In the short novel, Men In The Sun, Ghassan Kanafani engraves a depiction of the evident hardships, anguish, and humiliation that every Palestinian endures. Ghassan Kanafani uses poignant words to grasp the inmost portion of the hearts of his audience. His usage of vivid imagery and figurative language forge a mood of pity and sorrow towards the four protagonists. Each protagonist is introduced with a heartbreaking backstory. These four backstories clarify to the audience why each character has decided to reach Kuwait. As they embark on an ambitious journey to freedom, they are met with numerous complications; such as weather, age, Abu Baqir, and even each other. As the somber novel comes to an end, so do the lives of three crucial characters.
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He is hesitant and panicked about his decision to get smuggled into Kuwait, ". . . suddenly filled with a bitter feeling of being a stranger . . . he thought he was on the point of weeping." (22). Abu Qais's mind then floods with somber memories: His 2-month old daughter's death, his village's utter destruction, his unemployment for ten years, and Qais's, his son, halted education. His wife, Umm Qais, had persuaded him to consider traveling to Kuwait, ""We'll be able to send Qais to school . . . And perhaps buy one or two olive shoots . . . Maybe we'll be able to build a shack somewhere."" (27). Abu Qais replayed to her remarks wistfully, " If I arrive. If I arrive." Abu Qais recalls Umm Qais sobbing at his words and him helplessly, not able to comfort his distraught wife. Several mournful losses in his lifetime depict Abu Qais's desperate need to provide for his family. He attempts to negotiate a price, ten dinars, with the fat smuggler in Basra, Iraq, but his pleas fail. At that moment, his dire need to reach Kuwait appeared to be a far-fetched dream and he began to cry. He understood that he had lost practically everything that his heart treasured. He supposed that if he reached Kuwait he would at least prevent his family from slipping from his embrace. Numerous losses: his source of income, his village, his daughter, depleted Abu Qais's aging heart. His exhausted heart solely allowed him to cry when facing …show more content…
""Fifteen dinars I'll pay you. Fine! But after I arrive, not before."" Assad mentions to the fat smuggler in Basra (28). The smuggler is bewildered by Assad's remark and asks him "why?" (29). Assad is depicted as a cautious character because of the loss of his innocence. He recalls that the smuggler in Jordan, Abul-Abd, had taken advantage of Assad's "innocence and ignorance" by manipulating him to believe that he would take him directly to Baghdad, Iraq (30). Assad's loss of innocence hardened and numbed his heart. Aside from being portrayed as an attentive and serious protagonist, Assad is also a leader. When Assad is acquainted with Abu Qais and Marwan he explains to them that he is an ""old hand in this game"" and that he will speak on their behalf. They all agree. Even though Abul Khaizuran assures them that he will smuggle them into Kuwait in his trolley, Assad doubts his words and questions him multiple times. Despite that he doubts Abul Khaizuran's stories, Assad claims that he ""is only interested in reaching Kuwait"" and that he will ""travel with Abul Khaizuran."" (51). When he says this, Abu Qais and Marwan agree that they all must travel together to Kuwait. This demonstrates that Assad is a capable and influential leader; Assad truly represents his name, which means lion in Arabic. On the other hand, Assad's loss of his innocence induced his heart to harden and to distrust others. In essence,
He is hesitant and panicked about his decision to get smuggled into Kuwait, ". . . suddenly filled with a bitter feeling of being a stranger . . . he thought he was on the point of weeping." (22). Abu Qais's mind then floods with somber memories: His 2-month old daughter's death, his village's utter destruction, his unemployment for ten years, and Qais's, his son, halted education. His wife, Umm Qais, had persuaded him to consider traveling to Kuwait, ""We'll be able to send Qais to school . . . And perhaps buy one or two olive shoots . . . Maybe we'll be able to build a shack somewhere."" (27). Abu Qais replayed to her remarks wistfully, " If I arrive. If I arrive." Abu Qais recalls Umm Qais sobbing at his words and him helplessly, not able to comfort his distraught wife. Several mournful losses in his lifetime depict Abu Qais's desperate need to provide for his family. He attempts to negotiate a price, ten dinars, with the fat smuggler in Basra, Iraq, but his pleas fail. At that moment, his dire need to reach Kuwait appeared to be a far-fetched dream and he began to cry. He understood that he had lost practically everything that his heart treasured. He supposed that if he reached Kuwait he would at least prevent his family from slipping from his embrace. Numerous losses: his source of income, his village, his daughter, depleted Abu Qais's aging heart. His exhausted heart solely allowed him to cry when facing …show more content…
""Fifteen dinars I'll pay you. Fine! But after I arrive, not before."" Assad mentions to the fat smuggler in Basra (28). The smuggler is bewildered by Assad's remark and asks him "why?" (29). Assad is depicted as a cautious character because of the loss of his innocence. He recalls that the smuggler in Jordan, Abul-Abd, had taken advantage of Assad's "innocence and ignorance" by manipulating him to believe that he would take him directly to Baghdad, Iraq (30). Assad's loss of innocence hardened and numbed his heart. Aside from being portrayed as an attentive and serious protagonist, Assad is also a leader. When Assad is acquainted with Abu Qais and Marwan he explains to them that he is an ""old hand in this game"" and that he will speak on their behalf. They all agree. Even though Abul Khaizuran assures them that he will smuggle them into Kuwait in his trolley, Assad doubts his words and questions him multiple times. Despite that he doubts Abul Khaizuran's stories, Assad claims that he ""is only interested in reaching Kuwait"" and that he will ""travel with Abul Khaizuran."" (51). When he says this, Abu Qais and Marwan agree that they all must travel together to Kuwait. This demonstrates that Assad is a capable and influential leader; Assad truly represents his name, which means lion in Arabic. On the other hand, Assad's loss of his innocence induced his heart to harden and to distrust others. In essence,