TCH 236-What it Means to Be a Girl

This week, we are tackling the inquiry question of what it means to be a girl. The book that my group had been assigned to read is a book entitled, Love, Hate, and Other Filters, written by Samira Ahmed. The genre is a realistic fiction novel, that most appeals to I would say 8th grade students, however, that is not to say that 6th or 7th grade students may not like it as well. Since the main character is working towards applying to college, and moving forward from high school, I think that 8th grade students and above would best be able to relate to the events that the main character is going through, and would find it the most entertaining to read.

A particular part of the book that really stuck out to me that I would share with my class to get them to read this book, and to be excited about this literature, would be a quote that Samira says during the novel, “It’s selfish and horrible, but in this terrible moment, all I want is to be a plain old American teenager. Who can simply mourn without fear. Who doesn’t share last names with a suicide bomber. Who goes to dances and can talk to her parents about anything and can walk around without always being anxious. And who isn’t a presumed terrorist first and an American second.” (Love, Hate, and Other Filters). I think that this quote shows the weight of the novel, but also allows readers to get a sense of the tone of what they are reading, and how there are a lot of real life conflicts presented throughout this novel.

To summarize the book in a short blurb, the novel follows main character Maya Aziz, a 17 year old girl living in a Chicago suburb. Throughout the course of the novel, Maya encounters several different dilemmas and events that are certainly obstacles towards accomplishing her ambitions and dreams. As an Indian-American Muslim teenager, Maya comes from a home that is very conservative, as she lives with her conservative Indian parents. Her mother is planning to set her up with a suitable Muslim boy throughout the course of the novel, while her father intends for her to go to school locally. Eventually, Maya begins to flirt with a white boy at school, and begins to pursue her dreams of going to school in New York City, but her family has other plans in mind. Her family has her life figured out for her, and Maya just can’t help but want to break this mold, and explore the world for herself.

Tragedy strikes when a terrorist attack is made near Illinois, and the terrorist happens to have the last name as Maya. Peers at school begin to taunt, harass, and bully Maya, as they think she is labeled a terrorist too because of her heritage and her last name. All the while, Maya wishes to be with a boy she someday falls in love with on her own, not her mother’s choosing, and attend school in New York. The plot line is one where there is always something happening, and the reader is left never wanting to put the book down.

Some themes that I found to be very evident throughout the course of this novel, are the themes of individual vs. society, and the theme of prejudice. Both themes of very important for middle level students to read about, and hold a lot of meaning and messages, that I plan to hopefully cover within my own classroom one day as a middle level educator.

The first theme of individual versus society, is best explained through Maya’s desire to find her own suitable partner, versus Maya’s family, her culture, and even a little but of society’s expectations, to decide for her. This is best illustrated in how Maya wishes to meet the love of her life, on her own, and not through an arrangement her parents make for her. This push and pull from the individual, Maya, and societal expectations that are being built by her parents and her conservative upbringing, show the battle between the individual, and society. Additionally, there are other societal implications that are adding to this theme of individual versus society. The idea that women are supposed to get married off, and that is the greatest accomplishment and event that happens in a woman’s life, is something that also adds a lot to this particular novel, and is very much worth discussing. I think this rush to find someone suitable for Maya at such a young age, is something that also stems from encouragement from society. Maya, the individual in this situation and theme, wants to find a man on her own time, go to a school she wants to go to, and not have her life arranged for her. The theme of individual versus society is very prevalent within this novel, and an important theme for readers to learn about.

The second theme, is the theme of prejudice. Throughout the course of this novel, we see a lot of prejudice towards Maya and her family, because of their cultural and ethnic background. After a horrible terrorist attack that scares so many people, it is come to find out that Maya and her family have the same last name as the terrorist. People begin to come to ridiculous conclusions, and treat Maya differently, bullying her for her identity, and her last name. This displays a lot of prejudice. There are even some chapters in the book that are written from the perspective of the terrorist himself, and it showcases the prejudice he has towards people who are Muslim. This is a theme that although, is a heavier topic to read about and discuss, it is one that is probably one of the most important themes that I have encompassed throughout the novels I have read throughout my TCH 236 class. Something that has come up in a lot of our discussions throughout class, is the idea that as teachers in the 21st century, we can truly no longer be afraid to tackle difficult topics and questions anymore. We have to educate our students on these issues, themes, and topics. If we do not, we are hurting our students more than we are helping them.

A literary element that is used throughout this book, is in regards to the structure of how the novel is set up. The book is not written in just one view of one character the whole time, but rather has some chapters that are also from the view of the terrorist in the novel as well. This use of multiple personas and points of view throughout the book, allows for readers to gain more perspective about important themes in the novel, such as the theme of prejudice.

When connecting this novel to other books I have read within this class, I think about my what is means to be a boy inquiry question novel, More Happy Than Not, by Adam Silvera. In the novel, main character Aaron is struggling with his own types of prejudice within his own life. As a homosexual male, Aaron is struggling to overcome being ridiculed by family members, who send him away to a camp to erase his memory of ever being homosexual in the first place, and this poor treatment of Aaron by the people he is surrounded with, is similar to the treatment that Maya is experiencing as well. Both are ridiculed for who they are, and others go to extreme measures to try to break them down, or change the. Both novels and main characters hold extremely powerful messages for overcoming adversity, and these books are fantastic for middle level students to read about, to gain more perspective.

Personally, I thought this was a great novel, that is a lot different than some of the other kind of teen, love, overcoming adversity, novels I have read. Yes, there are common young adolescent literature aspects to this book, such as the love interests, or a character defying odds and defying what their parents or society may be telling them what to do, but this book was also unlike anything I have ever read before. I have never read a book that has had the perspective of a terrorist to help showcase just how horrible some prejudices are in society, and that to me, was extremely powerful. I may not understand what people of different cultural backgrounds are going through, but reading about characters and people who endure horrible tragedies like this throughout their daily life, can help me better know how to facilitate my classroom, and provide my students with the resources they need. I really enjoyed this book, and found it to be very valuable. I would highly recommend to anyone.

When relating this book back to the inquiry question for this week, what it means to be a girl, I think it is important to highlight several things throughout the course of this novel. First and most important, as a woman, society defines what is important for us, and who we need to be. Society says that women need to get married, and yes, reach for your dreams and go far, but finding your soulmate and figuring out your family life is far more important, and controls where you will go, and what you will do. We see this with how Maya is challenged by her family to stay home instead of moving to New York, and her parents continue to want to force her to have an arranged marriage, and relationship. I think being a girl, throughout this novel, is defined in ways about how the character is always told what to do, because she is a woman. It is an upsetting realization, but something we do see a lot in society.