Reflections of Arab American Literature

  Jallabiya ( جلابية )  - Type of long loose fitting garment. The role of the clothing represents Nadali's culture as an Egyptian-Palestinian. Karamati ( كَرَامَاتِي ) - Translates to "my dignity", meaning a sense of pride or self respect in which is a saying that Nadali keeps in her mind since it's something her father always said. Karamati bears significance towards Nadali's self actualization and her internal view of home within herself. It shows that Nadali has a great sense of character and good moral compass, even if her answer was said while she was half awake/half asleep. Fateha ( الفاتحة ) - Translates to "the opening" in relation to the beginning of the first chapter of the Quran , which bears a heavy religious importance. In Islam it's recited in daily prayers and the connection with Fateha is part of Nadali's identity as she is learning more about the Qur'an. Surat ul - shrah ( سُورَةُ الشَّرۡحِ ) - Translates to the "t...

     In Diana Abu-Jaber's Crescent , the role of exile is mentioned continuously throughout the entire main story. When thinking of exile, it means to be banished or cast off from one place and never having the possibility to return. In the story we learn about Hanif or Han for short who is constantly homesick after being cast out of his home in Iraq due to the regime of  Sadan Hussein, which social disrupted his way of life when living in LA, California. In part 2 of the novel in chapter 20 Han vividly explains to Sirine his entire childhood back when he was living in Iraq, from what he did with his childhood friend Sami, to meeting the wives of successful diplomats, all the way down to the conversations he had with his mother and father. It's very significant because it just shows how much of a home Iraq was for him.       The  novel Cresce nt   states, "Sometimes even now, I still dream I'm back in my room, back in Iraq, and Jane...