NTERTEXTUALITY AS A LITERARY DEVICE TO DE-ORIENTALISE THE SELF IN LAILA LALAMI'S THE OTHER AMERICANS AND RABIH ALAMEDDINE'S AN UNNECESSARY WOMA

Section: RESEARCH
Issue
Vol. 56 No. 105 (2026): Vol 65 - No.105
Pages
1-14

Keywords:

Arab American Literature,, Cultural Resistance, De-Orientalization, Intertextuality,, Orientalism

Abstract

      The current article explores the literary device of intertextuality in de-orientalizing the self in two contemporary Arab American novels: Laila Lalami's The Other Americans (2019) and Rabih Alameddine's An Unnecessary Woman (2013). According to Edward Said, Orientalism has for generations been a determinant factor in shaping the Western view of Arab identities, often reducing it down to simplistic, exotic stereotyping. The present study examines how intertextual referencing within these novels deconstructs Orientalist narratives to represent a multifaceted picture of Arab American identities. While the textual elements of intertextuality can be scrutinized for allusions to classical Arab literature, Western texts, and contemporary cultural materials, seeking to illuminate how these works challenge cultural stereotyping and strive for authentic self-representation. By addressing this research gap, previous studies on the role of intertextuality in de-orientalizing Arab American identities bridge the gap. The findings pointed toward how the literary technique called intertextuality had reshaped narratives and added richness to the portrayal of complex identities. In this manner, it will add to the general knowledge of ways through which minority literature can use literary devices to fight back against hegemonic cultural discourses and create a distinctive voice.

References

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Author

Hussein Nasir Shwein

Department of English/ College of Arts / University of Al-Qadisiyya / Al-Qadisiyya - Iraq

Identifiers

DOI: 10.33899/radab.v56i105.63463

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NTERTEXTUALITY AS A LITERARY DEVICE TO DE-ORIENTALISE THE SELF IN LAILA LALAMI’S THE OTHER AMERICANS AND RABIH ALAMEDDINE’S AN UNNECESSARY WOMA. (2026). اداب الرافدین, 56(105), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.33899/radab.v56i105.63463
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NTERTEXTUALITY AS A LITERARY DEVICE TO DE-ORIENTALISE THE SELF IN LAILA LALAMI’S THE OTHER AMERICANS AND RABIH ALAMEDDINE’S AN UNNECESSARY WOMA. (2026). اداب الرافدین, 56(105), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.33899/radab.v56i105.63463