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

Qasim Ali Kharal; Zona Zafar

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijla.20200804.12

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

Qasim Ali Kharal, Zona Zafar

Published in International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 8, Issue 4)

Received: 21 January 2020 Accepted: 11 February 2020 Published: 12 May 2020

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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), 2024. 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.

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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

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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

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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

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@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}
}

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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.
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Author Information

Qasim Ali Kharal

Department of English Literature, Faculty of English Literature, University of Sargodha, Lahore, Pakistan
Zona Zafar

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

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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

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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

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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

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@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}
}

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