Ghassan Kanafani: Men in the Sun - Essay Example

GHASSAN KANAFANI: MEN IN THE SUN- JOURNEY USED TO PRODUCE A NARRATIVE OF A NATION Introduction of English literature use the practice to express their ideas, beliefs and conceptions of dissimilar cultures, linguistics and existences. The readers have the task of joining the dots by relating significant themes of their literature based on their understandings of their environments or the world in general. In most situations, the literature with extended influences on the audience/readers applies the context in reflecting or giving a different perception to life’s problems or emerging issues in the current world. Nonetheless, assimilating literature and life experiences creates a firm foundation for learning and conversing about the literature benefiting the audience academically and on ways to address real-life solutions. Ghassan Kanafani, the Palestinian author of the Men in the Sun, uses this literary work to express his experiences and life in the Middle East. Through Men in the Sun, Kanafani elaborates more on the trauma his kind experiences as a refugee through the male characters in the context of the book (Kanafani, 1999). Moreover, the three men are from different generations as one of the discrepancies Kanafani uses to express his graphic metaphors. This paper focuses on comprehensively analyzing how Kanafani used the journey in the Men in the Sun to produce the narrative of a nation, particularly Palestinians and other tribes in the Middle East. Summary of Men in the Sun In his book, Kanafani defines the reality of the Middle East as a Palestinian focusing on the social, political and human authenticities during a sensitive period of the community’s history. Men in the Sun’s context bases mainly on the period when global and local events attempt to alter the culture and assembly of the Palestinian existence (Kanafani, 1999). The three Palestine characters in the book experience a journey of destitution and tussle on their journey to developing their lives. Kanafani uses Abu, Assad and Marwan as a representation of the hard realisms of the Palestinians forced out of their land and community. Based on his expressions, Kanafani had personal experiences on a similar scope and some parts of the book indicate he also, at times, had to hide for weeks due to the lack of the required identification documents (Kanafani, 1999). Relating to personal encounters, Kanafani is able to validate his emotions to the readers through the hardships of the three men (protagonists) who fought battles on the road for better lives only to end up dead. ‘Men in the Sun’ has six chapters where the protagonists have a chapter each as part of the introduction. Kanafani uses each of the first three chapters to explicate why Abu, Assad and Marwan chose the path to Kuwait. The last three chapters encompass the characters’ road to what they thought would be paradise and bliss (Kanafani, 1999). Abu Qais is the father to two children (a boy and girl); however, the girl dies due to health-related complications that made her very thin. In the first chapter and after his introduction, Abu makes recollections about his past live, experiences with friends, death of his baby girl and losing the foundation of his income as the breadwinner. Prior to his decision of searching for better lives, Abu realized that for a decade he had just been dormant waiting for a miracle (Kanafani, 1999). This motivated him to find a way to Kuwait so he could change his condition and positively influence the lives of his family. This had only been a dream and fantasy but Abu decided it was time to make moves. Assad, introduced in the second chapter and a protagonist, was smarter and younger than Abu. He does not interact that much with the other characters and only tells his past life experiences to the chubby character smuggling people to Kuwait in Kanafani’s book. Surprisingly, unlike Abu, this Assad’s second time to try to get to Kuwait. The first time was a failure because the plump man tricked and took advantage of Assad’s kindness and courtesy. In chapter three, Kanafani introduces Marwan as the youngest character of the three. Marwan dropped out of school as an attempt to influence his family future by providing for them and change their lives for the better (Kanafani, 1999). Relative to his experience throughout the book, Marwan grew up hastily but still made questionable decisions that made him look like a child to Abu and Assad. The plump man was reluctant to helping them but Abul Khaizuran, confronted by Marwan, agrees to smuggle them through his employers water truck. Unfortunately, the only hope and opportunity for the three men becomes fatal leading to their demise. Discussion Homeland (Middle East) Kanafani’s literature main part relates to the perceptions of the three characters in attempt to evade the adversities they experience in the Palestinian homelands. Based on the time of publication and as expressed in the writings, the hardships have augmented as result of Ottoman Empire’s downfall after World War 1. Movements of Zionists exile Palestinians cornering the large population in a limited space/land. As their new home, the Jewish Population has to make do of it since the Zionist Jews claim have had ownership of the Palestinian land long before the 20th Century (Kanafani, 1999). However, the Palestinians are willing to fight for their land since they have been living there for more than four centuries. This results to the Zionist Jews and Palestinians living in the small desert land as their only home. The Palestinians colonization by the Zionist Jews is different as compared to other popular situations such as Latin America and Caribbean where the Natives had to work in plantations as a form of exploitation by the landowners. The Zionist Jews considered the Palestinians as the inferior group of the population and had to move out of the area similar to nations colonized by the British (Kanafani, 1999). Through the characters, Kanafani does not extensively describe the home situation of the characters but their narrations of past lives depict their needs to pursue better lives and chances for their families. Opportunity The increasing Jewish population is the key facilitators of the hardships and lack of opportunity factors prevalent among the Palestinian characters. By invading their land, the Jews are denying the Palestinians leadership and employment opportunities. This is main reason why Abu, Assad and Marwan seek opportunities elsewhere, but in their case, Kuwait is the only chance they have at acquiring better lives (Kanafani, 1999). These opportunities are their only hope for survival from the fiery climate experienced in their homeland. Opportunity, the missing aspect in the Palestinian homeland, is the main drive of the three men (Kanafani, 1999). Typically, their main perception is once they get the opportunity, their families will live better lives and the following generations will have a chance at better opportunities. However, this is only achievable through leaving their homeland and illegally moving to another country. This is the only option the Palestinian nation can utilize. Based on Kanafani’s description, Kuwait’s stature as a wealthy country gives Marwan, Abu and Assad the greatest hope for survival, a common attribute and goal among them. In order to have a glance at opportunity, they must be smuggled through the desert with their lives and those of their families in mind (Kanafani, 1999). Abu, the oldest of the three, has a son in school and his wife recently gave birth to their second born. He knows this makes their living condition worse and the only chances of survival and overcoming the hardships lies on his entry into Kuwait. He must provide for his family and take care of their needs. A better job and more money is the answer to his struggle (Kanafani, 1999). On the other hand, Assad, the lone-ranger, has only his needs to cater for; he is desperate for a better life. His was tired of people looking down upon him by the Jews invading the Palestinian land. Assad represents the normal life and feeling of a Palestinian who willing to go to extended depths as long as it gets him to a place where there are no Jews invading his land or conflict in the society. He does not have any family to provide for or any responsibility requiring him to seek opportunity in Kuwait, just himself. However, he is longing for the feeling of acceptance and access to opportunity in form of employment. Kanafani narrates that Assad has tried to enter Kuwait before in the past and failed. The previous attempt nearly led to his death but Assad luckily got assistance from an Arab couple passing through the desert. Nonetheless, Assad determination to go through an experience that almost led to his death for a second time depicts the criticality of the Palestinians harsh conditions and the limited opportunities in their homeland. However, Assad appears to be more careful, particularly on the person they choose to smuggle them. The third and youngest character, Marwan has the lives of his mother and siblings in mind throughout the book (Kanafani, 1999). His father abandoned them after marrying a second wife for money. Marwan’s brother had been providing for them since their father left and after managing to get into Kuwait. Marwan needs to join his brother in Kuwait because after Zakaria marrying, the mother and siblings will have no one to provide for them. Moreover, he feels that it his responsibility as the next head of their family. Marwan has a point to prove to his mother that they can depend on him and to his father that he can surpass him (Kanafani, 1999).   The Journey Desperation is an incentive men look upon when seeking dreams and opportunity even when in harsh conditions and in hopeless situations. The three men in Kanafani’s book use experiences as the basis of wanting a better future throughout their journey with a despairing urge for survival. Abul Khaizuran, the truck driver who agrees to smuggle the three men into Kuwait understands their situations extensively since he has travelled to their homeland as part of his job. Abul is unlike other smugglers because he works for the people living in his country and he too has a tragic life (Kanafani, 1999). Through the journey, Abul aims at giving the three men an opportunity that most of the Palestinians lack. Additionally, he knows other smugglers unaware of the harsh conditions in the Palestinian homeland would leave the three men for dead in the desert similar to Assad’s previous encounter. Kanafani’s description of Abul shows that he has had a rough past i.e. captured by the enemy and physically assaulted taking away his manhood and dignity. However, he is willing to fight for his homeland and the Palestinians hence consider helping the three men as a rejuvenation of his manhood. The sun and rough weather the men face during the journey causes pain and makes time seem longer; moreover, Abul expects them to sit inside the water tanks until they pass the guards. The journey is a test for the Palestinian’s survival and symbolic for the pain their experience for a long time. The three men would not sit in the tanks for more than ten minutes as they waited for Abul to sign the papers (Kanafani, 1999). The three men have no option but to trust Abul, especially with thoughts and a comprehensive picture back at home. Abu, Assad and Marwan’s dreams represent everything they have ever wanted and the significance of their families to them. The thought of looking back cause more pain than they are experiencing. Better to sit in a motionless oven for ten minutes and reach their destination where they will finally meet their dreams and heal their hearts (Kanafani, 1999). Abul holds the key to their dreams through the drive into Kuwait. Kanafani’s ways of portraying the theme of his narrative, particularly using the three men to express the Palestinian life and their thirst for opportunity relates to the beating of the human heart. The End While in the water tanks, the three men throttle and die because Abul takes longer than expected with the guards. One of the guards teases him about having a relationship with one of the popular girls making the conversation longer than usual. After clearing with the guards, Abul hurriedly drives the lorry away from the checkpoint only to find Abu, Assad and Marwan dead. He is full of sorrow for failing and leaves their carcasses on the road. Kanafani ends the book with Abul consistently asking himself why the three men did not knock. Obviously, had they knocked and the guards heard death or imprisonment would have been the repercussions. The silence showed their extended trust and faith thus knocking would hinder them from their dreams (Kanafani, 1999). The illustration explicated by Kanafani at the end is a depiction of extended pursuit of dreams and opportunity by the Palestinians. They need to escape their struggle and conflict between the Jews and Muslims. However, the Palestinians cannot speak out or resist in fear of worsening the condition. Nonetheless, the Palestinians need to speak out in a way their claims will appeal the change of their condition to the better. Conclusion ‘Men in the Sun’ creates a firm introduction of the trouble occurring in the Middle East through the context and expressions used by Ghassan Kanafani. He uses symbolic lexes to depict his true feelings towards the conditions of the Palestinians and the Middle East in general. It is up to the reader’s imagination to make the links and comparisons of Kanafani’s narrative with the stature of the Middle East, which makes complete sense. Kanafani’s philosophy based on the three men’s experience creates a comprehensive understanding of the Middle East happenings but only when one gives extended attention to the emotions and feelings engendered. The Middle East has been subject to conflict and disorder over the years with different communities conflicting over land or religious indifferences. In the recent past, Palestinians and Israelis have been at the core of most problems. The United States has constantly sided with Israelis with the Palestinians working in despair to recuperate their land. The desperation is causing some of them to take their lives and kill the nearest Israelis before doing so. The best solution to the major problems is for the groups to join hands and figure out how to live together on the land and in peace. Ghassan Kanafani’s main concern was the reluctance of the Palestinians to confront the enemies and regain what belongs to them. Resolutely, the Middle East is essential just like any other part of the world with conflicting communities a solution is significant for the Palestinians survival. Over time, even after Kanafani’s publication of Men in the Sun, the Middle East condition has become shoddier and authors like Kanafani voice out what most of the Palestinians avoid addressing; fear of becoming extinct. Humanity should become extinct due to natural forces, not because of manmade reasons such as the augmenting conflicts between the Palestinians and Israelites. People should work together until the unavoidable such as the effects of global warming becomes a reality but before then conflicts such as conflicting over land should not be the everyday headline for the Middle East as painted in the Men in the Sun. Bibliography Kanafani, G. 1999, ‘Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories’, Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers. Read More