| Peer-Reviewed

Vision and Blurriness: A Postcolonial Study of Uzma Aslam Khan’s Novel The Geometry of God

Received: 21 January 2020     Accepted: 11 February 2020     Published: 12 May 2020
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

The aim of present research paper is to challenge the ‘Vision’ of west through metaphorical representation of Mehwish’s blindness. The researcher intends to focus upon the use of blindness, which through performance and functional equivalency produces challenge to vision (Eurocentrism). The re-understanding encourages her test the marginalization or "othering" of the blind by deconstructing the myths about visual impairment. Dr. Kenneth’s concept of ‘blindness’ is taken as theoretical framework. Further, Schor’ concept of ‘blindness as metaphor’ is also taken to support the main argument of the research. Dr. Kenneth Jernigan in his book Blindness as Metaphor challenges the traditional concept of blindness. As previously, it is described as ‘disability to see something’ [1], lose or deformity of eyesight. He emphasized to not define blindness merely “in medical and measurable terms something which must be defined not medically or physically but functionally” [2]. Presented thesis has taken blindness as a metaphor to counter attack the European narrative of ‘enlightenment ‘as it functionally failed to enlighten the ‘other’ civilization. Uzma Aslam Khan through her implicit characterization and metaphorical treatment blindness is challenging the oculocentrism. Thus, through physical blindness and functional capabilities of Mehwish, metaphorically Khan challenges the Western mindset of enlightenment.

Published in International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 8, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.12
Page(s) 185-190
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Blurriness, Vision, Oculocentrism, Othering

References
[1] Ananya Jahanara, Kabir. “Deep Topographies in the fiction of Uzma Aslam Khan.” A Journal of Postcolonial Writing, (2016) 47: 2, 173-185, DOI: 10.1080/17449855.2011.557191. Web.
[2] Gallagher, Deborah J. “On Using Blindness as Metaphor and Difficult Questions: A Response to Ben-Moshe.” Disability Studies Quarterly (2006): np. Dsq-sds. Web, 17 April 2016.
[3] Huggan, G. The Postcolonial Exotic: Marketing the Margins. Routledge, 2011. Print.
[4] Jernigan, Kenneth. A Definition of Blindness. National Federation of the Blind. Special Issue: Low Vision and Blindness 2005. Web. 13 Jan 2016. .
[5] Khan, Uzma Aslam. The Geometry of God. Interlinked Books, 2009. Print Kovecses, Zoltan. Metaphor: A Practical Introduction. Oxford University Press, 1993. Print.
[6] King, Bruce, Muneeza Shamsie, Humaira Saeed, Nirmala Menon, Lizzy Attree, Lucy Collins, Jennifer Lawn & Om Prakash Dwivedi. “Reviews.”: A Journal of Postcolonial Writing, 47: 2, 244-254. (2011) DOI: 10.1080/17449855.2011.557260. Web.
[7] Periyakoil, Vyjeyanthi S. “Using Metaphors in Medicine.” Journal of Palliative Medicine 11.6 (2008): 842-844, Semanticscholar. Web. 17 April 2016.
[8] Pickering, Neil. “Metaphors and Models in Medicine.” Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics 20.4 (1999): 365-375. Philpaper. Web. 17 April 2016.
[9] Schor, Naomi. “Blindness as Metaphor.” Differences: A Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies 11.2 (1999): 76-105. Project Muse. Web. 17 April 2016.
[10] Sontag, Susan. Illness as Metaphor and AIDS and its Metaphors, Macmillan, 2001. Print.
[11] Claire, Chambers. “A comparative approach to Pakistani fiction in English.”Journal of Postcolonial Writing, 47: 2, 122-134, DOI: 10.1080/17449855.2011.557182. Web.
[12] Bhabha, Homi K. The Location of Culture. New York: Routledge. 2004. Amazon. Web. 30March. 2017.
[13] Chamber, Claire. “A Comparative Approach to Pakistani Fiction in English.” Journal of Postcolonial Writing 47.2 (2011): 122-134 Tandfonline. Web. 23 Feb. 2017.
[14] Clarke, Dr R. “ Northrop Fyre ‘The Archetypes of Literature’ (1951)”. 1-4. Scribd. Web. 17Feb. 2017.
[15] Smiljan Komar & Uros Mozetic. English Language Overseas Perspectives and Enquiries 1. 1-2 (2004): 105-114. Revije.ff.uni.lj.si/elope/articles Web. 19 Feb. 2017.
[16] Baker, Chris. The Sage Dictionary of Cultural Studies. London: sage, 2004. Bookza. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Qasim Ali Kharal, Zona Zafar. (2020). Vision and Blurriness: A Postcolonial Study of Uzma Aslam Khan’s Novel The Geometry of God. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 8(4), 185-190. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.12

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Qasim Ali Kharal; Zona Zafar. Vision and Blurriness: A Postcolonial Study of Uzma Aslam Khan’s Novel The Geometry of God. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2020, 8(4), 185-190. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.12

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Qasim Ali Kharal, Zona Zafar. Vision and Blurriness: A Postcolonial Study of Uzma Aslam Khan’s Novel The Geometry of God. Int J Lit Arts. 2020;8(4):185-190. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.12

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.12,
      author = {Qasim Ali Kharal and Zona Zafar},
      title = {Vision and Blurriness: A Postcolonial Study of Uzma Aslam Khan’s Novel The Geometry of God},
      journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
      volume = {8},
      number = {4},
      pages = {185-190},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20200804.12},
      abstract = {The aim of present research paper is to challenge the ‘Vision’ of west through metaphorical representation of Mehwish’s blindness. The researcher intends to focus upon the use of blindness, which through performance and functional equivalency produces challenge to vision (Eurocentrism). The re-understanding encourages her test the marginalization or "othering" of the blind by deconstructing the myths about visual impairment. Dr. Kenneth’s concept of ‘blindness’ is taken as theoretical framework. Further, Schor’ concept of ‘blindness as metaphor’ is also taken to support the main argument of the research. Dr. Kenneth Jernigan in his book Blindness as Metaphor challenges the traditional concept of blindness. As previously, it is described as ‘disability to see something’ [1], lose or deformity of eyesight. He emphasized to not define blindness merely “in medical and measurable terms something which must be defined not medically or physically but functionally” [2]. Presented thesis has taken blindness as a metaphor to counter attack the European narrative of ‘enlightenment ‘as it functionally failed to enlighten the ‘other’ civilization. Uzma Aslam Khan through her implicit characterization and metaphorical treatment blindness is challenging the oculocentrism. Thus, through physical blindness and functional capabilities of Mehwish, metaphorically Khan challenges the Western mindset of enlightenment.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Vision and Blurriness: A Postcolonial Study of Uzma Aslam Khan’s Novel The Geometry of God
    AU  - Qasim Ali Kharal
    AU  - Zona Zafar
    Y1  - 2020/05/12
    PY  - 2020
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.12
    T2  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
    JF  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
    JO  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
    SP  - 185
    EP  - 190
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2331-057X
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.12
    AB  - The aim of present research paper is to challenge the ‘Vision’ of west through metaphorical representation of Mehwish’s blindness. The researcher intends to focus upon the use of blindness, which through performance and functional equivalency produces challenge to vision (Eurocentrism). The re-understanding encourages her test the marginalization or "othering" of the blind by deconstructing the myths about visual impairment. Dr. Kenneth’s concept of ‘blindness’ is taken as theoretical framework. Further, Schor’ concept of ‘blindness as metaphor’ is also taken to support the main argument of the research. Dr. Kenneth Jernigan in his book Blindness as Metaphor challenges the traditional concept of blindness. As previously, it is described as ‘disability to see something’ [1], lose or deformity of eyesight. He emphasized to not define blindness merely “in medical and measurable terms something which must be defined not medically or physically but functionally” [2]. Presented thesis has taken blindness as a metaphor to counter attack the European narrative of ‘enlightenment ‘as it functionally failed to enlighten the ‘other’ civilization. Uzma Aslam Khan through her implicit characterization and metaphorical treatment blindness is challenging the oculocentrism. Thus, through physical blindness and functional capabilities of Mehwish, metaphorically Khan challenges the Western mindset of enlightenment.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of English Literature, Faculty of English Literature, University of Sargodha, Lahore, Pakistan

  • Department of English Literature, Faculty of English Literature, University of Sargodha, Lahore, Pakistan

  • Sections