THE AUTHOR AS COMPRADOR INELLECTUAL: A POSTCOLONIAL ANALYSIS OF THE MEURSAULT INVESTIGATION BY KAMEL DAOUD

Abstract

The present research aims to analyze Kamel Daoud’s The Meursault Investigation from postcolonial perspective in the light of Dabashi’s theory of comprador intellectual from colonial perspective. This theoretical concept was presented by Iranian theorist Hamid Dabashi in his book Brown Skin, White Masks in 2011. This study examines Daoud’s compradorial approach in the light of this theory. Under this theoretical perspective, all those writers are comprador intellectuals who visualize their native land from European perspective. Under colonial impression, they present their own cultural values in such a degrading way that they fulfill the purpose of their colonial masters. Their ideological sympathies are always attached with the white man. They consider it essential to have connection with the imperial forces for their bright future. But they do so at the cost of their own culture and people. Kamel Daoud serves the purpose of his colonial masters by presenting dismal picture of Islam. He disowns his own native culture through negative portrayal of Algerian society. He does not give balanced picture of Algeria and describes only one-sided view of his native land. He ignores all the positive aspects of his dwelling place and keeps focus only on its negative elements. He always finds fault with his native land and its people. Along with it, he ridicules the established values of Islam and tries to distort its image by challenging its basic doctrine. This abdication of Islam and Algerian society in his work under study shows author’s compradorial approach. The present research contends that Daoud visualizes his native land and religion from the Western perspective. He writes in a way, the white man wants him to write. His literary outcome ultimately supports colonial agenda in one way or the other. It signifies that the roots in his native land and culture are mere skin deep. He is native in color and blood but European in thinking and ideology. His intellect always stands aligned with European interests. This shows that the author uses his mental faculties to please his colonial masters and supports white man’s standpoint through his intermediary access. He hurts the feelings of Muslims and creates doubts about Islam in readers’ minds through negative depiction of Algeria and Islam. This study imparts enlightenment in general masses to be aware of the dynamic of authors like Daoud who work for the interest of their colonial masters in their native guise. They make more harm than good to their native land and religion due to their compradorial approach.