Marwan and Abu Qais take turns sitting

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Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories Study Guide

Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories by Ghassan Kanafani

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Contents

Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories Study Guide ………………………………………………… 1

Contents …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2

Men in the Sun …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

The Land of the Sad Oranges ………………………………………………………………………………………… 7

If You Were a Horse ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9

A Hand in the Grave ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 11

Umm Saad ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13

The Falcon ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 14

Letter from Gaza ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16

Characters ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 18

Objects/Places …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 24

Themes …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 29

Style …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 31

Quotes ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 34

Topics for Discussion ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 37

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Men in the Sun

Men in the Sun Summary

Abu Qais feels the throbbing of the damp earth as he lies there; it smells like his wife’s hair when it is wet after a bath. He recalls hearing the teacher, Ustaz Selim, say that the Tigris and Euphrates meet to form the Shatt al-Arab river while he was eavesdropping at the window. Ustaz Selim could not say prayers because he was not an imam. He died before the village fell into the hands of the Jews. Abu Qais’ son, Qais, asks his father about the Shatt al-Arab river. Abu Qais learns that his wife, Umm Qais, is pregnant and wants him to call Umm Umar. He feels alien and insignificant; he does not even own his home. His friend Saad arrives and wants him to move across the river to Kuwait where there is a better life and better schools for his children. It is a difficult journey and will cost fifteen dinars to smuggle him, not to mention risking his life. Abu Qais throws himself on the earth to think.

Assad talks to the fat proprietor who smuggles people from Basra to Kuwait; he is asking fifteen dinars. Assad agrees to pay upon arrival because he has been smuggled before and Abul-Abd had lied and left him on the road. The proprietor refuses and says he must pay before they leave, promising to get Assad to Kuwait. The guide will not run away because he escorts ten people. Assad borrows the money from his uncle who only agrees so that Assad can marry Nada, his uncle’s daughter, sooner. Unfortunately, Assad does not want to marry Nada. Assad remembers when he was stranded after Abul-Abd deserted him. A blonde woman and her husband pick him up and bring him to Basra. The husband realizes that Assad is trying to escape and takes him to Baghdad. Assad stays in the Shatt Hotel in Basra. The proprietor tells him the journey will begin in two days.

Marwan cannot afford fifteen dinars so he leaves the proprietor in despair, thinking that he will find a different smuggler. He quickly returns and threatens to report the proprietor to the police. After the proprietor slaps Marwan, Marwan leaves and wanders the streets hopelessly. He feels a hand on his shoulder, and Abul Khaizuran introduces himself. Abul Khaizuran tells Marwan not to despair because the proprietor is a well-known thief. Marwan admits his desire to escape to Kuwait. Marwan thinks about waking early this morning to write a long letter to his mother. Marwan does not hate his father because he left his mother and children after Marwan’s brother, Zakaria, stopped sending money to the family. His father’s friend, Shafiqa’s father, suggested marrying the deformed Shafiqa for financial security. Abul Khaizuran rebukes Marwan for thinking so long and hard and offers to take him to Kuwait for five dinars, which is all Marwan can afford. He will even wait for payment until they arrive in Kuwait, but Marwan must help Abul Khaizuran find others who want to go to Kuwait. Marwan knows of a man in his hotel who also wants to go. Abul Khaizuran leaves after arranging to meet again the next day. Marwan wants to go to Kuwait to work, like his brother did. His brother stopped sending money because he got married. Marwan has always hated his brother but not his father

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because his father still loves his children. Before he leaves, Marwan visits his father who gives him ten dinars as Shafiqa prays for Marwan’s safe and successful journey.

Marwan brings Assad to his meeting with Abul Khaizuran who brings Abu Qais. These are enough men for their journey. Assad negotiates the details of their arrangement for Marwan and Abu Qais; he wants to know the details of how Abul Khaizuran will smuggle them to Kuwait and what he will charge. The men agree with Abul Khaizuran’s charge of ten dinars each. Abul Khaizuran explains that he drives a licensed lorry across the frontier for Haj Rida; he plans to put the men inside the water tank. Assad, Marwan and Abu Qais worry about complications. They would rather go through the desert with a guide, but Abul Khaizuran dissuades them. Assad suggests that Abul Khaizuran and Haj Rida are involved in smuggling together, and although he smiles, Abul Khaizuran does not respond. Assad, Marwan and Abu Qais agree to the arrangement. Abul Khaizuran will sound the horn in the morning for them to leave.

During their journey, Assad, Marwan and Abu Qais take turns sitting in the shade. Abul Khaizuran compares the one hundred, fifty kilometers of road between Basra and Kuwait to the path to heaven or hell after death. When Assad asks if Abul Khaizuran ever married, Abul Khaizuran flashes back to the war and losing his manhood. Assad allows him to change the subject without answering so Abul Khaizuran tells horror stories about smugglers who lie to their clients and say that remote villages are Kuwait. Abul Khaizuran smuggles because he wants more money. As they approach the first customs station in Safwan, Abul Khaizuran hides Assad, Marwan and Abu Qais in the water tank, advising them to take off their shirts because it is hot. The ride in the lorry is very unsteady. Abul Khaizuran realizes how awful the weather is as he passes quickly through customs at Safwan. He stops a short distance from the customs station to release the men from the tank. The men look nearly dead and they were only in the tank for six minutes. Abul Khaizuran tells them to hurry since there is another post soon; they will be able to rest when they stop, not before. The men are quietly lost in their own thoughts as they continue their journey. Abul Khaizuran changes his mind and decides that this is hell. He does not travel at night because the patrols are more likely to search the lorry then.