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Trace, after Edward Said, the relationship between the novel and the Western Empire.

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Introduction to Culture and Imperialism is a notable literary work by Edward Said. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Introduction to Culture and Imperialism.

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Trace, after Edward Said, the relationship between the novel and the Western Empire. [NU: 2018, 22] ★★★

Edward Said (1935–2003) was a great scholar. His book “Culture and Imperialism” came out in 1993. In it, he studied literature and empire. He showed how novels supported Western imperial control. Said explained that novels are never innocent. They silently carry the values of the empire. Let us trace the relationship between the novel and the Western Empire.

Culture Carries Power: Said believed that culture shapes thought. Novels help spread the ideas of empire. They show the West as noble rulers. They show others as weak or backwards. This helps readers support Western control easily. Said clearly wrote:

“Culture is a sort of theater where various political and ideological causes engage one another.”

This means culture is a stage of power. Novels are part of this cultural system. They create a belief in Western superiority.

Silencing Other Voices: Novels often ignore the colonized people. They speak from the view of the West. They remove the native voice from history. Said saw this silence as absolute power. He explained this in one strong line:

“The power to block other narratives from forming and emerging is very important…”

This means novels silence the “other side.” Said wanted readers to see that silence. He believed literature hides more than it shows.

Creating Moral Judgments: Novels do not just tell stories. They also create ideas of good and bad. Western heroes are praised in the text. Natives are called wild or lazy. Novels teach readers to accept the empire. This shapes values without direct force or law.

Building Empire Through Fiction: Novels help create the image of an empire. They make colonialism look natural and fair. Fiction becomes a soft tool of control. Said explained this with examples from many writers. He read literature as part of political history.

In short, Said showed how novels supported the empire. They silenced, judged, and shaped

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