Men+in+the+Sun

==//[|Men in the Sun]// by [|Ghassan Kanafani]==

Synopsis
//[| Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories]// is a collection of work by author [|Ghassan Kanafani]. Each story addresses life in Palestine and the Middle East, with an emphasis on the heartbreaking interpersonal relationships of the characters in bleak and unforgiving environments. The stories included here are Men in the Sun, The Land of Sad Oranges, If You Were a Horse....., A Hand in the Grave, Umm Saad, The Falcon, and Letter from Gaza.

Response
[| Kanafani's] work is multitextured and complex. I found the stories hard to read, not because they were not good, but because they were heartbreaking and gritty. This is evidence of [|Kanafani's] excellence as a writer; these stories are meant to move. Wording is stark and graphic.

Challenge One: Understanding the Palestinian Conflict
This is a vital aspect to the first and most lengthy story in this collection, Men in the Sun. The story revolves around three protagonists, all men, all at different stages in their lives, who need to be smuggled across the desert in order to find work in Kuwait. The three men strike up a friendship with their smuggler, who does his best to get the men through to Kuwait. However, during the last required stop, the smuggler is held up by officers who want to know the details of a fictitious personal story; the three men, who are hiding in the tank of the vehicle, literally roast alive and do so without making any effort to be heard by the outside. It is difficult to understand the reasoning for the men to undertake such an incredibly dangerous journey without understanding the political, social, and economic climate of the time. While my list is far from comprehensive as there is little enough I understand, I hope this will be a starting point for instructors who are doing their best to determine how to divide up their classtime in order to instruct //[|Men in the Sun]//. http://www.mideastweb.org/nutshell.htm A basic rundown of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict. http://www.newjerseysolidarity.org/resources/kanafani/ Links up to history and information on the Palestinian Conflict. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/middle_east/conflict/ Monitors current events in the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict; includes information on key players, peace efforts, and a map.

Teaching Suggestions
I would suggest the use of discussion in the classroom to explore the text: one of the most haunting questions regarding the novella Men in the Sun is that asked by Abul Khaizuran at the very end of the story: "Why didn't they knock?". This is a question with many possible answers and is a logical place to start in the discussion of the text. I would also recommend a brief (preannounced) quiz on plot points in the text prior to discussion, since this will most likely keep students from attempting to skate through classwork for credit. Keeping students accountable for reading also has the benefit of more in-depth discussion during class time. Other questions to ask about //[|Men in the Sun]// include asking students about the motivations of the men to work in Kuwait; also, discussing the irony of the soldiers holding Abul Khaizuran back in order to ask him about a girl they heard he was seeing. Other discussion questions for //[| Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories]// include: (The Land of Sad Oranges) (If You Were A Horse) (A Hand in the Grave) (Umm Saad) (The Falcon) (Letter From Gaza)
 * What is the significance of the story's title?
 * Why do the children not demur when told to go climb the mountain?
 * Why is the father afraid of the son?
 * What is the significance in this selection of the story of the horse?
 * How does Nabil "beg" for seventy five lire?
 * What is the irony of this story?
 * What is the significance of Umm Saad's son joining they fedayeen?
 * What is the basis of Umm Saad's message to her son's commander?
 * What is the significance of the story Jadaan tells about the falcon?
 * What is the significance of the last three lines: "It went to die among its people. Gazelles like to die among their people. Falcons don't care where they die."
 * Why does the letter writer want to leave Gaza?
 * Why does he change his mind?

Further Information on [|Ghassan Kanafani] and His Work
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghassan_Kanafani The Wikipedia entry for [|Ghassan Kanafani]. http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/kanaf.htm Biographical information and a bibliography on [|Ghassan Kanafani]. http://www.wmich.edu/dialogues/texts/meninthesun.htm A detailed synopsis, links, and thoughtful commentary make this web site an essential for teachers who are looking to instruct [|Kanafani's] text. Very thoughtful discussion questions.