Posts

Banquet Reflection

  I had a very good time at the banquet and thought that it was a great idea. I made kefta kebabs and some rice for the banquet. While kebabs are originally from the Middle East, the kefta kebabs I made are Moroccan. I think that it is a Mediterranean dish. This dish is traditionally served for dinner, but can be made for other meals. I bought all the ingredients for the kebabs at Aldi, but had to go to Food Lion to get the skewers for the kebabs. I did have some difficulties making it because I had to put the kebabs in the oven with no hard tray. I also cut my finger when I was chopping the cilantro, which really hurt and is something I will not forget. I will probably have a scar to remind me of what happened. The kebabs were all done and looked very good, which I was excited about, so I was chopping cilantro to put in the rice and cut myself because I was doing it too fast. One thing that I would end up doing differently would be to either eat them right away when they are the m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Blog 8

Diana Abu-Jaber dives into this idea of "home" in her novel Fencing with the King, and she does it through the eyes of three fascinating characters: Amani, Gabe, and Musa. Each of them is wrestling with who they are and how they connect to Jordan in their unique way. Take Amani, for instance. Here's this 31-year-old Jordanian-American poet at a real turning point. She's dealing with a divorce, and her academic life has kind of stalled out. Then she stumbles upon a poem by her grandmother, who is a Palestinian refugee, and it sparks this whole journey to uncover her family's story. When she tags along with her dad, Gabe, to Jordan for the King's big 60th birthday bash, it throws her right into the complexities of her heritage. Jordan, this place she's only ever heard about, suddenly becomes a place where she starts to figure herself out. As she's digging into family secrets and navigating all the political stuff, Amani starts to piece together her Ame...
Post a Comment
Read more

Blog 7

I n her debut novel, A Woman Is No Man, Etaf Rum delivers a haunting novel about her experiences and the lives of Arab American women navigating tradition, silence, and survival. Rum has openly admitted that she is telling her story through this work, a fact that makes the novel's tragic ending all the more powerful. The protagonist Isra dies at the hands of her abusive husband, a heartbreaking conclusion that speaks volumes not only about the risk of breaking silence but also about the real-life consequences faced by women in patriarchal systems. Isra’s death is not just a narrative choice; it's a statement. It reflects the suffocating reality of many women when they're born into cultures where honor and obedience outweigh personal freedom and safety. Rum doesn't shy away from this brutal truth; she leans into it. By doing so, she forces readers to confront the cost of silence and the danger of unchecked control. Her decision to end the novel on such a tragic note feel...
Post a Comment
Read more

Blog 6

Randa Jarrar’s A Map of Home is a novel that delves into themes of identity, displacement, and belonging. The protagonist, Nidali Ammar, struggles with her multiple identities as having a Palestinian and Greek mother and an Egyptian father, and later on becoming an American. Her journey is one of constant negotiation between cultures, languages, and expectations, making her story a compelling reflection of the immigrant experience. From a young age, Nadali is caught between her Palestinian father's hard parenting and high expectations and her mother's more humorous and calm approach to life. Her father, Waheed, insists on discipline, particularly in academics, while her mother, Ruz, brings warmth and storytelling to their home. This contrast and parental influence already complicate Nadali's sense of self, as she is expected to take after both parents. Her name itself, which means struggle in Arabic, symbolizes the very essence of her identity crisis. She is constantly grap...
Post a Comment
Read more

Blog 5

 In Diana Abu-Jaber’s novel, food is not only nourishment for the body, it is a powerful symbol of identity, memory, and connection. When Abu-Jaber says, “Let the food be a metaphor for their experiences,” she suggests that food in the novel represents the emotional and cultural journey of the characters. Preparing and sharing food becomes a way to express love, maintain traditions, and navigate the complexities of exile and belonging. Throughout the novel, food serves as a bridge between generations and cultures. For the Arab American characters, traditional dishes are reminders of their homeland, evoking nostalgia and a sense of home even when they are far from where they grew up. At the same time, adapting these foods to new environments reflects the blending of cultures and the evolution of identity. The protagonist’s experiences with food mirror her struggles with identity. Whether she embraces her heritage or resists it, food remains a constant reminder of where she comes fro...
Post a Comment
Read more

Blog 4

  Arab Americans, especially young men, have been disproportionately targeted for extra screening at airports, stopped by police without cause, and in some cases, even detained without clear evidence of wrongdoing. Another significant issue is the portrayal of Arabs and Muslims in the media. Negative stereotypes have persisted in television, films, and news reports, often depicting Arab Americans as threats or outsiders rather than as Americans. Being Arab American after 9/11 has meant facing discrimination, and navigating a landscape of heightened Islamophobia. The attacks on September 11, 2001, drastically changed how Arab Americans were perceived in the United States. While many Arab Americans had lived in the country for generations, the tragic events of that day led to widespread stereotyping, racial profiling, and suspicion towards anyone who appeared Middle Eastern, Muslim, or South Asian. Moustafa Bayoumi, his book explores the struggles of young Arab Americans who have fac...
Post a Comment
Read more

Blog 3

Suheir Hammad is a powerful poet whose work explores themes of identity, displacement, resistance, and survival. Born in Brooklyn to Palestinian refugee parents, her poetry carries the weight of her heritage and the struggles of being a person of color in America. After reading and listening to some of her poetry, as well as watching Salt of the Sea, it becomes clear that her work is deeply personal yet universally resonant. She weaves history, activism, and raw emotion into her verses, making her poetry a form of resistance and a voice for the unheard. One of her most well-done collections is Born Palestinian, Born Black. The title alone carries significant meaning. By pairing "Palestinian" and "Black," Hammad highlights a shared experience of oppression, struggle, and resilience between Palestinians and Black people. The title suggests that her identity is shaped by two histories of colonization, racism, and forced displacement. She chooses this title to emphasize...
Post a Comment
Read more