LITERATURE ASSIGNMENT

The theme of politics and love in Arabic contemporary literature- A case study of Memories in the flesh

Your Name

Subject

Professor

School of Affiliation

Date

Introduction

Literature has been used in many instances to challenge various happenings within a society. Moreover, literature has been widely used to confront certain traditions. Arabs have not been left behind in this quest for self identification through literature.

Contemporary Arabic literature has majored quite a lot on themes of love and politics. For instance, a poet like Qabbani in his poems my love predominantly touches on the topic of love. Other authors like Mahmoud Darwish majors on the theme of politics. Mahmoud Darwish become popular as the voice of the Palestine’s in exile through the use of poems. His poems like the Passport and Judariya have been legendary for their political themes.

This paper seeks to discuss how the themes of politics and love are highlighted in contemporary Arabic literature. The paper bases its foundation on the novel - Memory in the Flesh.

Themes of politics and love in the Memories of Flesh

Memory in the Flesh is a novel written by a Female Arabic author named Ahlam Mosteghanemi. The book is more interested given Mosteghanemi’s French background. The author chooses to do her literature in the Native Arabic language. This decision is understood as a means of shifting from the French audience to Algerian audience.

Ahlam Mosteghanemi belongs to the group of Arab contemporary literature writers. Her literary piece Memory in the Flesh clearly sets out the themes of politics and love during the period of Algerian revolution and thereafter.

The theme of politics

Contemporary Arab literature has placed great emphasis on politics. Authors like Mahmoud Darwish have used poems to push for certain political agenda in his native country and beyond. Ahlam Mosteghanemi has also expounded on this theme in her works, Memory in the Flesh.

Memory in the Flesh is set at the onset of Algerian revolution. The book is written at a time when Algeria is faced with a civil war. The book describes the political situation at the time. The main character, Khaled’s life is used to take us through Algerian political dynamics. Moreover, the book vividly describes how Arabs approached the concept of nationality and culture.

Prior to the French invasion of Algeria, Algeria was ruled by Kings and Emirs. These rulers ruled in a central form of government. However, there style of leadership was dictatorial. Despite their dictatorial tendencies, they were loved by the natives since they helped them preserve their traditions.

Reading the novel we learn how Arabs are patriotic to their country. Khaled is proud because he has been recruited to serve his country in the military. Moreover, the period of his service as a military soldier seemed to be the most glorious throughout his life. The other reason why Khaled and other youths were happy to serve in the military was because they disliked the French colonialists. The novel describes the role of ordinary Arabs in the struggle for political freedom in Algeria.

Moreover, the authors choice of using Arabic language in her novel indicates her political affiliation. Ahlam Mosteghanemi was brought up knowing French as her mother tongue. With the French background, it was expected that Mosteghnemi would have produced her novel in French. Writing her work in Arabic shows her lack of love for the French colonialists. It is her form of rebellion to the French oppressors.

Mosteghanemi, just like other Arab authors of this time loathed the colonialists. When the French took over Algeria they implemented a policy known as assimilation. However, this policy faced rebellion from the Arabs. The book describes how unwelcome the French colonialists were to native Arabs.

The negative effects of politics and political crisis have been brought out clearly in this novel. First there are individual loses. Khaled lost his hand when he served as a soldier in the military. During the period of civil war, Arabs in Algeria were subjected to torture by the colonial masters. By the end of the civil war, thousands of people had lost their lives. Hassan, Khaled’s brother too was killed during the conflict.

Mosteghanemi also describes the individual and national conflicts those Arab youths are face with. When Khaled loses his had he experiences a mixed reaction. Partially he was happy for having served his country in the military. Conversely, he felt that he had lost an important part of his body at the conflict.

Further, the theme of politics is clearly seen towards the end of the novel. The war veterans who had fought to restore their liberty felt short change with their countries connection with France. Khaled dies a bitter man from these disappointments of the state. The initial feeling of hope that gripped the war veterans had since vanished. However, generally there is a felling of optimist especially after the French lives.

Theme of love

Love is the compassionate feeling towards another person. Arabs have been extremely cautious in discussing the theme of love in their works. Mosteghanemi brings out the theme of love in a sharp and distinctive manner. Abdulrahim (2013) links Arabs’ conservative nature to their religious teachings. Moreover, according to Abdulrahim, global transformation affected the Arabic conservative. Foreland (2011) summarises Arab’s perception to love. He describes Arabs view of love as conservative and sketchy.

Mosteghanemi in her book, Memory in the Flesh carefully discusses the theme of love. She informs us of various changes in the lifestyle of Arab women. For instance, Arab women dress in non-conservative manner.

Memory of the Flesh is much more than a love story. It reflects the life of Khaled, a vibrant man who had earlier served in the military. Khaled meets Hayat, the daughter to Si Taher after two decades. He is moved by her beauty and goes through woes to win her love.

However, khaled’s love with Hayat is one sided. Hayat does not seem interested in Khaled who is the age of her father. Both Hayet and Si Taher were old friends who had worked together in the military. However, Khaled’s hope for re-union with Ahlam seems futile as both are cought up in different worlds. Khaled being in the conservative world while Ahlam in the contemporary world.

The book exposes a disturbing aspect of disrupted love relationship in a society that had been faced with civil war and colonialism. The disappointing twist of events in their love relationship is symbolic in nature. It symbolises the expectations that Algerians had when they ganged up against white colonialists. However, after the departure of the French colonialists set a platform for ethnic alienation, violence and corruption.

In conclusion, Mosteghanemi’s and other contemporary Arab literature writers focus on the themes of politics and love. This is an indication of positive development in Arabic literature. Moreover, it shows that the Arabian are embracing change .

Reference

Abdulrahim, S (2013). Between Empire and Diaspora: Identity Poetics in Contemporary Arab- American Women's Poetry. Web. Available from http://dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream/1893/19525/1/Safa'a%20Thesis.pdf

Foreland, L.R (2011). Love versus Political Commitment An Arab Intellectual’s Dilemma as