REVERSE CULTURE-SHOCK WITH AN ATTEMPT OF COMPROMISING CULTURES: A CRITIQUE OF A. RIHANI’S THE BOOK OF KHALID AND T. SALIH’S SEASON OF MIGRATION TO THE NORTH

Mugahed Alheshami,Mohammed Yassin Mohammed Aba Sha'Ar

doi:10.18592/let.v9i2.3140

Abstract

Upon repatriation, many socio-psychological problems accompany the returnees to their home culture after spending a long time in the host culture. It is assumed that the returnees find no difficulty in re-adapting the life in their culture; however, many studies expound that re-adjustment in the home culture, particularly after spending a long time in another culture, is not an easy process, the returnees experience a re-entry or reversal cultural-shock. The main contention of this paper is to expound how Rihani and Salih attempt with a new literary trend to unify the eastern and western cultures in their fictional worlds. The paper underpins the idea of bridging the gaps between cultures and initiating a new era of mutual understanding and co-existence between the nations. It explicates how both novels present a different picture of the oriental world that contradicts with the orientalist and neo-orientalist depictions by projecting the Arabia culture and people equitably.

Highlights

Reverse cultural shock or re-entry shock refers to the “difficulties encountered when readapting to the home culture” (Rhodes, 2015, p. 307)
This paper shows interest in how does the compatibility between the home and host cultures can result in a reverse cultural shock as the returnees develop a coping style
Staying for a long period of time in an alien culture and coming back to re-enter to the home culture causes the reverse culture shock because the person is almost to notice the changes which he/she had seen in the host culture and have not taken place in his/her home culture

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Reverse cultural shock or re-entry shock refers to the “difficulties encountered when readapting to the home culture” (Rhodes, 2015, p. 307). The sociocultural studies are much concerned with the difficulties the immigrants face once they transfer into another culture than on the back home returnees. This paper tries to concentrate on the points and attempts of making cultural compromise By discussing this topic, we get to know how the two authors have got understanding of the self, the other, east and west, home culture and host culture, God and human being relationship. This article discusses the great reverse culture shock which the Arab immigrants experience after returning their homelands. Tayeb Salih’s works are immensely well-known writer among the African readers and western readers. His novel Season of Migration to the North (1966) has been included in the university syllabuses of many western countries. The answer is that; the two works have dealt with issues that concern all the human beings

Mugahed Alheshami

METHOD

Reverse culture Shock

Cultural Compromise Despite the Unforgettable Past

The Need of Internal and External Compromise

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS