Today, I skimmed through the first couple of pages of Alaa El Aswany's Chicago after reading several synopses of the novel. I was thinking to myself how many many of the characters reminded me of someone, and all of the sudden it hit me that I could be that someone. I believe that El Aswany gives life to each and everyone of these characters and their struggle as Egyptians attending univeristy in the U.S. Each of these characters carries his or her unique persona and gives a dimension to the different personalities of Egyptians, except in a Western context. I felt as if I could identify with each of these characters on a personal level and that each of them give a single facet in a multifaceted being, i.e. myself.
The novel dwells into the many stereotypes imposed on Egyptian characters post 9/11. Having experienced America as an Arab for the majority of the years after 9/11, I can definitely relate to the experiences of these characters on a spiritual and mundane level. Aswany gives life to these characters that I feel that they are fellow students go through the same struggles I go through. At times, I feel these characters personify me, they express what I keep bottled up inside me because I feel like I cannot share some of these emotions with others.
From Chicago, I learn that I learn to seek joy in the saddest places, which is what I used to consider Charlottesville. I have learned to put aside ignorance and close-mindedness and replace them with a sense of eagerness to learn. I hope that my observations will one day pay off, as they have for Aswany through his experiences in Chicago.
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