An awkwardly written novel that becomes more compelling as it gathers steam, the girl in the tangerine scarf is worth reading for content, though not for style. Beautifully written and featuring an exuberant cast of characters, the girl in the tangerine scarf charts the spiritual and social landscape of muslims in middle america, from five daily prayers to the indy 500 car race. Islamic identity constructed in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf. Mohja kahf reads an excerpt from her novel, the girl in the tangerine scarf at the levantine cultural center on july 14, 2010. Her family has been involved in syrian opposition politics, a theme reflected in the life of her character khadra of the girl in the tangerine scarf. Aug 18, 2010 mohja kahf reads an excerpt from her novel, the girl in the tangerine scarf at the levantine cultural center on july 14, 2010. In her novel the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006, syrianamerican mohja kahf engages in the representation of an experience similar to hers, the comingofage narrative of a young girl in a muslim community in the heart of indiana.
Syrian immigrant khadra shamy is growing up in a devout, tightly knit muslim family in 1970s indiana, at. They hold a similar view to ameris that indeed, kahfs novel helps demystify the persistent notion of. Homeland america, bismillah mohja kahfs the girl in the. Mohja kahfs reading at the levantine center on july 14th. Mohja kahfs novel the girl in the tangerine scarf highlights a broad spectrum of muslim feminist agencies. The girl in the tangerine scarf, part i mohja kahf s reading at the levantine center on july 14th. The girl in the tangerine scarf mohja kahf, author. Muslim feminist agency and arab american literature. Excerpts from the girl in the tangerine scarf, part i levantine cultural center. This paper aims to examine the novel the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006 by mohja kahf b. Mohja kahf s reading at the levantine center on july 14th. Mohja kahf born 1967, damascus, syria is an arabamerican poet and author. Mohja kahf s 2006 novel, the girl in the tangerine scarf, follows the protagonist, khadra, in her journey back home, to the state of indiana, where she grew up and where she ran away from, in search of herself, her identity, and a. It is a riveting debut from an important new voice.
A cultural translator in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf aje vol. Pdf the process of faith development in mohja kahfs the. Mohja kahf s the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006 narrates the experience of a syrianborn muslim woman, khadra, living in a tightknit muslim community in a small town in indiana. You dress strangequot said a tenthgrade boy with bright blue hairto the new muslim girl with the headscard in homeroomhis tonguerings clicking on the. The girl in the tangerine scarf was published in 2006, and it tells the story of khadra. Mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006 narrates the experience of a syrianborn muslim woman, khadra, living in a tightknit muslim community in a small town in indiana. Negotiating muslim womens rights and identity in american. Allah is also the one that i love the most and the one that i have when i have nothing to hold on. A coming of age that is strongly marked by recurring cycles of encounter, clash and confluence on various levels. Muslims, and migrated to the united states in 1971 at the age of four. Mohja kahf author of the girl in the tangerine scarf.
Our hypothesis in this article is that in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf the main character negotiates her subjectivity in the space of diaspora and she does so through her choice of clothes, as we will show below. Although the three identifications are true of khadra, they do not all happen at the same time. A study of mohja kahfs emails from scheherazad and the girl in the tangerine scarf article pdf available january 2017 with 1,031 reads how we measure reads. Culture analysis in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine. Mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf by martina koegelerabdi, university of copenhagen, denmark abstract. The symbol of the veil in mohja kahf s the girl in the tangerine scarf dr. Resistance and uncanny moments of in betweenness in. Culture analysis in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf. Her family moved to the united states in 1971, and kahf grew up in the midwest. Resistance and uncanny moments of inbetweenness in mohja kahfs the girl in tangerine scarf 2 constituting a major part of the fabric of asianamerican literature, arabamerican writing has proved to be an efficient venue for oriental subjects of variegated languages, cultures, races, and histories to express.
In particular, i focus on the jordanianpalestinian american novel, west of the jordan by laila halaby, and the syrian american. The fourth space as an escape from colliding cultures in. In this essay i look at how her literary representations negotiate religious and feminist discourses in doing so. Mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf am not saying that islam does not permit polygyny.
Our hypothesis in this article is that in mohja kahf s the girl in the tangerine scarf the main character negotiates her subjectivity in the space of diaspora and she does so through her choice of clothes, as we will show below. A story of muslims in america the girl in the tangerine scarf, a new novel by mojha kahf is about a syrian girl transplanted to the american midwest in. A cultural translator in mohja kahfs the girl in the. The girl in the tangerine scarf is a novel written by american author mohja kahf and published in 2006. Mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf openedition journals. Its about khadra shamy, the daughter of syrian immigrants to indianapolis, whose parents become heavily involved with the dawah centre. Sholawat and salam is also delivered to our prophet muhammad saw who has brought islam rahmatan lil alamin. Areen khalifeh assistant professor english literature and criticism philadelphia university jordan abstract this paper discusses the symbol of the veil in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf from a. Ive just finished reading mohja kahf s book the girl in the tangerine scarf. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Okay, youre probably wondering what im talking about if you havent noticed the title of the post.
Aug 17, 2010 mohja kahf s reading at the levantine center on july 14th. Poet and scholar mohja kahf was born in damascus, syria. Read the girl in the tangerine scarf a novel by mojha kahf available from rakuten kobo. Mohja kahfs 2006 novel, the girl in the tangerine scarf, follows the protagonist, khadra, in her journey back home, to the state of indiana, where she grew up and where she ran away from, in search of herself, her identity, and a. The girl in the tangerine scarf was published in 2006, and it. Spirituality in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf, 30th annual meeting of southwest texas popular culture and american culture associations, february 2528, 2009. Negotiating liminal identities in mohja kahfs the girl in.
Syrian immigrant khadra shamy is growing up in a devout, tightly. Along the novel, khadra shamy strives to give meaning to. In particular, the analysis will focus on mohja kahfs poetics of dissonance that challenges. The girl in the tangerine scarf, a new novel by mohja kahf, is about a syrian girl transplanted to the american midwest in the 1970s. Khadra shamy, a young syrian girl, moves to indiana with her family to be missionaries to the evil western world and help the american muslims navigate the difficulties in clashes between shariah law and american law. Areen khalifeh assistant professor english literature and criticism philadelphia university jordan abstract this paper discusses the symbol of the veil in mohja kahf s the girl in the tangerine scarf from a postcolonial critical perspective. Orientalism and the iconography of the veil in mohja kahf. Identities in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf 20, also focuses on the notion of muslim womens identity and the expression of their identity through the veil or headscarf. Pdf the girl in the tangerine scarf download read online.
In the novel, kahf presents how bigotry and prejudice can be. Kahf provides a look at muslim communities in the midwest and elsewhere, racism and sexism directed both to and from muslims, and the immigrants dislocation. The girl in the tangerine scarf, part ii mohja kahf reads an excerpt from her novel, the girl in the tangerine scarf at the levantine cultural center on july 14, 2010. Self and identity in the girl in the tangerine scarf femtales. A study of mohja kahf s emails from scheherazad and the girl in the tangerine scarf article pdf available january 2017 with 1,031 reads how we measure reads. In her novel the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006, syrianamerican mohja kahf engages in the representation of an experience similar to hers. From what we seem to know, her young parents opted to leave syria to continue their studies abroad. The novel is a work of fiction which relates to the writers own experiences of being an arab muslim woman living in the united states of america henceforth referred to as u. Where to download the girl in tangerine scarf mohja kahf the girl in tangerine scarf mohja kahf the girl in tangerine scarf girl in the tangerine scarf is a novel, and, as such, is fictional.
No, im not bald under the scarf no, im not from that country where women cant drive cars. Khadra sees herself as a girl for she has not yet completed her journey of selfdiscovery. The symbol of the veil in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf dr. His project investigates the poetics and politics of identity in arab american fiction produced in post911 by female authors a corpus of novels include mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf, diana abujabers crescent, and laila halabys west of the jordan. The symbol of the veil in mohja kahfs the girl in the. Resistance and uncanny moments of in betweenness in mohja. In the book, the girl in the tangerine scarf, by mohja kahf, it shows the life of a daughter, khadra shamy, of two syrian parents. Aug 11, 2007 okay, youre probably wondering what im talking about if you havent noticed the title of the post. Kahf explains the ups and downs of growing up in a tightknit muslim community and tries to portray a certain type of characteristics of these american muslims. Resistance and uncanny moments of inbetweenness in mohja kahfs the girl in tangerine scarf 2 constituting a major part of the fabric of asianamerican literature, arabamerican writing has proved to be an efficient venue for oriental subjects of variegated languages, cultures. Arab american women s identity crises in mohja kahf s the girl in the tangerine scarf and laila halaby s west of the jordan book summary. A story of muslims in america the girl in the tangerine scarf, a new novel by mojha kahf is about a syrian girl transplanted to the american midwest in the 1970s.
Syrian immigrant khadra shamy is growing up in a devout, tightly knit muslim family in 1970s indiana, at the crossroads of bad polyester and islamic dress codes. Imagining hybrid identities in mohja kahfs the girl in the. The author is a syrian muslim immigrant, now a professor at a us university. Buy a cheap copy of the girl in the tangerine scarf. Ive just finished reading mohja kahfs book the girl in the tangerine scarf. This thesis adopts a transnational and postcolonial feminist approach in exploring arab american womens literature. They hold a similar view to ameris that indeed, kahfs novel helps demystify the persistent notion of muslim women as submissive or. Hampton 2011 argues that these young protagonists have made american choices altogether, some with dreadful consequences, others with less traumatic ones, but none that. Mohja kahf syrian immigrant khadra shamy is growing up in a devout, tightly knit muslim family.
Mohja kahf was born in damascus, syria, to a family of practicing. Areen khalifeh assistant professor english literature and criticism philadelphia university jordan abstract this paper discusses the symbol of the veil in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf from a postcolonial critical perspective. The practice of immanent critique in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf 223 however, in their eagerness and fear, they are also guilty of instilling superiority in the children by being suspicious and critical of members of the larger community, particularly the non. The story chronicles syrian immigrant khadra shamy, a young woman growing up in a devout, tightly knit muslim family in 1970s indiana, at the crossroads of bad polyester and islamic dress codes.
The symbol of the veil in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf. Pdf mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006 narrates the experience of a syrianborn muslim woman, khadra, living in a tightknit muslim. Mohja kahf presents an insiders loving view of islam through this comingofage immigrant novel, the girl in the tangerine scarf. The girl in the tangerine scarf august 22, 2006 edition. Mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf in her novel the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006, syrianamerican mohja kahf engages in the representation of an experience similar to hers, the comingofage narrative of a young girl in a muslim community in the heart of indiana. Aug 22, 2006 mohja kahf presents an insiders loving view of islam through this comingofage immigrant novel, the girl in the tangerine scarf. Syrianamerican writer mohja kahfs novel the girl in the tangerine scarf was published in 2006,1 within the framework of a remarkable increase in literary production by arabamerican writers and poets, starting at least three decades ago. Her tangerine scarf represents her connection to teta, syria and her quest to find herself. Pdf the process of faith development in mohja kahfs the girl in. She earned a phd in comparative literature from rutgers university and is the author of the poetry collections hagar poems 2016 and emails from scheherazad. The girl in the tangerine scarf ebook by mojha kahf. In her own eyes, she has not yet reached selfrealization and does not see herself as a fullgrown woman.
This research investigates the elements of culture implied in the girl in the tangerine scarf, a novel by mohja kahf. Mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf and the dissonance of nationhood. If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four. It is set mostly in indianapolis, against recent historical events. Negotiating liminal identities in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf susan taha alkarawi, ida.