Observation Of Manseau's 'Revelation Road'

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Among the thoughtful observations that Manseau makes in “Revelation Road” are the exclusivity and gender gap that are characteristic of the Blue Mosque. That Manseau and his tour group must enter the mosque through the “non-Muslim entrance” seems to me to be the antithesis of the ideal of equality and togetherness that religion should bring. Manseau does not exaggerate this disparity (Manseau 4). He mentions it as it is, accepting the view that Islamic culture has the need to separate people in such a way. The separate entrance for non-Muslims is not a matter of right or wrong, perhaps when considering the manner of the tourists (a term that Manseau appropriately uses). A part of Muslim religion and culture is the conscious covering of one’s body, and tourists, as Manseau implies, should respect this belief by dressing appropriately. Respect is a mutual action; the disconnect that is evident here, between the tourists not covering themselves up and the Muslims making a separate entrance, therefore seems inevitable. Another intriguing observation is the division of…show more content…
He doesn’t make a blunt judgment. By observing, he brings new eyes to a complex matter, enabling an awareness of the differences encountered when traveling. When we, the travelers, observe from “behind glass,” as Manseau points out, we should become aware that in judging a culture or religion different from our own, there is a fine line of which we should be cautious. Tourists and travelers are indeed “insulated” by the fact that they are a foreign group setting foot on virtually unknown soil: there is “no need to meet or interact with anyone who lives among the sites we see” (4). It takes an intrepid traveler like Manseau to escape this insulation, to see through the glass by talking to these people and trying to understand a faith and culture different from his
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