The Role of Literature in Shaping Perceptions: A Study of Burnt Shadows and Global Narratives

This study aims to analyze how modern expressions of prejudice, i.e., against marginalized groups, are a development of previous racist ideologies. It uses Edward Said's Orientalism alongside Fredrickson's "scavenger ideology" to discuss how fictional accounts construct Muslim identities along with sociopolitical narratives (Said, 1978). The study analyzes Kamila Shamsie's Burnt Shadows as an anti-dominant account to challenge mainstream representations of the Muslim community. The deconstruction model of Derrida is applied to this study to critique oppositional oppositions within Western literary works depicting the link of Muslim identity to radicalization. By positioning Burnt Shadows within racial and religious discourses, the present research foregrounds literature's potential to promote a more realistic understanding of Muslim identity. In conclusion, the research highlights how counter-narratives have the potential to broaden the conversations about representation, identity, and cross-cultural encounters within literary studies.