The Shadows of Ghadames

A. Citation Stolz, Joelle. 2004. The Shadows of Ghadames. New York, NY: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0385-73104-3 B. Plot Summary Malika an eleven year old girl yearns to travel the world and see life outside of the city of Ghadames. But Muslim women are not allowed to do such things. So Malika travels in her mind. Until one day while her father was gone on a caravan an injured man happens upon the women of the household. He shows her things that she never thought possible and visa versa. He introduced her to a world of literacy, by teaching her to read and write. He does all this while being nursed back to health by some unlikely candidates. A great story of inevitable change. C. Critical Analysis The Shadows of Gadames by Joelle Stolz gives an insight into the mysterious world of Muslim women. Particularly into the life of and adolescdent girl named Malika. Stolz creates what the reader believes to be an authentic perspective of what is involved in Malika's world, from communal baths, to not speaking males and tradition. Within the story is a classic struggle between tradition and contemporary. The story takes place in the city of Gadames in Libya in a time where men still went on caravans to far away places unknown to most. This is how the story begins. Malika's father is preparing to leave. She longs to leave the palm grove in which she currently resides and experience the exotic worlds that evade her. Unfortunately, it will continue to evade her because that is the custom of the Muslim women. They are confined to their rooftops and shadows of the streets. This seems even more unfair as Malika's brother Jasim is introduced and is able to go to school to learn to read and write, and soon will begin to travel, but she is not. This is realistic to the reader because this is still applicable in some parts of the world. Another cultural marker is the family arrangement. Malkia's father has two wives who both live under the same roof. Bilkisu is the second wife and mother of Jasim. Meriem is the first wife and mother of Malika. Bilkisu is more mild mannered and full of adventure, but is from another culture. Meriem is the traditional one who adheres strictly to the code of Muslim women. We see as slight change in Meriems personality when Bilkisu aides a strange man and brings him into their home to nurse him back to health. Instead of sticking to the standards of Muslims, Meriem adheres to the most important code in the book, the codes of women and secrecy. The stranger, Abdekarim, is a preacher who wants to change the antiquated ways of Ghademes and his people. His message is not well received and is mobbed by angry citizens. He is very opinionated and is adamant about his view as are the women, there is a struggle of wits, but in the end there is a mutual understanding of just trying to do the best for themselves. Abdekarim learns much from the women of the rooftops, but in return they learn from him also. He begins to teach Malika to read and write, and forms a bond with her which either one of them believed would be possible. The end of the story leaves the reader looking for more. While the implication of change is there We want to see what if anything materializes between Malika and Abdekarim. There is just a little more to be desired, but in all it tells a complete tale of a young Muslim girl. D. Review Excerpts

Horn Book stated - In Libya in the late nineteenth century, eleven-year-old Malika longs to experience life beyond the rooftop confines of women. Her mother is cautious and obedient, but her father's other wife risks being disowned to shelter an injured young man preaching Muslim fundamentalism, who then teaches Malika to read. This French import tells an engaging story of changing visions of people and places.

School Library Journal - This quiet story is notable for the intimate picture of the traditional Muslim world that it conveys; unfortunately, not until the author's note at the end is the time period made evident. The imprecise use of language may make it difficult for readers to visualize this distant world and to understand the characters' motivations.

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E. Connections

Wormser, Richard. American Islam: Growing Up Muslim in America. ISBN 0756784239

Brown, Tricia. Salaam: A Muslim American Boy's Story. ISBN 0805065385

Beshir, Sumaiya. Everyday Struggles: The Stories of Muslim Teens. ISBN 1590080300