The key position of Muslim writers in the contemporary English speaking novel is undoubted.
Muslim writing itself is a logical consequence of postcolonial writing which has been marked by Carribean, African and Muslim authors at the same time.
Whereas Carribean writers focus on concepts such as nation or nationalism,.Black writers seem to reflect a notion which is widely understood by 'cultural memory'.
Muslim writing on its behalf centers on the catchphrase 'identity' since it considers Islam as a perfect identity marker for the novel.
This (Muslim) 'otherness' is rooted in a religion which has
for too long been looked upon from Said's concept of 'otherness' which is based on Foucault's notion of 'power and knowledge'. lt is here where the dualistic concept of East
and West is constructed which sees both sides as antagonistic spheres.
lt also in this background where author and reader finally have to discuss this Muslim 'otherness' apart from their minds.
lt is therefore this (religious) 'otherness' based on religion which makes it extremely difficult for Western readers to fully understand Muslim characters. This is due to the fact that Islam is not only a religious idea of the world, it is also a total concept of Muslim existence since it covers all spheres of Muslim existence, the religious, the social, the legal and the political. The intention of this essay therefore is to give a short survey of Muslim writing over the last 30 years. The aim is to shortly reflect the incorporation of Islam into the novel , a development which has been marked by Nünning/Nünning with the term 'cross-fertilization' thus refering to the close link between narration and religion.
The focus of the chosen novels hoowever lies on 'identity', a term marked by the concept of modern man being a migrant or a nomad, thus also reflecting the consequences of migration waves and the phenomenon of globalization.
The paper starts with a sociological and religious background before it shortly deals with "The Satanic Verses", "The Black Album", "Brick Lane", "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" and
"Guantanamo Boy".
The aim ist o give a short survey oft he question of Muslim identity during the last 30 years.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Sociological background
1.2. Migration to England
1.3. England’s development into a multicultural society from the Muslim point of view
2. Religious Background
2.1. Religious Fundamentalism
2.2. 9/11
2.3. British Fundamentalism
3. The modern English Novel
4. Islam and Fundamentalism in British Fiction
5. Preface: Novels
5.1. Literary Parameters
5.2. The purpose of life
5.3. Failure
5.4. Powerlessness
5.5. Hybridity and literature under the focus of Islam
6. Preface Novels
6.1. Salman Rushdie The Satanic Verses
6.2. Structure of ´The Satanic Verses`
6.3. Hanif Kureishi – The Black Album (1995)
6.4. Hamid Mohsin The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007)
6.5. Monica Ali – Brick Lane (2003)
6.6. Anna Perera Guantanamo Boy (2009)
7. Outlook
8. Conclusion
9. Bibliography
Objectives and Topics
This academic work explores the literary reflection of the Muslim experience within contemporary British literature. The primary objective is to investigate how migration, globalization, and the evolving role of Islam are integrated into the modern English novel, and how these elements shape the search for personal and cultural identity among characters in a post-9/11 society.
- The interplay between migration, religious identity, and social integration in Britain.
- The role of Islamic fundamentalism as a counter-model to Western individualistic society.
- Literary representations of hybridity and the "crisis of the subject" in contemporary fiction.
- Analysis of works by authors such as Salman Rushdie, Hanif Kureishi, Monica Ali, and Anna Perera.
- The impact of political and historical events like 9/11 on literary production and identity politics.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
This reader is about English writers with a Muslim background and the variety of the literary reflection of their main characters.
Modern literature influenced by theses writers can only be understood reflection if one has a closer look at the historical, political and social background which have marked and shaped modern Britain in time of migration and globalization. The main reason for this does not only lie in the fact that literature in general is a reflection of all these forces which seen to focus on one central question – the question of modern man and his identity.
Part of this identity has always been religion. It is one of the most important driving forces especially in a foreign surrounding where it is challenged. It is thus a logical development that the question of Muslim identity connected to actual topics such as Huntington’s idea of a “Clash of Civilization” has been looking for a literary outlet.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Provides the historical, political, and social context of modern Britain and establishes the central research question concerning Muslim identity and literature.
2. Religious Background: Examines the definition of religious fundamentalism, the impact of 9/11, and the emergence of fundamentalist structures within Britain.
3. The modern English Novel: Discusses the function of literature in representing the migrant experience and the making of identities in a globalized world.
4. Islam and Fundamentalism in British Fiction: Analyzes why writers with a Muslim background increasingly incorporate religious elements into their work to describe and criticize the Western environment.
5. Preface: Novels: Outlines the literary framework used to analyze the novels, focusing on key parameters like identity, failure, powerlessness, and hybridity.
6. Preface Novels: Delivers a detailed literary analysis of specific novels by Rushdie, Kureishi, Mohsin, Ali, and Perera, tracking their thematic development over three decades.
7. Outlook: Summarizes the thesis’ findings, suggesting that the literary engagement with Islamic identity is essential for fostering an intercultural dialogue in Britain.
8. Conclusion: Synthesizes the main arguments, reaffirming the role of religion as a critical category in contemporary literature alongside race, gender, and class.
9. Bibliography: Lists the primary literary works and secondary academic sources used throughout the survey.
Keywords
Migration, Globalization, Islam, Fundamentalism, British Literature, Identity, Hybridity, Postcolonialism, Integration, Assimilation, Contemporary Novel, Cultural Memory, Diaspora, Multiculturalism, Salman Rushdie.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this academic work?
The work focuses on the literary reflection of Muslim identity in contemporary British literature, specifically how authors with a migrant background navigate and portray the complexities of living between two worlds.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The central themes include the impact of migration and globalization on personal identity, the tension between religious tradition and Western secularism, the representation of social integration, and the influence of historical events such as the 9/11 attacks on literary narratives.
What is the core research question?
The research explores how and why Muslim writers in Britain use Islamic themes and fundamentalist concepts to characterize their protagonists and analyze the societal shifts in modern, multicultural Britain.
Which scientific methods are applied in the analysis?
The author uses a sociologically grounded literary analysis, contextualizing the selected novels within the broader history of postcolonial discourse, migration theories, and political developments in the UK.
What is the focus of the main section of the book?
The main section analyzes five significant novels (by Rushdie, Kureishi, Mohsin, Ali, and Perera), evaluating how they use Islam as a framework to address contemporary social, political, and personal conflicts.
How can this work be characterized through keywords?
Key terms include Migration, Islam, Fundamentalism, Identity, Hybridity, Postcolonialism, and Contemporary British Fiction, reflecting the intersection of sociological reality and literary expression.
How does the author define the "hybrid" existence of characters in these novels?
The author defines hybridity as a state of living and negotiating two or more cultures simultaneously, which often leads to identity crises but also serves as a mirror for the complexities of modern man's experience.
Why is the "clash of civilizations" mentioned as a relevant context?
The author references the clash of civilizations as a prevailing socio-political theory that influences both the public discourse and the literary output, acting as a backdrop against which the characters' struggles for identity take place.
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- Matthias Dickert (Autor:in), 2015, Islam and its Reflection in Contemporary British Literature. A Course Book, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/299139
