Narrative Deception: Political Misinformation in Nadeem Aslam’s The Wasted Vigil

Abstract

This study analyzes Nadeem Aslam’s novel, The Wasted Vigil from the perspective of the politics of representation. In contemporary times, the politics of representation takes on new forms, including the role of ‘Native Informers’. Hamid Dabashi’s (2011) theory of ‘Native Informer’ is used while the acquired facts are examined and weighed. Dabashi argues that the US relies on intellectuals from third-world countries to write about their nations in ways that align with US political goals. These informers feign authority and authenticity to justify US Imperialism. With this theory, it is found that the writer of the selected novel has used different strategies to justify the American invasion of Afghanistan, such as the invasion as a humanitarian mission, women empowerment, and educating the natives. The close reading technique, designed by Fisher and Frey (2013), is used to examine issues relating to the politics of representation. Exploring neo-colonialism, specifically the new modes of the politics of representation, this study examines Nadeem Aslam’s role as a ‘Native Informer’ in portraying the U.S.-led Afghan war.