The Representations of Ideological Closure in Maymūna and Ragtime

Abstract

This paper discusses the representation of ideological closure in the Arabic novel, Maymūna by Mahmoud Tarawry and the American novel, Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow. These novels concentrate on the narration of racism. Also, the narrative structure conceals the social and political rejection of racism that relies on victimization and humiliation. Thus, the main argument is in Maymūna and Ragtime, the representation of anti-racism should not be seen as a utopian impulse, but it may be considered ideological closure that may be called “a global ideological closure” which means restraining the protagonist from providing an alternative imagination to change the status quo. In this paper, the discussion of the representation of ideological closure relies on Althusser’s theatrical contribution to ideology.