BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stolz, Joelle.
1999. THE SHADOWS OF
GHADAMES. New York: Delacorte
Press. ISBN 0385731043
PLOT SUMMARY
Set at the end of the nineteenth century, in the city of
Ghadames, this historical fiction novel tells the story of eleven-year-old Malika
and her family. As Malika nears
marriageable age in the Muslim community, she begins to feel the sadness of
leaving her childhood freedoms and the oppression of entering the restricted
world of Muslim women. One night,
however, a man fleeing from community members enters her family's life and
offers to teach and show her a world she will never be able to see once she
steps into her womanhood.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Stolz' does a fantastic job of weaving intricate details of
Muslim life into her historical novel which allows readers to get a real sense
of daily life in the Libyan city of Ghadames.
Set at the end of the 19th century, readers are able to visualize the
story's setting through Stolz' accurate description of the setting. Homes are described as having rooftops with
little horns, covered alleyways have palm crosspieces, and homes with gardens
and walls painted a lively red to protect the family from misfortune. Much of the story's plot unfolds in the two separate
worlds of Muslim men and women: on the rooftops, which is reserved only for
women, and the city's alleyways, where men conduct their business and social interactions. These two distinct worlds keep the two sexes
apart, where the women never talk to men, and the men never talk to women.
The activities that occur in these two worlds bring to
readers' attention the differences in gender roles, clothing and attire, and the
customs and traditions of the Muslim world.
Men take on the role as head of household, in which they make decisions
for family, can seek an education, and are allowed to go beyond the city
walls. Women, on the other hand, are
expected to adhere to traditional practices such as child-rearing, home care,
and submitting to their husband's authority.
Eleven-year old Malika points out these gender role differences when she
states "my mother says that women shouldn't know the same things as men,
for men and women belong to two different worlds that hardly ever meet, like
the sun and the moon" (p. 71).
As the plot unfolds, readers are also introduced to the rest
of story's characters. Malika's family
represents the typical family structure of many Ghadames homes, with the
husband having two wives, the wife "from home," which in this story
is Meriem, and the wife "from the
journey," which is Bilkisu. Malika is the daughter of Meriem, who is the
more dominant female and often adheres to a strict obedience to traditional Muslim
practices. Malika's brother, Jasim, is
the son of the Bilkisu, whose carefree attitude draws Malika closer to
her. Since both women come from
different worlds, many Ghadames families have two sets of descendents with
distinct physical attributes: one with light colored skin and the other with
dark colored skin. For readers, the
description of two sets of descendents in each family allows them to see a life
outside one that may be typical of their own family life.
Further emphasis in gender differences is seen through many
of the customs and traditions described as the story unfolds. Two knocks on the door mean that it is a
woman; a woman makes a groaning noise when walking in the alleyway to signal her
approach; a man makes a loud thud with his foot to alert females that he is
near. These customs are explained by
Malika's father, when he states that these customs were created by ancestors
who "thought it best to avoid contact between men and women who are not of
the same family" (p. 54). Although
readers may not be familiar with these customs, Stolz' cleverly gives readers a
perspective on how Malika's family views other culture's customs, such as men
removing their hats when greeting a woman or giving up their seats for
them. Malika's mother is described as
being "deeply shocked,"
stating "that's an upside-down world!" These sentiments echo what some readers
experience as they learn more about some Muslim traditions.
Accurate descriptions about the different attires worn by
Muslim men and women are also included.
Muslim men have their heads wrapped in turbans, wear a burnoose and
djellaba, and often have a beard. Women keep their heads covered while in
public, have bluish tattoos on their faces to ward off evil, and wear diadem at
their wedding ceremonies.
Other attributes of the Muslim culture are carefully woven
into the story. For example, male
Ghadame citizens prepare for evening prayers, women attend an Arous ceremony to
protect the citie's harvest from evil spirits, and Ramadan is quickly
approaching. As Malika learns to read a
write, she describes the Arabic letters with wonder, stating that her teacher writes
out the twenty-eight letters from right to left, with some resembling
"reeds bending in the wind; others, birds with flexible necks and folded
wings" (p. 82).
REVIEWS AND REWARDS
Mildred L.
Batchelder Award, 2005
BOOKLIST: "Stolz invigorates her tale with elegant
prose and a deft portrayal of a girl verging on adolescence. The vivid backdrop
is intoxicating, but the story's universal concerns will touch readers most:
sibling jealously, confusion about adult customs, and a growing interest in a
world beyond family."
KIRKUS: "Setting
her tale at the end of the 19th century, Stolz not only weaves the sights,
sounds, and daily rhythms of life in Ghadames into a vivid tapestry, she
creates a cast of distinct characters, each of which displays a unique blend of
strengths and weaknesses, as well as sometimes unexpected intelligence and
compassion."
THE BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS: "Young
readers themselves approaching adulthood may appreciate this window into
another girl's experience in a faraway time and place."
CONNECTIONS
Have students learn more about Muslim culture as well as the Islamic faith.
Abdullah, Noorah Kathryn.
WHAT DO WE SAY?: A GUIDE TO ISLAMIC MANNERS. ISBN: 0860373509
Khan, Rukhsana.
MUSLIM CHILD. ISBN 0929141962
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