Peek’s post-humanism critique of Egger’s What is the What added to the edge of
darkness prevalent in the novel. It added to Fadlalalla’s dismissal of a
universal suffering form, noting that “the promised freedom and equality for
all that emerges from conceptions of a universal humanity is continually offset
by the realities faced by the relocated southern Sudanese refugees” (Peek 120).
In other words, Peek discusses the danger of making false promises. When I was
a little girl, I was told that if I worked hard in school, did well on my
exams, and participated in other activities, I would be rewarded with an
acceptance letter to the school of my dreams. Throughout my time at Legacy High
School, I pushed myself to the ultimate boundaries of capabilities, always keeping
the words of my supportive parents in mind. I met all the logistical
requirements of the top schools in the country; I felt as if I had done
everything right and therefore, deserved a spot at the school of my dreams.
However, I was eventually rejected from 4 of my 6 schools and every scholarship
opportunity. In the midst of my devastation, I felt an aura of confusion:
wasn’t I promised these opportunities? While I cannot blame my parents for
instilling a sense of faith and optimism in me, I have wondered, especially
after reading Valentino’s continued and incomparable disappointments, if
promises actually make the world a more bearable place to live.
Peek argues that promises, specifically humanitarian
promises, are illogical and unconquerable. In the end, “the much sought-after
‘Neverland’ of America is revealed to be a promise that remains unfulfilled”
(Peek 121). Valentino does not go to college right away. He is continually
taken advantage of- his oppression continued in the supposed land of the free. Promises,
it seems, are only malleable manifestations of power disguised as selfless
signs of help from above. It divides human society into a class of ‘givers’ and
a class of ‘aid-recipients’. Now let me ask you: which of these titles is
engraved with a sense of dignity? Peek argues that promises of humanitarian aid
“embed a hierarchy within the concept of the human that impacts our ability to
recognize the lives of others and constitutes its own discursive violence by
privileging a Western humanist structure of subjectivity” (Peek 123).
Through the use of promises, the gap between the subjugated
story-tellers and the comfortable listeners grows only further apart.
Hi Aly,
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you connected the reading to not only the book, but also yourself. Also, while reading the book, I was really surprised by the false expectations and hopes the Sudanese boys had about what life in America would be like. I wonder how things might have been different (or better) for them if they were given realistic expectations about their new lives from the outset.
Your analysis of expectations and reality in What is the What is a great concept to look for in refugee stories. In What is the What, nothing seems to work out for Deng, but on the other hand in Of Beetles and Angels, Mawi ends up graduating from Harvard. Deng came to America with an expectation of being granted education and the ideal "American" life, yet ends up being robbed blind and working menial, tedious jobs. The reason for the difference in outcomes of Mawi and Deng may be because of their expectations or because of their childhoods in different cultures, but something made the outcomes much different.
ReplyDeleteNice connection to the idea of unfulfilled promises! I think that Peek did a great job of emphasizing how unfulfilled promises can be so disheartening, especially if these refugees do everything they are required to do, like you did. The article also talked about how the U.S. considered their refugee program for the Lost Boys a success based on numbers, but is it really a success if they aren't doing what they really want to do and are instead doing what they have to do?
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