“ The Land of the Sad Orange”

Read the story using the link below, and answer the following questions.

http://www.nobleworld.biz/images/sad_orange.pdf

How are figurative language and imagery used throughout and what are some specific examples?

In addition to the methods mentioned above, describe the narration.

How did perceptions change throughout the story?

One of the main aspects of the book so far is the variety of characters. There is a variety of characters in the book, from people who are against the new muslims, or people that are not the majority
There are also people just arriving in the country, and people returning. I think this will
play a role in the story for many reasons.


The part I found most interesting is when the Arabic man was working with a machine and he accidentally sawed off his fingers. Since he is diabetic, he is unable to from a blood clot or stop the bleeding. When he heads to the hospital he is denied help because he is arabic. I found this interesting because the area the man is in is racist against Arabics, and they will not even help them.

Violation & Helplessness

One of the events in Wild Thorns that struck me the most was when the girl at customs was found with codes inside her wig and subsequently was physically abused and violated in public. Even through her ordeal, she continually swears at the officers by calling them ‘swines’. While I was reading, one of the biggest comparisons I made was with the female officer who for some reason had to search the girl’s body and African-American NYPD officers. Many times both of the people in these positions feel a need to be cruel to show they are not weak as they are the minority in their work. For the female officer, although one would think she would be more understanding and gentle with the girl, she is just as rough as the men would be and in a way, does more damage to the girl than a male officer would. Perhaps the girl felt more vulnerable because she is now definitely alone with no one to feel any type of sympathy to help her. Usama cringes at her screams and watches her, however he goes on to the next section of interrogation. 
This moment is significant because it gives a glimpse into the treatment of women during this time and what life was like for Sahar Khalifeh. Khalifeh's struggle with finding her voice in a Palestinian culture as a woman and as a writer portrays itself in Wild Thorns. 

When Usama was reunited with his cousin Abil.  He had explored the streets before seeing his cousin and realizing how everything has changed so much. People are acting wealthier and dressing better and eating more and stuffing their children and themselves with so much food like they had been starving forever.  It just seemed to be so plentiful. On p.27. This is significant because before this part in the book. Everything was so harsh and people were being shot down and discriminated against.  This shows the other side of the Muslim world.  To me this shows that the Muslim race isn't all that terrible, unlike the first part of the book which seemed somewhat horrific for me, reading about what these people are living through and now you have people eating well, being plump and seeming happy.  Which is all so different for Usama.

Yes and poetry dies, along with passion. Everything becomes a link in the chain of 'cause' its self. 

"They even speak Arabic, the bastards, like they were born to it.

"All you do is ensure the perpetuation of your species. But its a species that does not deserve to be preserved. You don't think of the future. You're so short-sighted. 

"God help you all, how can you bear to look at them?" he demanded. "They even speak Arabic, the bastards, like they were born to it."

"Mother doesn't read or write. Just her thumb print must suffice."

"You are, huh? Why didn't you answer? You were in the toilet? How was it, filthy dirty as usual? Dirty Arabs! We build spotless sweet-smelling toilets and you fill them with ****!"

"You are huh? Why didnt you answer? You were in the toilet? You dirty Arabs! We build spotless sweet-smelling toilets and you fill them with shit!" p.11

This perspective is from the soldiers.  They assume that all of the Arabs are dirty and filthy swine.  This is wrong because they are attacking them because they believe what their stereotypical image is or might be.



"How can you calm down when your upset?" p.23. Usama

This is what Usama said when the women had asked him about the screaming from before.  He knows how they feel and why she couldn't calm down because she was so outraged by the whole situation.  The perspective shown here is his opinion of why she couldn't calm down and why she shouldn't have said "calm down" "just calm down"!  It hurts what these people are enduring and they don't have the sense to calm down with all their anxiety built up.