Childrens Lit in the Middle East

I used two short children's stories for my second paper in our Middle Eastern Literature studies class to show that children's literature can be used as a tool to teach our nations youth about other cultures and maybe even change popular opinions passed down to us about other ethnic groups. I firmly believe that if incorporated into the public school system's curriculem our children will be more well rounded and in tuned with what is going on in other parts of the world and if nothing else at least have a better understanding of other cultures and their lives.

The first story I used was The Day Of Ahmed's Secret, written by Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliand. This piece of literature is magnificent with it's illustrations which could give a young reader an idea of what life in Egypt might be like. The faces of the characters are calm and friendly as opposed to what a child may see on televison or on the cover of their parent's magazines. My parents raised me to fear people of Arabic decent and that they were most likely no good terrorists living in the united states on a visa to run party stores and gas stations in order to fund their organizations over seas. If i would have been exposed to a story like this as a child I feel that I may have been less fearful of Arab people. The story shows that Ahmed works in the bustling city of Cairo and what his daily routine entails, and although it may seem rediculous to a child that other children in other countries have to work full time The Day Of Ahmed's Secret goes to great length to inform that he needs to do this to help his family and that he is proud to have work and benefit his family.

The second story I chose which was written by the same authors; Sami And The Time Of Troubles shares the same beauty in illistrarions as The Day of Ahmeds Secret. What makes this story benneficial to the education of our children is that it tells of hard times during times of war with bombs and guns but it does it in a positve way. Yes war is a touchy subject for children to be able to handle but most of the earliest literature aimed towards adolescents were to frighten children and teach them important lessons. The positive a child could take from this story is that even though times may be tough family is important and what child is not comforted my his mother or fathers voice or touch.

I really hope you read this blog and comment because as an aspiring teacher I am more than serious about trying to introduce this in my work and am willing to do anything and everything to end the stereotypes of other ethnicities, most importantly the Middle East. With so much going on in the Middle East today our children need to be prepared and informed about the world they are about to enter. I was not and feel like I am now playing catch up in trying to understand the world and how it works.

Gold Dust

I honestly was not that big of a fan of Ibrahim Al-Koni's Gold Dust, I thought the plot moved slowly and aside from the animal love going on between Ukhayyad and his thoroughbred camel there was little suspense or entertainment through out the novel. Yes Ukhayyad and his camel are fleeing from their tribe and yes there is war going on with the Italians in the Middle East but little was spent on informing readers of the situations at hand and all I was left with was this love affair between a man and his camel.

There are some bright spots in this novel that prove beneficial to our class study on Middle Eastern Literature. The author did a great job describing in detail the vast landscape of the Sahara Dessert and the caves where Ukhayyad slept at night. The most important thing I learned from this novel is that in the deserts of the Middle East a camel may be the only means of transportation so of course you will care for and perhaps even come to love your camel.

I now have a grasp for how amazing the Sahara Desert is and how life, although difficult at times, is infact habitable. I also understand now why camels are so important to many Middle Eastern families but dont think it was necessary to have an entire novel focused around a man and his struggles with his companion.

Paradise Now

I really enjoyed watching the film Paradise Now which is a touching film that looks into the life of two friends Said and Khaled who were chosen to carry out a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. At first the two young men are excited and honored that they have been chosen, but later struggle with actually carrying out the mission.

There were many things that I truly appreciated, as an American citizen I struggle to understand the reasons why anyone would want to carry out a suicide bombing and how the media makes it seem like suicide bombers take action without concern for there family. This film showed that "chosen" ones actually do struggle with accepting their fate and that it may appear to be an honorable act to die for their country or religion at first but as their final day draws nearer they actually struggle to convince themselves that what they are doing is right. Said and Khaled both show their emotions in their video to their separate families and as they are getting prepared with bombs. Which leads me to my next point...

I never knew how carefully suicide bombings are planned and the many steps it takes to prepare a bomber for their mission. Paradise Now did an excelent job showing the process it takes to prepare a bomber for their mission; both Said and Khaled are given neat haircuts and suits so they wont easily be spotted by enemies and completely shaved before the bomb is carefully placed on their chest area which if attempted to be self removed will explode anyways. I learned something here, that there is no way out. If a suicide bomber decides to re-nig on their decision they are doomed anyways because only a person who understands the construction of the bombs is able to dissemble them.

The movie ends with Said and Khaled being intercepted by Israeli troops and are seperated, and leaves the viewer to decide for themselves if they think the mission is eventually carried out or not. With the blinding white screen at the end I believe that they do end up carrying out the mission and the white light is the last thing Said and Khaled will ever see.