| This thesis examines the relevance of postcolonialism in a world changed by the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks, which resulted in the openly aggressive and expansive nature of the United States in the years following, seeming reminiscent of European colonialism and soundly establishing a perception of the U.S. as an empire. Comparing Junot Diaz's pre-9/11 Drown with his post-9/11 The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and Andrea Levy's pre-9/11 Small Island with Joseph O'Neill's post-9/11 Netherland, I explore the effects and influences of the United States imperial reach that surface in post-9/11 literature to contend its overwhelming presence has marked a turning point in postcolonial discussions; its emergence as the world's most powerful empire poses concerns in today's world, which thus demands a reenergizing of the postcolonialism through revision of its terms, particularly James Clifford's definition of diaspora and its effects on both constructions of male identity and constructions of national identity. It is the aim of this work to contend that by revising key discursive terms in the field, scholars must address the concept of post-9/11 U.S. imperialism to keep postcolonialism relevant in a Post-9/11 world. |
