Otherness essays

Otherness essays The Theme of Otherness in Anti-Semitic Cartoons Through political cartoons circulated in the early twentieth century, anti-Semites tried to persuade people to strongly believe the inferiority of the Jews by depicting them as a social other. Perhaps the simplest definition of "otherness" is those human qualities that are different from ones own qualities and outside the groups to which we belong, yet are present in other individuals and groups. In this context, otherness is marked by outward signs like race and gender.   Otherness has also been associated predominantly with those who, by virtue of their difference from the dominant group, have been disempowered and robbed of a voice in the social, religious, and political world. There was an enormous amount of anti-Semitic propaganda and political cartoons published, not only in Germany, but throughout the world. These political cartoons often emphasized and exaggerated the stereotypical views that most people had about Jews. Physical appearance was often highly exaggerated in anti-Semitic cartoons. Many years before Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany, he was obsessed with ideas about race. In his speeches and writings, Hitler spread his beliefs of racial purity and his beliefs in the superiority of the Germanic race, or what he called an Aryan master race. As every student in primary school is taught, Hitlers idea of the perfect Aryan was blond, blue-eyed, and tall. Anyone who did not possess these qualities had a sense of otherness about them. The cartoon of the Jewish money investor embodies the stereotypical features of a Jewish male. He is obviously quite short, and fulfills the misconception that all Jews have a distinctive large nose. Indeed, these features are in contrast with the physical features of Hitlers ideal Aryan race. In Mein Kampf, Adolf Hitler wrote about ...