Comparative Analysis of The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf and The Last Crossing from Anti-Arab Racism and Islamophobia Perspective

Muhammad Ajmal; Irfan Ali Shah

Muhammad Ajmal Associate professor of English Qurtuba University D.I.Khan
Irfan Ali Shah Assistant Professor of English Qutuba University of Science & Information Technology Peshawar

Keywords: Islamophobia, Syrian Refugees, Arab Resilience, Muslim Resilience

Abstract

This comparative analysis examines the portrayal of Arab and Muslim characters in two literary works: The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf by Mohja Kahf and The Last Crossing by Samar Yazbek. The analysis aims to identify and evaluate the representation of these characters and their experiences in relation to anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia. Through a close reading of the two novels, the analysis highlights several common themes, including the impact of post-9/11 politics on the Arab and Muslim communities in the United States and Europe, the challenges of navigating identity and belonging in a hostile environment and the resistance and resilience of Arab and Muslim individuals in the face of discrimination and prejudice. While both novels explore these themes, they do so in different ways. The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf centers around the experiences of a young Syrian-American girl named Khadra, who struggles to reconcile her Muslim faith and Arab heritage with the expectations of her American community. Meanwhile, The Last Crossing tells the story of a group of Syrian refugees fleeing to Europe in the aftermath of the Syrian civil war, and the hardships they encounter along the way. Despite their differences in narrative focus, both novels offer powerful critiques of anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia, highlighting the ways in which these prejudices affect the lives and livelihoods of Arab and Muslim individuals. Moreover, both novels offer nuanced and complex depictions of Arab and Muslim characters, challenging monolithic stereotypes and offering diverse perspectives on Arab and Muslim experiences. This comparative analysis offers important contributions to contemporary discussions of anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia, providing insights into the ways in which these forms of prejudice impact the lives of Arab and Muslim individuals, and offering nuanced and complex representations of Arab and Muslim characters.

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