MODULE FOUR - Discussion Board

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MODULE FOUR – Discussion Board  Share connections you see between cultural studies or New Historicism and the chosen work. For example, you might respond like this: "The topic of 'Reaching Guantánamo' relates well to this theory because..." The connection between the literary theory of cultural studies and “Reaching Guantanamo” can be understood in many ways. Cultural studies are able to be represented by experiences, perspectives, and consequences. In “Reaching Guantanamo” readers can explore how authors depict the physical and emotional journey of both Salim and Sharif in many different ways on their path to Guantanamo. These characteristics of cultural studies would give an integral account of the experiences of Sharif from the outside and Salim by inference from previous letters. In the excerpt below, Sharif states her reaction to severe emotion in these stanzas from letter eight: The neighbors got an apology And a few thousand dollars. They calculate based on And And age. The worth of a , of a human . hands shook as she opened . She took it out front And ripped it . a little pile And set fire to it right there, right in front of . (1-10) This illustrates the emotional journey that Sharif witnessed from her neighbor as well as an experience she’s having during the time when Salim is incarcerated. This example also highlights

perspectives of her life in the outside world through letters when Salim is inside the prison. By showing the emotional journey and differentiating encounters of Sharif and Salim, the illustration captures the complexities and subtleties of culture and society. It permits readers to pick up a more profound understanding of the characters and the social setting in which they exist. The stanza “And ripped it . a little pile / And set fire to it right there, right in front of .” (Sharif, lines 8-10) gives the reader the ability to see the anger her neighbors are emoting from something that could be purported to be a ‘pay off’ when in a previous line she stated, “And a few thousand dollars.” (Sharif, line 2). Additionally, cultural studies of “Reaching Guantanamo” could include interdisciplinary studies such as sociological, anthropological and historical. These different interdisciplinary studies help enable educators and literary scholars to explore the various aspects of “Reaching Guantanamo”, by understanding the cultural, social, and political dimensions of the detention camp and what it meant to Salim and Sharif during his incarceration. Cultural studies have investigated literary works in conjunction with other cultural practices and artifacts which may offer a complete understanding of the incredibly complex issues surrounding Guantanamo. As an example, experts might look at books like The Road to Guantanamo by Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross or Guantanamo Diary by Mohamedou Ould Slahi to help explore how these literary works feature a different view on awareness about the experiences of those held at Guantanamo. This would also give good insight into the experiences of those they left behind. This in-depth look at other literary works helps scholars broaden their understanding of the cultural and social implications of the detention camp, which in turn, could give more guidance regarding the sociological, anthropological and historical meaning of “Reaching Guantanamo”.

 Justify your choice of theory. Why do you think this theory relates to the literary work chosen? What are the advantages or disadvantages to using the other theory? Cultural studies' literary theory has strong connections to "Reaching Guantanamo” due to the sociological aspects of the poem. There are many examples of the exploration of personal and familial identity as we are gleaning glimpses of how Salim’s incarceration at the detention camp affects Sharif. Using this lens, "Reaching Guantanamo" can relate to these cultural aspects by highlighting Sharif’s growing grief throughout the letters she sent to Salim. As an example, Sharif explores her life and emotions regarding Salim’s incarceration by trying to normalize his days with nonsensical things that she’s done throughout the day, including him on errands that she’s run or explaining about the nest she has seen. She states: have made a nest under our . An now the nestlings always . (1-3) Further, in another passage she shows how the detention of Salim affects her personally. She longs for him to be home and to hear his voice. She wrote: I want to hear you say “ please.” I want to hear you into the phone. (Sharif, lines 15-18) These sociological viewpoints of her correspondence serve as an excellent representation of her depicting cultural studies in literary theory. This focal point illustrates how Sharif's letters gave her a false sense that she was "near" Salim by giving him a look into her day, but in the long run

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this became too much for her to handle on a daily basis. The unavoidable act of Salim’s incarceration incorporates an association to the sociological lens through Sharif’s emotions which gives a deeper understanding of the poem’s significance and importance when referencing bigger cultural and societal settings. When discussing other theories, there are some disadvantages of using New Historicism when exploring this poem. This theory could disregard literary elements and overlook the qualities of the text, like narrative structure, figurative language, and symbolism. In addition, the artistic and creative elements of "Reaching Guantanamo" might not be taken into consideration if we examine this narrative with this lens. New Historicism is a theory that approaches literature with an examination of historical significance and understanding, not encompassing the personal aspect of readers-response theory. For example, in the letter below, the emotion in Sharif’s personal experience shows more of an individualistic narrative and not a lens that surrounds a historical context. Sharif pens: I received your ! ? Where shall I ? ask about you everyday. They want to know if you . What do you want me to tell them? For now, I just say Yes. (1-6) Equally important, New Historicism’s language, style, and distinctive narrative intent are occasionally overshadowed by the New Historicism's strong emphasis on historical and cultural context. This limited focus might make it more difficult to comprehend the text in its entirety. The strong emphasis on historical and cultural context in New Historicism may lead to a diminished interpretation of the poem. It is possible critics could undervalue or ignore the

language, style, and narrative devices that play in defining the meaning of a text by concentrating mainly on its political, social, or ideological elements. In an article by David Baker, he examines the in-depth information he finds in “Reaching Guantanamo.” He notes that Sharif purposely leaves out “an account of any direct political narrative or observation” but goes on to express that her narratives are rooted in “the politics of military redaction; the erasure of privacy and intimacy; the expressed tension among forms of power, whether general, religious, or governmental” because of her communication having “absented gestures and the erased language” (Baker). Because of Guantanamo Bay’s noteworthy history, New Historicism’s theory would overshadow the narrative if that lens was directly involved with the past of the concentration camp and not the prose and emotions in each letter.  Then, explain why you chose this particular theory. What are the advantages of choosing this theory? For various reasons, examining "Reaching Guantanamo" through the lens of literary culture theory can be a valid method for cultural identity representation. The poem focuses on issues of cultural identity and how people are affected by their cultural heritage. Sharif and Salim are exchanging letters that give a gauge of the impact of his incarceration on them. Further, they are examining this event with their cultural values, beliefs, and customs. These letters influenced the experiences and viewpoints of the poem's characters and, is facilitated by the usage of culture theory. The literary culture theory also emphasizes how important storytelling is in establishing cultural identity and collective memory. Historical occurrences and cultural customs can be sustained via literature: poems that portray historical events or oral representations of a snapshot in their history could have been passed down through the generations and can help to preserve

cultural heritage. Because literary cultural studies “aim[s] to examine works that have traditionally been ignored in academic study” we are able to see works that are done by “marginalized or oppressed groups” (Gonzagowski). Directly correlating with Sharif and Salim’s culture, is an example of how the couple’s culture is excluded, and the derogatory stereotype is present. In an article by Arpi Sarafian, she wrote: For Sharif, being uprooted from one’s land and coming to America is not about being torn between two traditions. It is about leaving something behind for a culture where one is always alone, always excluded. During the period when Salim was incarcerated, the world knew about the capture of Osama bin Ladin. Therefore, he was also thrust into the spotlight as his driver and “charged with helping bin Laden avoid capture” (DeGroat). Frankly speaking, Salim’s personal culture and traditions are continuously reflected in her poetry and “Reaching Guantanamo” is no different. Because of the time Salim spent in prison, her letters reflect aspects of her life which give hints about her traditions and culture. As stated in our Module Four Notes, this is a great example of bricolage. As Professor Gonzagowski wrote, bricolage gives us the “freedom to use whatever critical approach fits the situation” (2). In this case, bricolage recognizes the cultural and traditional context which is embedded in the poem. Bricolage allows scholars to investigate how writers use aspects of their cultural environment such as customs, traditional or historical occurrences to impact the meaning and interpretation of their writing. This sheds light on the literary texts' cultural significance. To illustrate this point, the below excerpt from “Reaching Guantanamo”: I’m reading Hikmet, Human Country.

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The wife sends to her Like I do. I’m reading Now. He was like you. (1-5) This small glimpse of Sharif’s life outside of Guantanamo shows us that she is reading poetry by Nazim Hikmet who was imprisoned for “radical acts” (Academy of American Poets) by being a “agitator” and “a loose cannon,” while being “charismatic, fearless and outspoken” about political happenings in 1929 (Gustafson). By reading and writing about Hikmet, Sharif is introducing historical occurrences as well as a parallel to Salim’s imprisonment through her letters. By demonstrating this bricolage example and how literary cultural studies have always been implicated, we can better understand postmodern literature by examining texts, cultural context, reinterpretation, and historical happenings in literature. Works Cited Academy of American Poets. “Nâzim Hikmet.” Poets.org , poets.org/poet/nazim-hikmet.

Baker, David. “Reviews Look by Solmaz Sharif.” The Kenyon Review , 9 Sept. 2016, kenyonreview.org/kr-online-issue/kr-reviews/selections/look-by-solmaz-sharif-738439. Accessed 6 Nov. 2023. DeGroat, Wendy. “Featured Poem From Reaching Guantánamo by Solmaz Sharif.” Poetry River , 30 Apr. 2014, www.poetryriver.org/blog/featured-poem-fromreaching-guantnamo-by- solmaz-sharif. Accessed 7 Nov. 2023. Gonzagowski, Steven. “LIT 200 Module Three Lecture Notes.” snhu.edu , 2023, learn.snhu.edu/content/enforced/1420384-LIT-200-X2367-OL-TRAD- UG.23EW2/Course%20Documents/LIT%20200%20Module%20Three%20Lecture %20Notes.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=7zkoUBr9fqo3R6NA9d90IF5VU&ou=1420384. Accessed 2 Nov. 2023. Gustafson, Mark. “NÂZIM HIKMET: The Life and Times of Turkey’s World Poet.” Rain Taxi , 16 May 2018, raintaxi.com/nazim-hikmet-the-life-and-times-of-turkeys-world-poet. Accessed 7 Nov. 2023. Sarafian, Arpi. “The Other Side of Paradise: Solmaz Sharif’s Customs.” The Armenian Mirror- Spectator , 21 July 2022, mirrorspectator.com/2022/07/21/the-other-side-of-paradise- solmaz-sharifs-customs. Sharif, Solmaz and Paperbag. “Reaching Guantanamo - Solmaz Sharif.” Paperbag , 30 Apr. 2014, paperbagazine.com/paperbag_1_solmaz_4.html. Accessed 6 Nov. 2023.

MODULE FOUR - Discussion Board

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