With thousands or millions of stories to choose from, selecting ten stories to fully represent an entire region is impossible.
Consider the themes the stories in this unit have in common.
What themes did you find? Do you think these themes represent the region completely and accurately?
Use specific evidence from "My Father Writes to My Mother" by Assia Djebar, "The Happy Man" by Naguib Mahfouz, and "The Swimming Contest" by Benjamin Tammuz.
The three stories in this unit have several themes in common, including the importance of family, the power of storytelling, and the struggle between tradition and modernity. In "My Father Writes to My Mother," Assia Djebar explores the complex relationship between a father and daughter, and the importance of family in Algerian culture. In "The Happy Man," Naguib Mahfouz examines the power of storytelling to bring joy and hope to a family in Egypt. Finally, in "The Swimming Contest," Benjamin Tammuz examines the struggle between tradition and modernity in Israel.
These themes do represent the region accurately, as they are common to many cultures in the Middle East. Family is a central part of life in the region, and stories are often used to bring joy and hope to people. Additionally, the struggle between tradition and modernity is a common theme in many Middle Eastern countries. Therefore, these themes do represent the region completely and accurately.