The literary Arab world and that of Western do not cross over much, and it is evidenced that the literature of the Arab world is not known in the west. Western people who write about the Arab people are at times referred to as fringe and cult writers. Western people then undergo costs that are related to this Arab literature. This is because literature is an important thing that acts as a bridge between two cultures with so many odds. Whatever is seen from the Arab world often come from news, reports of war and other issues of madness. The Arab world history and literature are then much more of profound contacts. This paper explores lessons learned from historical fiction about the Middle East. It will also give disadvantages of learning history through fiction. Books involved include, “The Sheltered Quarter"- A Tale of a Boyhood in Mecca by Hamza Bogary and "Sabriya"- Damascus Bitter Sweet by Ulfat Idilbi.
Sabriya is a novel that is accomplishing the lives of women during the 1920s, and it is set in Syria but published in London. It has a version that was published in 2003 that is mostly used for readings. The sheltered Quarter, on the other hand, is set as a tale of Boyhood in Mecca, and its publication took place in 1991. Historical fiction in the Middle East according to The Sheltered Quarter brings fiction about Mecca in a sympathetic and particular way. Mecca of those days based on education, types of materials studied and manner employed in teaching was very amusing. Historical fiction by Hamza Bogary states that some students accepted the existing educational structures whereas other students rejected it. This historical fiction from Middle East is very relevant for the present world because it relates to what is happening in the educational systems today. Historical articles do not give information or fiction that can be related to the present world. First, there are often different systems of education depending on the country, colonial power and economic stability or instability of the country. As different materials were used for teaching and different manners employed, today’s world also practices the same. In fact, materials for teaching depend on the schools and levels of learning in today’s world. The educational fiction in Mecca depicts today’s education, and a point that is mostly demonstrated is segregation. In today’s world, it is observable that education is segregated, and not everybody gets to have the same education as the other person. Mostly, the rich people are the ones who get best education and best learning opportunities. The educative historical fiction then teaches perfectly that segregation in education has not begun presently but existed even in the past (Hamza Bogary, 45). In addition, acceptance or rejection of education styles by students is not something new because it used to take place even in the past. Students who reject systems ad styles of education still exist in the present world and others even end up illiterate.
Rivalry in urban neighborhoods, clothing styles and slavery, existed according to the novel of the Sheltered Quarter. There is also a fiction of public executions during the period of this novel, and it is true that there have been public executions in reality (Hamza Bogary, 49). Historical books and articles do not give such information especially when they are related to the present world. Social history is relevant to the social aspect of lives today, and an example of rivalry in the urban neighborhoods is true and happens to date. The fiction informs that there are different people in the urban areas with different origins and understanding. It is common to have conflict and rivalry in the urban neighborhoods, and this is where crime originates. It is then learned that conflicts within the urban settings have been existing and having such is normal when living. Slavery as a fiction of history existed on a large scale in the past and today there are also some degrees and forms of slavery. However much slavery is not common in the present world, it exists in other forms or come indirectly. The Sheltered Quarter novel is important for learning and it also talks about clothing and their meanings. Both the past and present have clothing based on cultures, fashions, and generations. Clothing has meanings, and it is good that people dress to give meanings and some dresses are only to give their meaning during specific occasions.
The Sheltered Quarter tale of Boyhood in Mecca gives fiction that Saudi Arabia that children loved their mothers despite the situations involved. There is vanity of being childish like Muhaisin is mentioned to be cared for. The love between mothers and their children is not put clear or even stated in historical documents. Even lectures of history do not mention parental love and other family affairs contexts. It is then good to learn such fiction from tales of Sheltered Quarter that parental child love and relationship is still important and can be learned anywhere. Muhaisin is mentioned to have a deep love for his mother and still there is a lesson about responsibility by children for their parents. Children and the entire society believe that parents should take care of their children but in a real sense, even children should be responsible for their parents (Hmaza Bogary, 111). This is mutual responsibility for the society and everyone despite their ages and capabilities should be in a position to cater for the other.
Sabriya novel, on the other hand, gives a painful tale of a woman who loses her father and sells carpets that are antique then uses the money to stage a funeral party. Later Sabriya is found hanging on a lemon tree, and this is suicide. Historical documents only talk about deaths related to historical aspects of wars, but personal lives are not mentioned. The tale of Sabriya is then convincing and is important in learning the social, psychological, economic and legal aspects of life instead of only the historical ones. The life of Sabriya had been a painful one and accompanied by humiliations ad that is what some people have been going through to death both in the present and the past (Idilbi, 72). Women are also said to have faced a lot of problems in the tale, and this may suggest that the gender of women suffer a lot at times. There are personal issues that should be handled at personal levels, and history does not recognize such issues. Eventual suicide must be a serious issue, and people are then told to learn more about problem handling. It is recommended that personal problems are also made important just as ones that affect groups thus fiction brings some things that are important to the public picture. History does not have to have public woes so that it can be published, but even people who have personal woes can be published in the public.
Sabriya is depicted as a heroine in her own ways. Historical documents only produce heroines and heroes who influence people and lives in the public. Some heroes and heroines may have done some good things for themselves, and they need to be identified but with history, such people are not identified. Sabriya, in this case, fought despite terrible odds that she was going through and still conquered her problems even though she died in the end. In the present world, heroes and heroines are still identified, and they are respected. The tale of Sabriya also identifies her as a heroine, and she is celebrated in her own way (Idilbi, 56). Just like historical heroines are given respect and even monuments made for them, Sabriya must also have been respected, and that is why she is written in a tale. The story of Sabriya actually takes back to the nation of Syria where national sentiment is overtaken. The sentiment of Sabriya was also crushed by public powers that handled public and historical sentiments. At the same time, the personal emancipations of Sabriya are crushed by traditional values within her society. Just like Sabriya spent her life as a spinster and nursing one parent to the other is the same way history repeats itself.
There are numerous disadvantages of learning about history from fiction. Historic fictions often emphasize on individuals instead of entities that are abstract like the government and the economy. It is bad because students get influenced in explaining history based on individuals and they get to ignore social contexts that are broader. Students then have the love for mentioning personalities instead of listing a broader context for achievements that have been made. An example of Martin Luther King Jr. is mentioned by students based on speeches that he made whereas many personalities made speeches that changed attitudes. Students then lack ideas about long-term movements involved and collective efforts for success but base their understanding on a particular individual.
Historical fictions make students, not to thinks about the past but only searches for past meanings. These fictional stories are random and have lists that are coherent with their plots thus students only narrow their understanding on the plots given. People who read the fictional histories consider patterns, sequences, causes, and consequences that are important depending on the context of learning. It is important to learn also the wider patterns, consequences, causes and sequences of historical facts and stories. There is no coherence or shape for what is done by merely looking for meanings instead of understanding the whole context of what is being learned. The past is important however much it is countless, and the past things are the ones that can be used to impose orders and present rules.
In concluding, both the novels of “sheltered quarter” and “sabriya” are important in handling history and the present society. Education, gender issues and problems, family relationships and those of life, religion and modernization are incorporated in the novels openly. Tales told are fictions but can be related to real life situations especially the present ones. Historic fictions are entertaining but at times spoil the minds of people especially students who are required to understand history well. These two novels are made to reflect on the present life, and they are relevant both for history and for present. However much Sabriya and Sheltered Quarter novels were written and published in the past, they still matter and relate to issues in the present life.
Works Cited
Bogary, Hamza. The sheltered quarter: a tale of a boyhood in Mecca. University of Texas Press, 1991.
Idilbi, Ulfat, and Ulfat Idlibi. Sabriya: Damascus Bitter Sweet. Interlink Publishing Group, 2003.
