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.

White Flag

After hearing this song on NPR, I thought I might include it in my posts about the war in Iraq. Lately, I have been developing strong emotions on this topic. I am deeply disturbed by the evils of war. I feel that our society must end the dehumanization of the "other" and realize the destruction we are responsible for. This soldier's order to "kill it" resonates in my mind. The reference to these people; these mothers, husbands, and children; as something so impersonal as "it" is all too telling of our attitudes and numbness towards the murder of innocent people under the guise of spreading democracy.

For the Love of Books

"In the Koran, the first thing God said to Muhammad was 'Read.'" -Alia Muhammad Baker

On April 6, 2003, America's invasion of Iraq reached Basra. In The Librarian of Basra, Jeannette Winter tells the story uncovered by New York Times reporter Shaila K. Dewan about the brave rescue of over 30,000 books from the city library. Despite the governor's unwillingness to help, Alia Muhammad Baker's love and appreciation for these books lead her to smuggle them out of the library and into neighboring homes and business. Only a few days later, a fire burns the library to the ground. Alia now must wait for the war to end-hoping and dreaming of a new library.

Winter's picture book tells this story in a simple yet powerful way that appeals to a wide range of readers. This book is a valuable tool for teachers of both elementary and secondary school wanting to build awareness of current events related to the war in Iraq.

Pride of Baghdad

Graphic novels are becoming more popular with secondary teachers in order to appeal to students who may be less than excited about reading. Often, these artistic creations personify animals in order to tell a historically accurate tale. One such novel is Pride of Baghdad, by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Niko Henrichon.

In this story, the reader is introduced to four lions who escape from the Baghdad Zoo during America's bombing of Iraq. We follow the lions as they compare their lives in captivity to what they know about being in the wild. The animals have different perceptions of freedom, which is viewed as liberating to the less experienced Noor, yet frightening and dangerous to the much older and partially blind Safa, who had experienced the cruelties of the wild in her youth. When the bombs strike, the lions are consumed with fear, confusion, and a false sense of freedom. They learn that few can be trusted in this time, and they must rely on each other despite their differences. As they struggle to find out what is happening, even the lions become victims of war.

This book is a valuable tool to teach students about real events taking place during the war in Iraq. Through the lions, the reader may become more aware of the feelings of many innocent Iraqis trying to live a peaceful life, with many hopes and dreams for the future, whose lives have been torn apart by a war that they don't understand and cannot escape.

A Soldier's Perspective

I began my research on the war in Iraq by reading a work of fiction by Walter Dean Meyers. In Sunrise Over Fallujah, Meyers tells the story of a group of young American soldiers' experiences fighting in Iraq as members of the Civil Affairs Unit.

The protagonist in the story is 18-year old Private Robin Perry from Harlem. The nephew of Richie Perry (the main character in Meyers' Vietnam War novel Fallen Angels), Robin is compelled to join the war after the events on September 11, 2001. His unit is charged with testing the waters in unknown situations and earning the trust of the Iraqis in order to minimize fighting. The soldiers soon realize the confusion they are faced with regarding why they are fighting, whom they are fighting, and how they can identify their friends from their enemies. Through their experiences we are able to see the beauty of the country and the people-even through the ugliness of war.

As I read this book, I became more aware of the many innocent lives that are lost in war, often due to mistakes and miscalculations, and usually for reasons that remain a mystery. Many of the men and women fighting for our country are children themselves, yet they are faced with horrorific scenes and decisions many of us could never imagine. They are forced to witness the cruelties that are played out on the "other," as well as the attempted justification and retribution. In one scene in the novel, the Civil Affairs Unit is ordered to bring money to the families of children that were killed while playing near a school that was attacked. A man in the village informs the American soldiers that "the mothers of the dead children don't want [the] money, they want their children" (98). It is during events such as this that the empathetic unit, as well as the reader, begin to understand the cost of war and question America's involvement in Iraq.

Through this novel the reader is able to enter into relationships with American soldiers in Iraq. We can see the personal desires to make a difference, despite the gradual realization that this is not a war that can be won. In addition, the book teaches and informs the average unknowing American about the conflict in Iraq and the many parties involved, especially the thoughts and perceptions of the Iraqi people. Although the purpose of the war fails to become clear, the reader is able to put his or herself in the postion of a young soldier, who seems to have much in common with the "blind Iraqi kid stumbling across the field, bullets flying around him, lost in his dark world" (282).

Introduction

Middle East Inquiry and Reflection will serve as a record of my research and study on literature, film, history, and culture of the Middle East. The work will be based on themes and issues studied in a class on Postcolonial Literature in the English Department at Western Michigan University, under the guidance of Dr. Allen Webb.

To begin my study, I have chosen three books dealing with the War in Iraq: Sunrise Over Fallujah, by Walter Dean Meyers, Baghdad Diaries: A Woman's Chronicle of War and Exile, by Nuha al-Radi, and The Librarian of Basra, a picture book by Jeannette Winter. I will also watch various films including Turtles Can Fly, directed by Bahman Ghobadi, and Uncovered: The Whole Truth about the Iraq War, a documentary by Robert Greenwald.

Although I have been a university student for the majority of the past decade, I am ashamed to admit how little I know about this area of the world, and the world in general. In an introductory lecture during today's class, I was introduced to the Peters Projection map. This map, introduced in 1973, claims to be a more accurate representation of area, in comparison to the Mercator Projection map, which distorts size in order to privilege the North. There seems to be some controversy among geographers that argue neither map is an accurate representation of the earth and the Mercator map is not "racist," although they admit that the representation of area is more accurate in the Peters projection. Interestingly, I have yet find any suggestions as to why the map would have been distorted in this way to begin with, and I cannot think of any other reason except for power or political gain.

As I endeavor on my study of the Middle East, I look forward to gaining insight on the history that has informed today's events, as well as some of the lesser-known facts about our current relationship with the region. My goal, as a future high school teacher, is to begin to put an end to America's ignorance of the culture, economy, influence, and our involvement with the region. To culminate my research, I will complete a detailed unit plan for secondary teachers.