Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 12:04:18 -0400
Subject: Re: East is east


I would be interested in hearing more about the juxtaposition of cultures in
the creation of postcolonial ethics. It seems erroneous to me to insist that
all "postcolonial" cultures share the values of migrant and/or metropolitan
intellectuals, as there are class and ethnic issues in all of these sites of
postcolonial confrontation of cultural difference. To what extent are the
ethics of resistance different in postcolonial sites and in migrant
intellectuals' discourses? Is it possible to discern a distinctly (and
unitary) postcolonial ethical discourse? I look forward to hearing more! 
Lisa


----------
>From: Piali Roy <pialiroy-AT-interlog.com>
>To: postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
>Subject: Re: East is east
>Date: Wed, Jul 14, 1999, 8:36 PM
>

>I want to point out that the playwright, Ayub Khan-Din is not of
>Bangladeshi background, his father was Pakistani.  If you have seen the
>Hanif Kureishi/Steve Frears film, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid, you'll remember
>him as the title character, Sammy.
>
>I haven't seen the film, but I have seen the play which for the most part,
>I liked. I felt the father wasn't the "typical" negative stereotype.  I
>found there were glimpses of decency in his character, such as when the
>kids secretly watch him as he breaks down in the chip shop.  He appears as
>a profoundly confused man, although Khan-Din, who has said the character
>was based on his father (and not as a "Pakistani everyman"), would admit to
>the character's hypocrisy.  
>
>I also liked how the play was grounded in a very specific time and place.
>War does lead to chauvinism for some people, especially if it is viewed
>only through television.  Of course, I don't know how this was handled in
>the film.  
>
>Piali Roy
>
>>attention. Certainly, I question the value of someone from outside
>>Bangladeshi cultures using Spivak to deconstruct Ayub Khan Din's film. (Joe,
>>I'll happily retract this if you are close to Bangladesh culture).
>>
>>On the other hand, I think people more literate in cinema than i am could
>>find much to criticise about the handling of the genre, in terms of
>>character depth, pacing, and "dramatic tension".
>>
>>Clarkejnc-AT-aol.com wrote:
>>
>>> Greetings all:
>>> has anyone out there seen the film "east is east?" Its a British film
>set in
>>> the 70's. It is the story of a mixed race family (she is English, he is
>>> pakistani) and the struggles of the children who are "in-between." What I
>>> found repulsive was the demonizing of the pakistani husband. He was a
>>> polygamist-wife-beater-nationalist-patriarchal etc...
>>> I couldn't help think of that spivakism : "white men saving brown women
>from
>>> brown men." The spivakism doesn't directly apply since the producer is
>Asian
>>> (I believe) and the focal point of the film is the young sons but
>still....it
>>> felt as if a kind of "feminism lite" was the cover for the easy
>stereotyping
>>> of the muslim asian. In other words the progressive anti-patriarchalism
>>> sereved as a screen for a very non-progressive, simplistic, easily
>digestible,
>>> ugly carricature.
>>> 
>>> And
>>> 
>>> Has anyone ever been to the annual Association of Caribbean studies
>>> conference? This year its in Guadelouope and I'm wondering if I should bend
>>> over backwards to go. If anyone has been could you contact me off-list.
>>> 
>>> Best
>>> 
>>> Joe Clarke
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
>>> 
>>
>>
>>
>>     --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
>>
>>
>
>
>
>     --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
>


     --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---