Review of Journey Into Barbary by Wyndham Lewis

Journey Into Barbary: Morocco Writings and Drawings by Wyndham Lewis
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Disclosure:
I get this edition of Wyndham Lewis book from Casablanca, during a touristic tour in Morocco. I was thinking that I may come across some amazing facts about this country but the Reality was against my expectations.

My Plot:
In the beginning of the book the writer starts by admiring his native country "England" with a poetic style. He was going to leave London since he published his controversial book on Hitler, He decides to move from London to another location where his ideological background would not matter. So the first Journey begins from "London" to "Paris". In Paris he makes a stop, buying some books and maps. Actually he was making a preparation to explore an unnatural world. From Paris he took the French ship heading toward Algeria. His journey in Algeria was so amazing, he was satisfied by the French buildings and the big change that France brought to this country. The next stop is Morocco, where the writer was so astonished by the old buildings and Kasbas. He engaged to several stereotypes that depicts Moroccan Berbers so badly, his writings were submitting the Idea that these Local population have no culture, aggressive and they need somebody who could cultivate and represent them, and from here came his admiring to the French colonization of North Africa. His journey reached to the southern parts of Morocco called "Barbaria", searching for the truth of the Travelers' Enigma toward this Country.

Positive and Negative aspects:
I would love to call this book, an Imperial description to North African culture. Actually it was full of controversial images that depict Morocco so badly. First "the writer" or "the painter" take hold of all knowledge, inside his book; he consider himself as the center of knowledge. "As an Interpretation" Paris and London for him are the capitals that provide the world with Culture and Science, and Other cities are just a dwelling places, Another aspects that makes me disturbed was this reference of "I was told" in the whole book. he was trying to make all the stereotypes go true. The drawings went for the sake of degradation. And the feeling of "Superlativeness" was the dominant touch in all the book.

My Personal reaction:
This is the first time I read a book which deceives my expectations. I was trying to bring out the nice aspects of this country and enjoy the cultural life inside it. But Mr. Wyndham Lewis makes me see his book with a negative response. Well his point of view toward North Africa was so disapproving. He had some stereotypes about this region, and by coming to it, his book was a fake mirror that represent the region in primitive way. He was thinking that he may found people in "Barbaria" as animals who needs to be educated and brought back to life but reality was far from his anticipations. I really wasn't fond of the writer's view toward this country, because I can't distrust million of tourist - who admire Morocco and its culture, So summing up all this book, The depiction that Wyndham makes to this region was so subjective, and that's the reason why I didn't enjoy it.

Recommendations:
First of all, this book is a sort of depiction to the north african in a colonial context, so there is no need to take these ideas in reality. If you are traveling to these countries you better stick around a touristic guide better than this controversial book full stereotype. If you have any objection concerning this review please contact me and we will discuss what's the matter.

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