Counter-Orientalism in Ella Maillart’s The Cruel Way

: Travel writing becomes an object of scholarly scrutiny thanks to Edward Said’s Orientalism in which he contends that travel narratives are not the objective portraits Oriental peoples and loci, but collude with justify foster Western Empires. Nonetheless, scholars such as Behdad Blanton disagree view, asserting writers can transcend rigid norms Orientalism. Thus, by employing Behdad’s Blanton’s views its theoretical approach, this article will read Ella Maillart’s The Cruel Way highlight counter-orientalism: moments writer challenges inherited orientalist viewpoints. Accordingly, argues Maillart exhibits her counter-orientalism three ways: firstly, through fruitful engagement Afghan food culture, secondly via celebrating henna bearing testimony Islamophilic stance, finally interrogating geography violence. In doing so, she offers unstereotypical picture Afghanistan. To accentuate counter-orientalist present juxtapose benevolent attitude outlook male respect food, henna, It concludes perspective originates from neutral nationality gender.