” which represents the way in which Europeans have stolen and established colonies in lands of other people for centuries. I’tesamuddin also challenges and critiques oriental ideas. All in all, many of the authors in the course compose their texts from an oriental perspective. 

Maya Carranza