postcolonialism

these two representations look pretty archaic to me, especially the image from lawrence of arabia.  however in the top image, western man and the arabs are seen as being enemies.  i know that is not nessesarily true today, and i don't think it was nessesarily true 20 years ago.  it depends on which part of the middle east you are talking about.  many middle eastern countries are more modernized now.  take jordan for example.  jordan is very comparable to the united states in it's daily life and i believe there are other arab countries that are more modernized that these two images suggest.  in both images, women are not represented as a primary or equal part of society.  they of course have a veil covering their face, and play a very submissive role in the background.  again, this may still be true in some regions in the middle east, but not all of them.    

however, the image of indiana jones walking into "arabia," and being attacked is pretty far fetched.  i don't think if i were to travel to jordan or palestine or possibly even israel, there would be a ninja-like attack on me as soon as i arrived.  these images clearly suggest that arabs are either villians or very territorial...or both.  these images are very much portraying arabs as the "enemy."  being that i have known people from middle eastern cultures, i know that is not true.

it's tough to say how things have changed in arabia.  i think things like the archetecture, and the clothing have not changed in some areas.  in other areas, society is more liberated and people dress just like americans.  they don't dress in robes in some middle eastern countries.  

arab men and women  in hollywood portray very different roles.  the men are always seen as powerful villians or terrorists.  the women are seen as being very passive, vulnerable, the victim...it's all very old world to me.  i think that some of these things have stayed the same such as some of the viewpoints towards women in some regions.  only in some areas though.  for example, in saudia arabia i believe women are still oppressed in the sense that they must always be accompanied by a man, always cover their face, remain very passive.  however, in places like jordan (and i'm sure there are others), women are able to do everything they do here in the united states.