Essay about Writers and Intellectuals in Exile - 2499 Words

Writers and Intellectuals in Exile â€Å"It may be that writers in my position, exiles†¦ are haunted by some sense of loss, some urge to reclaim, to look back, even at the risk of being mutated into pillars of salt†1 said Salman Rushdie. The loss and love of home is not what constitutes an exilic existence; what actually and in true sense constitutes it is the chasm between carrying forth and leaving behind and straddling the two different cultures from two different positions. In my paper, I propose to look at the two sides of an exilic existence- the negative that which has the horrors and trauma with reference to Adorno and Said; and the positive, that which provides the intellectuals and writers a critical and reflective insight, and here I†¦show more content†¦Exile in itself is a traumatic experience and becomes more aggravated owing to the formation of strong opinionated groups based on the political affiliations or the social construct. Both Adorno and Said enunciate this predicament of the exiles where isolation becomes so worse that exiled groups start suspecting their own members. The moment the formation of politically directed groups begin to take shape, the suspicion and hostility towards â€Å"those branded as the members of others† (Adorno, 33) too simultaneously commences. Adorno says, â€Å"The moment when you hope for the slightest sigh of the same solidarity from them, or even mere sympathy for your own share of the social product of suffering, they show you the cold shoulder† (Adorno, 51-52). The displacements may in many ways be a calamity and a catastrophe for many. But, there is another side to it too. It is a peculiar and also quite a compelling point to note that many writers and intellectuals tend to outshine in their displaced existence. It seems as if the changed environment, the one outside the country of residence acts as a stimulant for them. The exile becomes a kind of rejuvenation so to say, for Victor Hugo fairly did experience this change in his fifteen year exile on the island of Guernsey, where he penned some his famous works. Such writings in theShow MoreRelatedFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1476 Words   |  6 PagesBradbury creates and the real world of the Soviet Union is what happened to people who refused to obey the laws censorship. In Fahrenheit 451, there are some people who strongly disagree with the ban on books in their community. They are called, â€Å"The Exiles.† They are alienated from society, and most live together on the count ryside. They have memorized novels, so they can share them with upcoming societies when they are ready to rediscover them. Although not discussed, the reader gets the idea thatRead More Modernism Essay801 Words   |  4 Pagesculture featured hypercritical moralism as it had a very narrow, strict viewpoint. Modernism eschewed such an absolute, clear-cut apprehension of the world. 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