Essay Questions

What are the effects of war according to I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti?

When Mourid Barghouti goes for university studies in Egypt he does not imagine that he will be caught up in war and fail to return home for 30 years. While in Egypt, the war starts and it lasts for six days. He witnesses how the events unfold and the unfortunate part is that he is unable to access his home country after the war. When he tries to return home, he is denied access. He later moves from state to state but still feels that something is missing in his life. He feels displaced because there is no single place on earth, he found peace of mind except at home, Palestine. When he finally returns home after 30 years, he cannot believe the damage that was caused by war. During the war, his home, Ramallah, was destroyed and many people lost their lives. The scenes of destruction he sees are traumatizing. Therefore, war brings destruction to human life and property. Additionally, those left behind after war suffer from depression and mental instability because they are haunted with the evils of war.

What is the Irony of Mourid Barghouti going to University in Egypt?

When Mourid Barghouti goes to study in Egypt, he is in high spirits and hope that his life is going to change for the better. He also looks forward to getting higher education then return home to improve it and make it better. However, while away, things take a drastic turn. The war breaks and the whole of his homestead is reduced to ashes. When he tries to get back home, it is ironic that he is turned away never to return until 30 years later. His dreams and aspirations of improving his home are reduced to nothing when he finds Ramallah worse than he left it. Many years have passed and most his dreams are now dead because he can do little to return his home to what it used to be.

To what extent is the title of the book I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti symbolic?

After the war, Ramallah remains in ruins which symbolizes the devastating effects of war. When Mourid Barghouti returns home at last, the ruins of Ramallah helps him to come into terms that his home is no more. The ruins of Ramallah also represent the suffering the people went through during the war. Many people lost their lives and this leaves Mourid Barghouti shocked. He is also able to imagine the kind of dangerous weapons and bombs that were used against his people while he was away. Therefore, there is a permanent change in his home town and things will never be the same again.