Food
Food is an important symbol of cultural distinction throughout much of the author’s work. This symbolic importance even rises to the status of title in the story “The Spiced Chicken Queen of Mickaweaquah, Iowa.” However, it is in “Manar of Hama” in which it really takes on prominence, becoming a central defining metaphor by which the title character distinguishes the American and Syrian culture.
Pink Thong
“The Girl from Mecca” removes her headscarf almost as soon as the trio get on the road. But the other two like to do that as well occasionally, so no big deal. Kind of a bigger deal that the stranger then wriggles down to a crop top with “Arab Hottie” emblazoned across it and short-shorts. It is not until the flash of the girl’s pink thong underwear when they first exit the car, however, that it finally hits that they have been played big time into taking on this supposedly innocent Muslim sister. The thong is what finally gives her game away.
Spiced Chicken
It the particularity of the food mentioned in the title of “The Spiced Chicken Queen of Mickaweaquah, Iowa” that becomes the central symbol of that story. Much like “The Girl from Mecca” the protagonist of this story is putting up something of a façade with her tales of domestic abuse. The spiced chicken which is her specialty becomes the symbol of escape from oppressive culture, assimilation, and ultimately attaining the American Dream.
Candide
“The Girl from Mecca” is a story in part about stereotypes. Some of the stereotypes of Muslims lead to discrimination and prejudice while, the story reveals, other stereotypes can be used by Muslims to manipulate those very prejudices. The title character has become a master at tapping into the more innocent side of stereotypes which make those who hold fast to their prejudices more gullible than dangerous. The story of the ultimate literary innocent, Candide, becomes a significant symbol during a demonstration of her talent.
Sally Field
The spiced chicken queen is not what she seems either, but is much more subtle and sly than that girl from Mecca. Sally Field and some of the characters she portrayed are used to symbolize and foreshadow the transformation of the protagonist from domestic abuse victim to chicken queen. Field’s career is notable for how she started out playing characters of girlish innocence that one of them was a nun before she revealed herself to be much more than most imagined, easily transitioning into a movie superstar playing much more complex and tougher women than anyone expected.
