Essay Questions

Why is Mina Simpson, at last, going to the Moria refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece?

Mina Simpson is a medical doctor, and she decides to visit the Moria refugee camp in response to her friend's request who runs a nongovernmental organization in the camp. The friend wants Mina to help treat patients and offer advice on health matters for a week or two. Mina is happy to return to Greece despite her hatred of the local people.

Is transgender becoming one of the primary themes in The Wrong End of the Telescope by Rabih Alameddine?

Mina Simpson is a female medical doctor who has married a fellow woman for the last thirty years. Mina has stayed away from her home for several years because of the stigma associated with same-sex marriages. The Arab nations have not embraced the LGBTQ movement that is widely acknowledged in the western world. Therefore, LGBTQ is a sensitive topic in the novel The Wrong End of the Telescope because it is rarely discussed in the Arabic world.

What does the character Sumaiya symbolize?

Sumaiya symbolizes the suffering of refugees in Syrian camps. Sumaiya is an old matriarch who has lived in a refugee camp for most of her life in Syria. The history of Sumaiya depicts the dark secrets of war and terrorism, which leaves innocent people suffering for the rest of their lives. However, Sumaiya is determined to leave her family in a better world where they can access opportunities and find a better life. Sumaiya has few days to live because her cancer has reached the final stages, but that does not discourage her from fighting for her family.