Her novel the girl in the tangerine scarf was a one book reading at indiana university east richmond, indiana in 2017. This paper aims to examine the novel the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006 by mohja kahf b. A case study of mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf. In about 15 years, muslim fiction is going to claim its rightful place as a distinct and thriving genre, and the girl in the tangerine scarf will be the first book in the canon.
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. Her grandfather, a member of the syrian parliament, was exiled from syria in the late 1960s. She earned a phd in comparative literature from rutgers university and is the author of the poetry collection emails from scheherazad 2003 and the novel the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006. Book selection, the girl in the tangerine scarf, first came to iu east as one of the books that the library acquired as a result of while the girl in the tangerine scarf, which was published in 2006, is her only novel, kahf was already recognized by her work of poetry which led her to 11 aug 2007. Kahf provides a look at muslim communities in the midwest and elsewhere, racism and sexism directed both. From termagant to odalisque, and winner of an arkansas arts council award.
The marvelous women poem by syrianamerican poet mohja. Essay on the girl in the tangerine scarf mohja kahf. The story of khadra in the book the girl in the tangerine scarf exposes to us how it is like growing up in america as an islam. Mohja kahf had just taken me on a rollicking tour of ancient texts and ancient women radiating through contemporary life that ends with a meditation on the little mosque near her home. In a world where islamophobia, hijabi olympians, and burqini bans feature in everyday news, arabamerican poet mohja kahfs new collection, hagar poems, is timely and relevant, delivering a cleareyed vision of women in islam. Explain how the experience helped shape her identity and impact her adult experiences. 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 am not saying that islam does not permit polygyny. Mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf openedition journals. The author is a syrian muslim immigrant, now a professor at a us. The issues of racial and religious bigotry as well as the kind of political relations between the middle east and america come out clearly in this work.
Kahfs experiences growing up in the united states shaped her. From what we seem to know, her young parents opted to leave syria to continue their studies abroad. 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 2003 and the novel the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006. Pdf the process of faith development in mohja kahfs the girl in. A memoir of the cultural revolution how to tie a scarf. Includes needles and yarn for practice and for making your first scarffeaturing a 32page book with instructions and a project first time. No, im not bald under the scarf no, im not from that country.
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. Although the novel centres on the life of a religiouslyadhering young muslim woman. Essay on the girl in the tangerine scarf mohja kahf brand. She successfully wrote about one of these women in her novel, the girl in the tangerine scarf. In this article, i will argue that the treatment of women in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf is problematic because a polygyny in modem practice is depicted as if it were exclusive to islam when in fact some mormons still practice polygyny and b some readers could misconstrue the traditional gender role for women as being imposed by islam when in fact it is imposed. Negotiating liminal identities in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf. The university of arkansas press, 2016 paperback, 109 pages. Paperback paperback by mohja kahf ebook pdf download. Arabamerican contemporary fiction, feminism, mohja kahf, muslim women, postcolonialism, veil. Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download. 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. Mohja kahf reads an excerpt from her novel, the girl in the tangerine scarf at the levantine cultural center on july 14, 2010. Negotiating liminal identities in mohja kahfs the girl in. Her novel the girl in the tangerine scarf was a one book reading at.
The title of kahfs book announces a girl with her hair covered, a sartorial practice of religious significance, and also, as we learn from the very start of the novel. In the girl in the tangerine scarf mohja kahf vividly describes the tumultuous life of a muslim in america with all imaginable hardships and shows the possibility of equilibrium attaining with society, god and personal identity on the example of a syrian immigrant khadra who comes into cultural clashes with the rest of the american world. Mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf and the dissonance of nationhood. Its about khadra shamy, the daughter of syrian immigrants to indianapolis, whose parents become heavily involved with the dawah centre. Apr 20, 2010 there are no spark notes on this book, it is too new was published in 2006, just 4 years ago and its also not as well known as other new classics. The author, mohja kahf, portrays this character in many ways. An associate professor of comparative literature at the university of arkansas, she is the author of western representations of the muslim woman. A cultural translator in mohja kahfs the girl in the. Download and read free online the girl in the tangerine scarf. The previous year, i gave three cups of tea to everyone, after someone else gave me a copy of that book. Read the girl in the tangerine scarf a novel by mojha kahf available from. All that had been disconnected was connected again 307. Islam, morality, modesty, gender and genderrelations, sexuality, politics, and especially identity are important aspects of her work.
You dress strangequot said a tenthgrade boy with bright blue hairto the new muslim girl with the headscard in homeroomhis tonguerings clicking on the. Mohja kahf author of the girl in the tangerine scarf. Kahfs first book of poetry, emails from scheherazad, was a finalist for the 2004 paterson poetry prize. Mohja kahf was born in damascus, syria, and came to the u. He and his family are moving from houston to tangerine county, florida, and all he can think about is how his old house reminds him of an empty zombie tomb. Academic journal article gender forum muslim feminist agency and arab american literature. An arab american poet and feminist, mohja kahf wrote about the experience of american women of arabic origin. Find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. This article discusses how this theory is applied in the novel, the girl in the tangerine scarf by mohja kahf 2006. Pdf the process of faith development in mohja kahfs the.
The girl in the tangerine scarf ebook by mojha kahf. Wikipediapainting by sophie anderson my poetry corner march 2016 features the poem the marvelous women from the poetry collection, emails from scheherazad, by syrianamerican poet and author mohja kahf. Kahf 2006, 3 this, on page three, is the first mention of a scarf in the novel. It is a riveting debut from an important new voice.
Homeland america, bismillah mohja kahfs the girl in the. See also her novel the girl with the tangerine scarf, 2008. 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 friendship and family bonds depicted in this book echo the lives of. A novel by mohja kahf and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. 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. Pdf in her novel the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006, syrian american mohja kahf. Her family moved to the united states in 1971, and kahf grew up in the midwest. No, im not bald under the scarf no, im not from that country where women cant drive cars no, i would not like to defect im already american but thank you for offering what else do you need to know. Her poetry offers articulate, passionate challenges to commonplace perceptions of the middle east and its people, striking notes of humor, compassion, outrage and celebration that.
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. The title of kahfs book announces a girl with her hair covered, a sartorial. A cultural translator in mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf aje vol. Muslim feminist agency and arab american literature. Buy a cheap copy of the girl in the tangerine scarf. Aug 11, 2007 okay, youre probably wondering what im talking about if you havent noticed the title of the post. 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. 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. Mohja kahf born 1967, damascus, syria is an arabamerican poet and author. 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. There are no spark notes on this book, it is too new was published in 2006, just 4 years ago and its also not as well known as other new classics. F download the viking portable library poets of the english language, vol. The girl in the tangerine scarf by mohja kahf dissertation.
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. Born in damascus, syria, kahf was four years old when she migrated with. In this article, i will argue that the treatment of women in mohja kahf s the girl in the tangerine scarf is problematic because a polygyny in modem practice is depicted as if it were exclusive to islam when in fact some mormons still practice polygyny and b some readers could misconstrue the traditional gender role for women as being imposed by islam when in fact it is imposed. Punctuated by the five muslim prayers and set to a disco and glamrock soundtrack, girl in the tangerine scarf evokes female adolescence in the vein of cisneros house on mango street and like allegra goodmans kaaterskill falls looks at orthodox religion against an american backdrop. Self and identity in the girl in the tangerine scarf. The girl in the tangerine scarf by mohja kahf dissertation essay help find an example of cultural tension that relates to khadras friendships with people outside her community. Along with her brother eyad and her africanamerican friends, hakim and hanifa. This thesis adopts a transnational and postcolonial feminist approach in exploring arab american womens literature. 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. Legendary persian queen scheherazade storyteller of one thousand and one nights photo credit. In particular, i focus on the jordanianpalestinian american novel, west of the jordan by laila halaby, and the syrian american. 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.
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. You dress strange, said a tenthgrade boy with bright blue hair to the new muslim girl with the headscard in homeroom, his tonguerings clicking on the tr in strange. Mohja kahfs book is a wildly familiar look into life in a muslimamerican family that rings true for people in all corners of the country and probably canada. The symbol of the veil in mohja kahfs the girl in the. The poet is mohja kahf, the name of the poem the marvelous women, the name of the book emails from scheherazad, the publisher university press of florida. Hoosiers supporting literacy is a unique initiative where noteworthy hoosiers are matched with hoosier classic pieces of literature, both fiction and nonfiction. To dispel this, irfan ahmad proposes the theory of immanent critique in the islamic tradition where doctrines within the islamic tradition itself are used to develop different interpretations of religious understanding. The girl in the tangerine scarf mohja kahf, author.
Poet and scholar mohja kahf was born in damascus, syria. She makes it difficult for the reader to identify if the poet is a real person or if he is a projection of khadras conscience. 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. Oct 04, 2017 i kissed this book when i finished reading it. Okay, youre probably wondering what im talking about if you havent noticed the title of the post. Self and identity in the girl in the tangerine scarf femtales. The girl in the tangerine scarf by mohja kahf illinois. 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. Pdf mohja kahfs the girl in the tangerine scarf 2006 narrates the experience of a syrianborn muslim woman, khadra. Aug 22, 2006 in about 15 years, muslim fiction is going to claim its rightful place as a distinct and thriving genre, and the girl in the tangerine scarf will be the first book in the canon. In her own eyes, she has not yet reached selfrealization and does not see herself as a full grown woman. Khadra sees herself as a girl for she has not yet completed her journey of selfdiscovery.
Kahf s first book of poetry, emails from scheherazad, was a finalist for the 2004 paterson poetry prize. Ive just finished reading mohja kahfs book the girl in the tangerine scarf. It is set mostly in indianapolis, against recent historical events. Kahfs work explores themes of cultural dissonance and overlap between muslimamerican and other communities, both religious and secular. Her first book of poetry, emails from scheherazad, was a finalist for the.