The Buddha In The Attic Analysis

In his introduction to Orientalism, Edward W. Said establishes the idea that imperialism has had a negative effect on people and societies of Eastern countries. While Eastern countries have obtained their own cultures and civilizations for centuries, Europeans took claimed what was not theirs. Even though Said has partly been inspired to write his book due to his own experiences, he wishes for readers and scholars to educate themselves on this important topic. Said’s introduction to Orientalism might be used in reading The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka. As Julie Otsuka writes from the perspective of Japanese picture brides, readers have access to a thorough sense of culture and identity which ultimately becomes meshed with the American way of living. This soon becomes insignificant as the Japanese are only seen as “the other”. Said defines Orientalism as “a way of coming to terms with the Orient that is based on the Orient’s special place in European Western experience” (1866). The Orient, or the individual of Eastern descent, has their own place in the European experience as the Western …show more content…
Before Said briefly discusses his own personal experiences and his Middle Eastern background, he takes a moment to discuss how Orients are represented in society. Said states “the cultural role played by the Orient in the West connects Orientalism with ideology” (1885). Ultimately, European and Western societies have created a certain ideology regarding people from Eastern countries. Wether it be from a movie one saw, an article one read, or from information one has received, certain thoughts and ideas, negative or positive, have been forced upon groups of people who may or may not be able to defend