Resilience in A Handful of Dates katelyn Buitenhuis 12th Grade

Though unity is devotedly sought after by societies, perfect harmony is rarely achieved. In the story “A Handful of Dates”, the love of money serves as a serious threat to the unity of the small Arabian community. Yet, the story’s focus does not remain tied to the money loathing acts of the characters. Critical analysis of the story reveals a deeper truth; the power of resilience which aids a person in seeking justice and refraining from greed. This resilience is revealed through an analysis of the main character as well as an overview of the biographical context of the story.

Understanding the theme of greed in A Handful of Dates, the young boy first proves his capability of dealing with this difficulty by recognizing the issue. At the start of the novel, his mind is occupied by materialistic pleasures. This understanding can be gathered from the way he views his grandfather. The young boy makes note of his grandfather’s beard being, “soft and luxuriant and as white as cotton wool” (Salih 1). These attributes represent wealth which the young boy admires deeply stating, “never in my life have I seen anything of purer whiteness or greater beauty” (1). However, this mindset switches with the arrival of the date harvesting season....