Reflections of the Arab American Experience
Diana Abu-Jaber’s novels reflect her experiences as an Arab-American through both humor and the exploration of themes of identity, community, exile, and immigration. ... What an incredible experience and journey it is. ... Abu-Jaber is mainly concerned with exile regarding Arabs and Arab-Americans, largely because of her own experiences. ... Matuseem, the father in Arabian Jazz, interprets being American into being in a jazz band and littering his yard with tacky lawn ornaments. By giving Matuseem these quirks, Abu-Jaber emphasizes that despite his best efforts, he will never be a true “American” in the traditional sense of the word. ... ” This is Matuseem’s situation exactly; even though he will never be accepted as an American according to the western mindset, he will never be able to go back home because “something inside of [him] has changed.” Because his daughter Jemorah is of Middle Eastern descent, she knows that she too will never fully be accepted into American society, “It’s not enough to be born here, or to live here, or speak the language. ... Like Jemorah and Melvina, and like Abu-Jaber herself, Sirine is the child of an Arab father and an American mother. ... Sirine differs from these other characters in that, although she longs to identify with the Arab side of her, she only knows her American side. ... When she meets Han, an attractive Iraqi exile, she develops a sudden, more definite interest in the Arab side of her identity. ... Using Nadia’s Café, Abu-Jaber introduces the importance of community to the human experience and especially to the Arab-American experience. ... Abu-Jaber comments on the need for a sense of community as follows: I haven’t read a lot of people who’ve gone specifically into this question of Arab exiles. ... Because of this, he finds solace in reflections of Iraq and what he once had. ... Although it was through her relationship with Han that Sirine really developed and explored her Arab identity, the community in Nadia’s Café always provided a place for her to experience the language of Arabic, which she finds “comforting” and to experience a sense of home and belonging. For, although Sirine would be accepted as entirely American due to her physical appearance, she never felt fully American. ... When Han makes her an “all-American” dinner, she is shocked, responding, “But I’m not really all-American.” Concerning immigration and exile, Abu-Jaber focuses mainly on those emigrating from the Middle East, but the community in Nadia’s Café is not exclusively Arab. ... Even though these two men are not Arab, they fit in with this new tribe because they share a certain alienation, this common sense of loss and pain that is a part of leaving behind a homeland. ... Yet it is Um-Nadia herself who says: The loneliness of the Arab is a terrible thing; it is all-consuming. ... The only members of the community that accept the Ramouds are those who are also outcasts such as Ricky Ellis who is half Native American and Larry Fasco who is an albino. ... The other community presented in Arabian Jazz is that which the Arab immigrants make up. This includes the Ramouds, other family members such as Aunt Fatima, and other Arab-Americans living in the vicinity such as the ladies of the Ladies’ Pontifical Committee. ... It organizes social events and marriages and serves as a way of keeping the Arab culture alive in a country where it is not accepted. This community also provides a sense of home for people who struggle to belong in traditional American society. ... ” In addition to dealing with the constant search for a home and sense of belonging due to immigration, Abu-Jaber also confronts the Arab struggle against stereotypes and racism. ... He allows Abu-Jaber to explore the theme of exile and the pain it causes, he evokes Sirine’s interest in her father’s homeland and helps her to discover a side of her identity she has not known, and he breaks down stereotypes associated with those of Middle Eastern descent, particularly the evil often associated with Arab men.