American Messianic Colonialism in Stanley Weinbaum's Planetary Stories

Although America claims to be the savior of the world and its invasions of other nations have been justified as attempts to maintain peace and security، America’s international interventions have not always been without expansionist aims. America considers itself a Messianic force on the earth. This moral aloofness has served as a justification for imperialist projects. In the light of post-colonial studies، this article tries to discuss the manifestation of America''s messianic discourse in the works of a leading science fiction writer of the 1930s، Stanley G. Weinbaum. In his planetary stories، Weinbaum portrays Americans as the harbingers of peace، security and enlightenment to the lands they invade. Moreover، Weinbaum pictures Americans as those who bring about reconciliation and، having eliminated hostile criminals and vicious natives، save all the planets and its tame، pliable inhabitants. The results of the analysis show that the Messianic discourse of the US has been so pervasive that it has deeply affected its literature and culture.