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At the beginning of the story, the narrator obediently learns the Koran and partakes in the traditions of his religion. He idolizes his grandfather because he is the boy's main influence in life.
The narrator matures when he begins to form opinions and make decisions based on his own personal knowledge and experience. By the end of the story, the boy understands the differences between his morals and his grandfather's. He no longer blindly idolizes his grandfather when he judges who his grandfather truly is based on his actions.
After finally seeing the cold-hearted nature of his grandfather, not only does the narrator begin to feel discomfort towards the grandfather, the narrator also finds doubt in himself, questioning everything the old man taught him.
Specifically, the narrator ponders on his religious belief, realizing that the man who encouraged reading the Chapter of the Merciful, was not merciful, himself.
In a powerful way, Tayeb Salih reminds the reader that questioning the morals of those closest to you gives you a better perspective of your own morals.
As the passage states, humans experience both joy and suffering. Since the narrator has already in the beginning of the story experienced joy, this quotation foreshadows that he will also experience suffering.
Beginning: "I used to love the mosque, and I loved the river too... I loved to give rein to my imagination... I loved [my grandfather]"(124-125)
End: "I experienced a sharp sensation of pain in my chest," "I hated him," and "...it was as though I carried within me a secret I wanted to rid myself of." (128)
Palm tree:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Don't cut the heart"(126):
Represents:
(social status, greed)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The boy's grandfather is the only present father-figure to the child. He is a cold, merciless, wealthy man who earned his success.
Masood is an "indolent man" (125) who repays the debt he owes to the grandfather with the dates he harvests. The young boys takes a liking to Masood because of his "beautiful voice", "powerful laugh" (126), and poetic nature.
The narrator is a young Islamic boy in North Africa raised by his grandfather. He enjoys learning the Koran, looks up to his grandfather, and has an active imagination. The boy comes to understand that his grandfather is not an idol.
As a result of witnessing the conflict between the grandfather and Masood, the narrator struggles to maintain an optimistic view about the world, the goodness of people and himself.
"The Sheikh always asked me to stand up and recite the Chapter of the Merciful..." (124).
"This was news to me for I had imagined that the land had belonged to my grandfather ever since God's creation" (125).
The grandfather is gradually claiming the date farms that Masood inherited.
The narrator feels discomfort towards his grandfather's greed and lack of mercy for Masood
"I ran off into the distance. Hearing my grandfather call after me, I hesitated a little, then continued on my way. I felt at that moment that I hated him...it was as though I carried within me a secret I wanted to rid myself of" (128).
4.
3.
When do you start to disagree with your parents and form your own opinions and decisions? What provokes the disagreement?
How does wealth change a person's values and behaviours?
"I didn't own a single feddan when I first set foot in this village ... I think that before Allah calls to him I shall have bought the remaining third as well" (126).
"... forty years ago all this belonged to Masood—two thirds of it is now mine" (125).
2.
1.
How do the conflicts of others affect you?
Who are your role models?
"I do not know why it was I felt fear at my grandfather's words—and pity for our neighbour Masood. How I wished my grandfather wouldn't do what he'd said!" (126).
How do they influence you?
"I never used to go out with my father, rather it was my grandfather who would take me with him wherever he went" (124).
"...never in my life have I seen anything of purer whiteness or greater beauty. My grandfather must also have been extremely tall, for I never saw anyone in the whole area address him without having to look up at him..." (125).
"I loved him and would imagine myself, when I grew to be a man ... like him" (125).
Works Cited
Salih, Tayeb. "A Handful of Dates." Trans. Denys Johnson-Davies.
Viewpoints 11. By Amanda Joseph and Wendy Mathieu. Toronto: Prentice Hall, 2001. 123-29. Print.
"Tayeb Salih." Goodreads 2014. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
Wisner, Geoff. “Tayeb Salih: 1929-2009.” Words Without Borders
23 Feb. 2009. Web. 3 Nov. 2014.
Have a great day!
Biography
“There are many horizons that must be visited, fruit that must be plucked, books read, and white pages in the scrolls of life to be inscribed with vivid sentences in a bold hand.” – Tayeb Salih (Season of Migration to the North)
Point of View:
First Person Retrospective
Physical Setting:
Rural Northeast Africa by the Nile River
Temporal Setting:
Present/Recent Past
Mood and Atmosphere:
Frustration, Doubt, Fear, Anxiety