THE INHERITANCE OF EXILE

    Preparing a Face is a chapter that left a long-lasting impression on me even after finishing the book, and grabs my full attention. I chose this story because it is a story that speaks to me. 

  

  Hanan's character is someone that I can personally relate to although we are from very different cultures and backgrounds; we have one thing in common, and that is the sole fact that we both struggle to fit into the ideal woman that our rather strict community expect of us. At the beginning of the story, Hanan serves the guest in the wrong order, she was supposed to serve the oldest person first, and work her way to the youngest. This was a great insult to her uncle, who was the oldest guest, as her mother said. Hanan struggles to understand why this was a big deal. This scene gave me memories of times I've done things that are small mistakes to me but a huge embarrassment for my parents. I relate to Hanan in a way that she has difficulties remembering to do or not do certain things that are important in her culture. Hanan's character is a bit rebellious and reckless, and it was shown through her driving with her mom, and getting stopped by the police or going to clubs that her mom disapproves of. It is quite humorous reading these parts of the story, remembering my mom's disappointment when I first dyed my hair purple, blue, pink, red, then green. I see parts of myself in Hanan, which makes the story seem personal and also interesting. 

   

    Hanan and her mom have a rocky relationship because of the different ways that they were raised, and it is hard for both of them to understand each other. Like Hanan's mom, my own mother also experiences awful hardships back in her homeland, and she is also a very traditional woman. In one instance, Hanan asks her mom what is the problem with girls dancing, and her mom shot back at her by saying "we were too busy fleeing from the soldiers to go dancing"; Her mom's teenage years are far too different from Hanan, and it creates a barrier because it is hard for both of them to fully understand one another. My mom and I were raised in a completely different environment, and we both have different perspectives, beliefs, and views on many things in life, which is why this story speaks to me in a way that I can see my life through Hanan to a certain extent. 

   Hanan is also constantly getting compared to her perfect cousin Rola, who seems to be the ideal daughter that her mom wants for Hanan. Its as if there is always that one perfect cousin that we all get compared to, and it was pretty funny seeing Hanan's reactions to Rola because I can see myself doing the same thing. When they went to the club, Hanan learns more about Rola, and how she came to the US to escape the strict life she was living and the fact that she wanted an abortion. In a way, it shows that the people we always get compared to have stories of their own. I have many friends who are the perfect and ideal girl that my community praises them to be, but they also struggle with living up to that expectation and sometimes crave a bit of freedom. 

  This story and the characters made me view people in my life in a different light, realizing that thee are hidden stories and struggles in everyone's life that we may not understand. 

Crescent - Diana Abu-Jaber

Food is something that is constantly found in the novel, Crescent. Sirine is a chef who works in a restaurant in LA, where she met Han. With each interaction, Sirine and Han fall deeper in love with one another. Sirine has a knack of using food as a metaphor to describe situations. In a way, food became its own language, to describe love, pain, and so much more. 
   When she describes intimate moments with Han, she compares it to food. She compares it to the sweetness and the way certain food tastes. In moments where Sirine feels like she is on top of the world with Han, having him by her side, and laying in his arm, the food she describes is full of flavors. Sirine connects everything dear to her to food because it is where she finds comfort. During the most important time with Han, she brings up food, which allows readers to understand how valuable he is to her, and her love for him.
  As the story progresses, we can see that Sirine starts to describe food in a negative way; sweet and flavorful good becomes bland and unappetizing, Through the reflection of food, we can also see Sirine's feelings and mental health. After Han left and disappeared, nothing tasted the same; it is almost as if the way she saw the world shited into a gloomy perspective.
 Looking back at when Han and Sirine made Baklava, it is a beautiful and meaningful scene. Sirine had expressed that it is somewhat difficult to make. The two of them shared their first special moment through food, there was a nostalgic feeling surrounding them; Sirine remembers what life was like then, and Han recalls memories of his family.
   Most of the scenes also took place in the kitchen, where Sirine works, and it is almost like her second home. She met Han in a restaurant and found out he is still alive in the same place. Sirine is someone who is somewhat going through an identity crisis, because she lost her parents at a young age, and lost the opportunity to be in touch with her culture. Food, in a way, becomes one way she can feel connected to her Arabic side. For Sirine, Food is a love language.