Answer? I am in college again. No fooling around. BUT to make you happy (ier) here is my tentative outline. This outline is sort of like our constitution, in that it can be amended.
Enjoy!
(P.s. my friend just said, "Your entire outline? Do you think anyone is going to read that?" What can I say, if you have read my blog thus far, you must really like reading painful things)
I. Introduction
a. Setting the context: Norma Khouri and her book & immediate reception of it.
b. The success and reactions.
c. The question of truth.
d. Central question: is truth more important than voice in autobiography?
e. Can this book fill a gap left by other books? Will judge this by looking for voice, for representation of colonial relationship with colonies, as post-colonial literature and as a witness book. Will be done through engaging with colonial/post-colonial literary theory and comparison to other voices.
II. Honor Killings 101
a. Facts & Figures
b. What is an honor killing?-Role of tribal culture
c. What is an honor killing?-Role of religion
d. What is an honor killing?-Role of society
e. Common myths
f. Special focus on Jordan, Turkey & Palestine
g. Colonial/Post-Colonial context of honor killings
III. Colonial/Post-Colonial Literacy & Memory theory
a. The West/East binary & dialogue
b. Memory and the memoir
i. Development of memories, briefly. Importance of childhood memories and story telling
ii. Recollection: the truth debate
c. What makes a memoir important in this context? These are the questions to consider in the upcoming analysis.
IV. The survivor: Burned Alive
a. The story-protagonist survived by the intervention of Western powers
b. The voice: wtinessto provide a unique view point from her “European” life
i. Enlightenment from her new position in the world
ii. This gives her the right to testify, to provide witness as a survivor and as a witness to honor crimes
iii. Self-criticism. West vs. East
c. The role of men
i. Generalizations: men and rural society. We see this in the scenes of beating and ruthlessness. Often these scenes are connected directly to a rural upbringing.
ii. Man as brother/murderer
iii. Western lover vs. Eastern
d. The Role of Women
i. Ineptitude-she can not see the system around her as an Easterner. When she is in Europe, she suddenly understands.
ii. The lack of rebellion on part of the women surrounding her-as if they don’t understand. HOWEVER, they DO rebel. What does it mean that she can’t see this from her European post?
iii. Explore what her daughters symbolizes
e. What niche does this book fit? What does it lack, provide, etc? What damage does it do?
f. Keep these things in mind ultimately!
V. Honour Killing: Men Who Kill
a. Second hand testimonial/journalistic. Turkish woman interviewing other Turkish people.
b. As a country that straddles the line between Middle Eastern and European-how does Turkey complicate our vision of post-colonial/colonial literature?
c. Role of men:
i. Given voices and some choice in their recollection.
ii. Victims of society and independent actors working from free will
iii. Complicates “hero” stereotype
d. Role of women
i. Not necessarily “progressive” or “western”-she complicates this idea of what “makes” a honor killing victim
ii. Women both as victims, perpetrators and even survivors
e. There is no consistent story arc, per se.
f. It is a more complicated idea-providing all these voices without drawing a single conclusion except that honor is the prevailing concept. What is misleading about that? Can we always say honor is the main perpetrator?
g. What niche does it fit? What does it provide? What does it damage? She is not the voice, but the provider of voices. How does this change the dynamic?
VI. Honor Lost
a. A memoir of a witness of an honor killing…as well as a potential victim.
b. An “enlightened perspective” from a Christian who maintains the idea that Islam is responsible for honor crimes
c. A self-designated refugee from her home country who “escapes” her fate to an Internet café. Finds refuge in a Western world to write her story.
d. Role of men:
i. Arab and especially Muslim men=universal tyrants who rule the women in their house
ii. Guardians with nothing better to do
iii. One dimensional
e. Role of women:
i. Only a few enlightened ones…but she places herself as an exception along with Dina
ii. Victims in a sense, as well as willful participators
iii. Constant honor killings are suggested
iv. Constantly conspiring to get back at men
f. Tone: Disdain for country, idealization for the west, purposeful.
g. Why is this tone significant? How does it play into the colonial/post-colonial value system? In literature?
VII. Fallout
a. Damages: Fallout form Khouri’s book. How did it perpetuate existing stereotypes about gender norms in the Middle East?
b. Why this is problematic for national identity, safety, and progress for women in both
VIII. Balancing act
a. What is evident in the other two books that the third books lack/contradict? Is this important? How does Khouri’s book detract from the voice of the others?
b. What is lacking in the other two books that Khouri provides? Are these voices important?
IX. Conclusion
