A Thousand Splendid Suns

In this book, Hosseini follows the lives of two Afghani women in the late 20^th century. The women in the story are born into extremely different circumstances. Mariam, the elder of the two, grows up poor on the outskirts of her village. She is raised by her mother, who teaches her that education is worthless for women, and whose own mental illnesses keeps her from showing Mariam a mother’s unconditional love. Mariam is forced to marry young and soon finds that she is nearly worthless (by society’s standards) to the man who has married her. Laila, on the other hand, is a beautiful, intelligent young woman, deeply valued by her father who keeps nothing out of her reach, including her education. She is expected to do great things and bring honor to her family. Hosseini’s merging of these two characters’ lives highlights for the reader that war spares no one. These women both fall victim to oppression and despair, which brings them closer together than anyone may imagine.

One of the most startling scenes in the book took place in a hospital during the regime of the Taliban. Laila was in labor, and was forced to travel to a women’s hospital. Upon her arrival, she finds the hospital dirty and without anesthetic. A nurse if forced to keep watch during surgery lest the doctor be found performing surgery without her burka.

Although the book is most likely overly used as the ONLY source on the Middle East in secondary English courses, its value should not be taken for granted. Hosseini’s story paints a picture of a wounded Afghanistan, and highlights specific lives within the struggle. Any attempt to engage young readers in a sympathetic portrait of the people of the Middle East is an improvement over the way in which they are too commonly dehumanized in the majority of readily available popular culture.

Women and Islam

If some ninety million little boys were having their penises amputated, would the world have acted to prevent it by now? You bet. -Geraldine Brooks

After reading Geraldine Brooks’ Nine Parts of Desire, I was left with a much better idea of the role of women in different parts of the Middle East. In her accounts, Brooks is careful to differentiate between the differences in Islam based on region. Although she paid close attention to the oppression of women based on religious beliefs and cultural customs, I felt that she gave voice to the opinion that many women choose to live veiled and restricted,while arguing that in some ways it could be considered the most progressive option available to them.

I particularly appreciated the background information this novel revealed about Muhammad and the founding principles of the Islamic faith. For educational purposes, Brooks does an excellent job defining key terms, such as the different schools of thought and the different acts associated with Islam. In this way, Nine Parts of Desire would be a useful tool in the secondary or college level course; although, one might carefully consider pairing it with a work that challenges the "anti-veil" feminist approach, such as Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil: Challenging Historical and Modern Stereotypes, by Dr. Katherine Bullock. I have not yet studied this work, but I will post more about it soon.

In her book, Brooks carefully analyzes different interpretations of the Koran, and points out that many practices that oppress and brutalize women are not founded on the teachings of Muhammad at all, but merely ancient traditions that continue even today. It was horrifying for me to read that the practice of genital mutilation was legal even until 1994 within the United States. Brooks argues that more needs to be done to protect women who are threatened by their culture, such as granting the right to asylum to women who have a "well-founded fear of persecution." This suggestion, which would only help women with the means to escape their situation, seems to be the very least that should happen.

While I was reading this book, I kept trying to put myself in the position of the women in Brooks' stories. What if I were forbidden to leave the house without my father or my husband? What my daughter was mutilated on an operating table? As an unwed mother, I would be marginalized and scoffed at, if not imprisoned, or perhaps killed by my male relatives. It pains me to think of the women that are refused such basic human rights by their very own people, as the rest of the world keeps moving forward, turning a blind eye to them all.

Ottoman Culture

For an entertaining and enlightening tale about Turkish culture and the Armenian genocide in 1915, I recommend reading The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak. This book actually contains 3 separate stories that weave themselves together. The first is a story of a family of Turkish women living in Istanbul, all of whom share a home and a name but little else in common. The second is the story of an Armenian girl living in the states, splitting her time between her father's Armenian family in California and her mother in Arizona, who does her best to purge her life of anything Armenian after her divorce.

My favorite part of this book was the glimpses of Turkish religious customs and beliefs that were provided by one of the sisters, Banu. Through her, I learned about djinni, which I found to be very interesting. She also provides glimpses into the past that teach the reader about the Armenian genocide.

This novel is rich in concepts, including feminism and nationalism with hints of "coming-of-age novel" qualities. Shafak creates exceptionally interesting female characters, and her portrayal of Istanbul is edgy and modern. The end of the book is carefully crafted to keep the reader on a thread, excited to learn more and more about each of the characters and how their lives will change.

Shafak was prosecuted for "insulting Turkishness" because of the claims this book makes about the Armenian genocide, which is still denied by the Turkish government. I was struck by the fictional, yet historic, images this book provides about the mass destruction of Armenian citizens in the Ottoman Empire after WWI.

Rooftops of Tehran (by Mahbod Seraji)

For a selection on Iran, I chose to read Mahbod Seraji's Rooftops of Tehran. I quickly found that I was unable to put down this captivating and romantic tale of an adolescent boy growing up in Iran during the shah's regime in the 1970's. Although the language of the book has been quoted as being simplistic, I found it to be beautifully romantic and appropriate for the seventeen year-old protagonist/ narrator.

While becoming one of my favorite contemporary novels of all time, this book taught me a great deal about Iranian life and culture. I could picture the houses and the rooftops upon which Pasha and his friends would sit and dream. The relationships that develop throughout the novel are relevant to any adolescent in modern-day America, making this an excellent novel to teach at the secondary level.

Although the characters in the novel share a great many similarities to the modern American student, the differences are what play a key role in making this novel teachable. Pasha, Zari, and their friends not only have to deal with hormones, new love, and strict parents, but they are under a regime that dictates what kind of books can be read and what opinions can be expressed in a school essay. The punishment for breaking these rules is not to get the car keys revoked but imprisonment and possible death. For me, this book did an excellent job balancing the similarities of the characters that make them sympathetic to the modern young reader as well as highlighting the differences that teach about Persian life, specifically in the 1970's.

One of the stark contrasts I found very interesting was the dichotomy between America as a place hated and held in contempt versus a land of amazing educational opportunities. It is clear in the novel that America is responsible for the shah's oppressive regime. It is also made clear that America is only valued as a place of educational freedom, but it makes me wonder as to why an American education, based on American values, can be preferred in a place where there is so many anti-American feelings due to distrust. This is a topic I hope to do some research on, in case there has been a shift in the past 40 years.

On a side note, check out Mahbod Seraji's website for great suggestions on additional reading and interesting links.

Stories by Etgar Keret

I just finished reading The Bus Driver Who Wanted to be God by Etgar Keret, and I have to say it is probably my favorite work thus far for the class. I found his writing to be refreshingly open and thought-provoking as it challenged common perceptions of daily life. I am shocked that it is a work in translation, as the language and style seemed comparable to many American writers of contemporary comedy. What intigued me most, however, was the careful balance of humor and morbidity that made each work interesting and emotionally fulfilling.

Many themes are prominent in this collection of stories, such as the problem of the individual versus society, the significance of Hell, sleep disorders, suicide, and the history of the Middle East. Israeli politics were referenced through many of the stories, including "Rabin's Dead," whose title seems to play on the assasination of former Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was opposed after signing the Oslo Accords in an attempt at furthering negotiations with Palestine.

My favorite story was "Kneller's Happy Campers," in which Keret creates an afterlife for all individuals that commit suicide. The story is told directly and honestly, and almost resembles a utopia where miracles happen and families are reunited. There was a movie made based on this story, entitled Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006). The author's religious culture is evident throughout many of the works, seen in the references to Hell, a "Messiah," and other biblical events. The stories seem to set religion in a skeptical light or with a strange twist attached, such as in "Plague of the Firstborn," where the father finds out that his wife had betrayed him as a result of the Old Testament plague.

Although I don't know what the stories can reveal to us specifically about Israeli life, I do feel that reading the book puts Israelis in a more sympathetic light in which we can separate them from war and Palestine. I feel this is especially important after our discussion of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, during which I felt the majority of our class agreed that Isreal was responsible for a large portion of the guilt. It is important to try to consider the lives and values of all of the parties involved as equally as possible.

Peace Week Keynote Address

On Thursday, October 22, I was able to attend a presentation by Phyllis Bennis as part of Western Michigan University's annual Peace Week. Ms. Bennis is a fellow of the Transnational Institute, as well as the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. She specializes in U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and the United Nations, and is a highly published author on topics such as Palestine, Iraq, and United Nations Reform. Her works include Understanding the Palestinian-Israel Crisis and Ending the Iraq War: A Primer.

Although Bennis pointed out early in her speech that her primary audience is the youth of our nation, I was struck by the lack of young people in the crowd. Her target audience for this speech seemed to be scholars and community members of the 50+ generation. I felt that this could be attributed to the lack of publicity concerning not only this event, but Peace Week in general. While at the address, I was able to sign up to hear about future events, but it seems that the organization sponsoring Peace Week could do a much better job of reaching the general public.

Bennis' address focused mainly on the U.S. war in Afghanistan. She pointed out that President Obama's promise to pull troops out of Iraq was accompanied by a promise to further expand the war in Afghanistan. She also brought up the controversy surrounding a tactic of counter-terrorism versus one of counter-insurgency. She explains that one can not win the hearts and minds of the citizens in Afghan while we are dropping bombs on them. To illustrate her point, Bennis told of the former administration's use of cluster bombs, which when dropped explode into many little mini-bombs, each with the strength to kill a child. However, not all of these cute little mini-bombs explode once landing, thus, turning into landmines. These parts were all wrapped in yellow plastic, assumably to be easily seen by civilians. After we had bombed Afghanistan, there were a number of people who fled their homes, with no food, no shelter, in the middle of winter. We then decided to drop MREs to these starving victims, and , in order to make them visible, wrapped them in the same yellow plastic. Embarrassed, the administration sent out warnings, but did not attempt to recall the packages. One can picture the scene when a small, unknowing child runs up to one of these packages to get some food, and is instead blown up.

In addition to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Bennis also spoke of the Palestinian-Israeli crisis. One point that I found particularly interesting was that of the Goldstone Report. This report was the findings of a mission led by Justice Richard Goldstone to investigate possible war crimes taking place in Gaza late in 2008. His findings were published, which criticized both Palestinian and Israeli actions, though found more guilt with the latter. The Goldstone Report included a list of recommendations, which included asking Israel to pay reparations. Among others, the U.S. found the report to be biased and illegitimate, despite the evidence presented.

In conclusion, I found Ms. Bennis' speech to be informational and thought-provoking. She touched on many topics for possible future research, especially concerning the laws of war and the U.S. domination of the United Nations. My only regret is that there weren't more students in attendance, as I feel the information presented was highly relevant and necessary in order to take an active role in democracy and become an informed citizen.

Palestinian Literature

When reading Sahar Khalifeh's The Image, the Icon, and the Covenant, I was at once struck by the beauty of the language despite having gone through the process of translation. I could easily appreciate the novel as a work of art, and not only as an example of Palestinian Literature. I began reading the book in search of examples of life during the Palestine-Israel conflict, but what I found was the story of a man, who on a journey of self-discovery falls in love with a complex and mysterious woman.

The novel can be analyzed through feminist perspective while it challenges the patriarchal norm of Palestinian society. The protagonist, Ibrahim, has been robbed of a strong masculine identity beginning in his youth with his father's rejection of him as a son. To further this disempowerment, he chooses a profession in academics, and appreciates books over business.

When Ibrahim becomes infatuated with Mariam, he falls in love with her "image." He prefers the weak and depressed Mariam we see weeping over her brother's grave to the lively, passionate, and sensual woman she later proves to be. As the couple progress in their relationship, Mariam's money and sexuality further disempower Ibrahim, eventually causing him to reject her and their child. Later in life, Ibrahim continues his search for identity through his abandoned son, and possible heir; once again looking for empowerment through the practice of leaving a legacy by patriacrchal terms.

This book can be a valuable teaching tool at the advanced secondary or university level in a variety of ways. First, it creates sympathetic characters from a region that we do not always consider approachable. The story can teach a number of lessons about patriarchy and Palestinian culture that can also be compared to our own society. One could analyze the text through a feminist or Marxist lens, as well as read it to gain insight on the state of Palestine after Israeli occupation. It also brings up questions concerning the Palestinian conflict, such as questions about the priority of the personal versus the national, or awareness and culture versus armed revolution.