Wild Thorns

Thanks to Dr. Webb for emailing me the handout on Wild Thorns I missed on Monday. I've been sick since last Thursday so I stayed in my dorm all weekend. With all that time on my hands I was able to read the entire book. I was kinda hoping that this book wouldn't have a depressing ending like all the other stories but unfortunately it did. I did really like the story though and I reading the entire book in three days wasn't hard considering I couldn't put it down. I even read it a work!

I would have to say that my favorite character had to be Zuhdi. I really liked how while he was in jail he began to study and once he was released he was so excited to have learned from all of his books. Which is why I was so depressed when Usama attacked the bus Zuhdi was riding in. Even though he knew Usama was responsible for the attack, he still fought to protect Usama from the Israeli soldiers dying in the process. It was so sad because Zuhdi seemed like he was ready to start anew, ready to make the best of his life and it was all ruined by someone he thought was a friend.

I don't know what to think of Usama. At the beginning of the story I like his character and I empathized for him. I couldn't imagine how angry I'd be if my home were to change so pathetically. As the story progressed I felt even more for the character, but when he began to really think about bombing the buses my attitude changed. As he thought about the possiblility that Adil may be on one of the buses he would bomb, he told himself that it would be a small lose for the greater good. I can see where Usama is coming from but I don't agree with it at all. I think that Usama was right in wanting to rebel against the occupation but he went about it all wrong.

Two other characters I found interesting were Adil and Basil. I felt incredibly bad for Adil and his situation, but I think he may have felt even worse for himself. It was interesting to see how he hid the fact that he wasn't working on the farm and how he was working for the Israeli. Basil was so different from his brother though. Basil was like Usama, both were unsure of themselves at first but reassured themselves by pointing out the flaws in others around them. I thought it was pretty funny how he lied about his time in jail too, glorifying himself by saying he killed guards and such.

Overall I'd have to say that I really liked the book and I am happy to have some insight on the occupation of Palestine. I wish the book could have ended on a happier note just for the characters and how much I wanted them to be happy, but we can't all get what we want. This book proved that point.