A postcolonial reading of the other in the novel “Occupation of Darkness” by Bakhtiar Ali

Abstract

What sets the contemporary novel apart is the space it provides for suppressed nations to voice their agonies and sufferings. In other words, the novel serves as a platform for depicting the relationship between colonizers and colonies. The Kurds, as one of these nations, utilize novels to voice their aspirations for freedom and to emphasize the concept of "the Other." One such novel that encapsulates this idea is Bakhtiyar Ali's The Occupation of Darkness. In this novel, Ali explores the relationships between invaders and the invaded, employing terms and concepts theorized by post-colonial theorists. A significant portion of Ali's work is dedicated to discussing the "Other" and the "self" of the colonizer, particularly drawing upon the theories of Edward Said and Frantz Fanon. The author also employs various mechanisms of "othering" throughout the novel. This study finds that the representation of "the Other" in the novel is ideologically motivated but differs: for the Turks, it is associated with violence, whereas for the Kurds, it is linked to struggle and the pursuit of freedom.