Features of Resistance Literature in the Palestinian Literature: Ghassan Kanafani’S Works As Examples

Home , Ghassan Kanafani, Palestinian literature

https://e-journal.unair.ac.id/LAKON

Lakon: Jurnal Kajian Sastra dan Budaya

2020, Vol. 9(2), 52-61 DOI: 10.20473/lakon.v9i2.26348

FEATURES OF RESISTANCE LITERATURE IN THE PALESTINIAN LITERATURE: GHASSAN KANAFANI’S WORKS AS EXAMPLES

Heba A. S. Wadi

Program Studi Magister Kajian Sastra dan Budaya Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Airlangga Address: Jl. Dharmawangsa Dalam Selatan, Kampus B, Surabaya, Indonesia 60286 E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: This paper attempts to explore resistance in Palestinian literature and its impacts on various aspects of colonized people's lives and interpretations in the field of literature. The paper focuses on Ghassan Kanafani's perspectives for the simple reason that he is recognized as the one who laid the foundation of resistance literature in Palestine. Ghassan Kanafani (1941-2008) was one of the lofty figures who believed in the importance of the word and transformed it into a resistance weapon. Kanafani is a well-known contemporary Palestinian writer and genius author who made a great contribution to the literature of Palestinian resistance against colonialism and the Israeli occupation. He loved his country with all of his heart. As the results, his novels served as a luminous flame to awaken the subconscious and remind the patriots of the Palestinians or all the Arabs of their usurped rights. Therefore, his novels and short stories also spilled like thunder on the Zionist forces. They stirred human emotions and shocked the minds of the international community.

Keywords: Resistance-Literature, Palestinian Literature, Ghassan Kanafani, Features, Land Right

INTRODUCTION Palestinian people, the word, literature, and resistance culture are Resistance culture and its weapon in response, resistance literature have always confrontation, and arousal of been a weapon in the hand of the motivation. oppressed people whose countries are invaded and their history is This article indicates that obliterated, and which is the last Ghassan's resistance expressions can castle to protect their heritage, be interpreted in terms of positive history, and culture from obliteration self-representation and negative self- and distortion, in defense of their representation with various existence and their right to live in references (i.e., Palestine, freedom and dignity, and the Palestinians, Israelis, or Zionist mobilization of the masses and urging occupation). As in the works of them to resist. Thus, local powers are Ghassan Kanafani, he revealed that challenged to manage a balance the author's political status between preserving traditions and influenced their speech of resistance maintaining the pace of development, and their perceptions of themselves and also dealing with globalization in relation to Palestine, the (Riyanto, 2017). In the life of the

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52 Heba A. S. Wadi

Palestinians, and the Israeli Definitions of Resistance aggression (Kilpatrick, 1976). Literature:

Therefore, the current article Edward Said’s interpretations attempts to address the following in his study of Intellectuals in the inquiries: Post-Colonial World are widely influential, and his critical analysis of 1. As a Palestinian author, how the idea of intellectual resistance does Ghassan Kanafani characterize holds much more importance and his resistance in his writing? meaning than many practicing theorists in the field (Said, 1986). 2. Do Ghassan Kanafani's According to Said’s theory of cultural political beliefs and life experiences resistance, the intellectual's role in shape his idea of resistance and his public life is important because the self-perception of Palestine, intellectual should reflect "liberation, Palestinians, and the Israeli enlightenment, and the experiences of occupation? the oppressed, those who are incapable of being represented, and those who Resistance was born with are powerless." (Said & Barsamian, people and has remained with them 2003). since the inception of creation because they are resistant creatures Researchers have come up by nature and innate to everything with multiple definitions that define that they consider an element that the literature of resistance, the works against them, whether this following concepts are some element belongs to their definitions of resistance literature: environment, or it is from other different people or groups. Barbara Harlow in Resistance Literature points out that the Whereas language was and literature which emerges under or as still is a tool for communication and a result of any kind of colonization or confrontation; Man used it as an oppression falls under the category of influential component of self-defense. ‘resistance literature’ (Harlow, 1996). We find in history many evidences of Resistance literature was born as a its influence, which later turned into result of and as an answer to the literature, poetry, rhetoric, and attempts made by Western Europe others. Therefore, it is possible to say and the United States to dominate that the literature of resistance is an economically and politically not only expression through language that has the lands of other nations but their become a text and a platform for culture and beliefs as well (Harlow, defending a person in his battle with 1987). the aggressor other, with the multiplicity and diversity of this other  It may be every word, text, poem, and its characteristics. Therefore, the novel, article, song, cultural, subject does not deviate from this intellectual and literary position formative historical path. facing the occupier, the oppressor, and his aides. This occupier may not only manifest

Lakon: Jurnal Kajian Sastra dan Budaya Volume 9. No. 2, November 2020

itself in the external enemy, Biography of Ghassan Kanafani: through military occupations, displacement, demolition of Ghassan Kanafani is homes, and the killing of people considered one of the most important through the bullet and the shell, writers of the resistance literature in but may be formed by Palestine, and his importance as an confronting the injustice inflicted activist writer may have led to his on the individual, and the group, assassination in Beirut in 1972, by an authority, ruler, or class according to the orders of Golda Meir, that crushes a society. the former prime minister of the Zionist enemy. Ghassan's literature  The literature of resistance is and literary production was always considered a literature of interacting with his life and the lives awareness and urging to of people, and in everything he wrote overcome popular crises, wars he depicted a reality he lived or was and oppression, and it tries to affected by. In his novel, Returning To mobilize the desire for jihad, self- Haifa, he described the journey of the awareness and identity, and deals citizens of Haifa as they moved to with the themes of heroism in the Acre, and he was aware of this, and he face of aggression, injustice and was still a child sitting, watching and occupation. The mechanisms of listening. The Land of Sad Oranges resistance differ in different eras tells the story of his family's journey among writers, some of them from Acre. The death of Bed No. 12, take the story or the novel as a which was inspired by his stay in the tool for calling for resistance, and hospital, due to illness. Then, Dora of some of them use poetry as a his fictional works, Men in the Sun, in means of urging defense. As which he talked about Palestinian poetry was more widespread and men who were pushed by oppression influential in stirring up to try to sneak into Kuwait inside an motivation, as it occupied a wide empty water tank to end their lives space in the concept of Resistance on its borders with Iraq, the burning Literature. sun, which was widely known, and later turned into a cinematic work.  It is literature that talks about Ghassan was an artist whose eye was unknown and known collective clear and delicate. and individual heroisms against invaders and dictators, and the Ghassan Kanafani was born in social dimension in resistance Acre on April 9, 1936, and lived his literature is one of the important childhood in Jaffa, from which he was dimensions that are added to forced to flee, as thousands were both the human and national displaced after the 1948 Nakba, and dimension, and the literature of he began his working life as an art resistance focuses on education teacher in the schools of contemporary popular struggle the Palestinian refugee agency (Jayyusi, 1992). UNRWA. He moved to Kuwait in 1956, where he worked as a teacher of drawing and sports in its official schools. Meanwhile, he worked in

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journalism and the beginnings of his and always engaged as if the stage literary works appeared. had chosen Ghassan and her children to raise the banner of resistance In 1969, he founded Al-Hadaf literature that witnessed the Nakba, newspaper, which he remained accompanied the journey of loss and editor-in-chief until the day of his witnessed the birth of the revolution. death on July 8, 1972, after a mine exploded in his car, killing 17-year- METHOD old daughter of his sister Lamis Negm, along with him. His books This study deployed a include: Death of Bed 12 (1961), Land qualitative approach to explore the of Sad Oranges (1963), A World Not themes of resistance literature in the for Us (1965), Of Men and Rifles works of Kanafani as a Palestinian (1968), Um saad (1969), Men under literature. The paper is concerned the sun (1963), and If You Were a with interpretations of Ghassan Horse . . .'" (1961). In the unsparing Kanafani works (G. Kanafani, 1966; G clarity of his writing, Kanafani offers Kanafani, 1968, 1969, 2000), besides the reader a gritty look at the his novels also the concept of agonized world of Palestine and the resistance literature in his book adjoining Middle East (Abd Al-Hadi, (Literature of Resistance in Occupied 1990). Palestine 1948-1966) and mainly Three of his novels; (Um saad, All His other works are a study that’s left to you, and Men under the entitled “Literature of Resistance in sun). This paper largely uses primary Palestine” (1982) and another data from the selected works of entitled “Zionist Literature and Study Kanafani. Deliberately, I focus on the of Palestinian Resistance Literature language of resistance, the way under Occupation and Resistance and Kanafani embodied resistance in his its dilemmas” (Ghassan Kanafani, works. Also, this study uses 1982). In addition to another group of secondary data to supplement political, intellectual, historical and primary data. These include literary critical novels and studies that were books, journal articles, previous not published in books. His work has thesis, and other useful sources to the been translated into sixteen study. languages and published in twenty countries. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION This paper aims to analyze the Ghassan, the son of the theory of resistance literature in an generation of the Nakba, witnessed attempt to show how ideas about the loss of the homeland and the Palestinian identity are expressed in transformation of its people into a Kanafani's novels. The study also distressed refugee, and this stage was examines the role of resistance dug deep in his conscience, and he did literature in the Palestinian struggle not find this creative person except and how it has encouraged the his pen to fight with it early, as awakening of nationalistic thoughts Ghassan's literature was born from and emotions among the people. The the womb of the Nakba, so he was study investigates the concepts, destined to be a fighter and a fighter

Lakon: Jurnal Kajian Sastra dan Budaya Volume 9. No. 2, November 2020 effect, and scope of Kanafani's letter In his book “Resistance and ideologies in literature. Literature in Occupied Palestine 1948”, in three chapters he dealt with Features of Resistance in the literature of resistance after the Kanafani’s Literature: Nakba, and the Arab hero in the Zionist novel, and then presented The first point relates to various models of resistance poetry. Ghassan Kanafani's theoretical Ghassan Kanafani set out in this book conceptions, or his theoretical from a clear position and clear awareness, about the concept of affiliation to the Palestinian struggle, resistance in literature. The second without claiming alleged neutrality, point is related to representations of or without resorting to what he calls resistance in Ghassan Kanafani's "objective coldness" (Ghassan creativity, which is varied as we all Kanafani, 1982). know, between the novel, the short story and the play. The third and final He also recorded in the book a point is related to the example of group of observations about the resistance that can be learned from poetry of the Palestinian resistance, Ghassan Kanafani's experience. including that - in his own words - "it is not crying, nor mourning or despair, First, with regard to the first but a constant revolutionary radiance point, aesthetic knowledge of the idea and a hope that arouses admiration." of resistance, several dimensions can be sought in this direction through In this early book, Ghassan Kanafani's book entitled (Palestinian picked up important dimensions in Resistance Literature Under Palestinian resistance poetry, Occupation 1948-1968), in which he including the deep mixing of the dealt with the cultural situation of the person and the land, the individual Arabs of occupied Palestine, and relationship and the relationship with stopped at the literature of the homeland, and linking the Palestinian resistance, then presented literature of resistance with two Multiple models of poetry and stories important elements: the depth of from this Palestinian literature awareness and its decisive brevity. (Ghassan Kanafani, 1982). Finally, he believed that Palestinian resistance literature provides an In the introduction of the book, advanced model for the history of he put forward a group of important resistance literature in the world. perceptions about the concept of resistance literature and culture, and The second point that can be saw that this culture is no less stopped is related to representations valuable - in his words - than the of resistance in Ghassan Kanafani's armed resistance itself. He also saw literary creativity, and we know that that the literature of resistance he has many important, varied and during the period covered by it after abundant works, all of which he 1948 represents a new episode of wrote despite the short life he lived, previous episodes associated with the represented in his important novels, first half of the twentieth century. including "Men in the Sun", "Umm Saad", "What remains for you”, “Who

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Killed Laila Hayek”, and “Returning to 4. The amazing ability to spread the Haifa,” in addition to his important spirit of resistance by capturing story collections, including “Sad Land specific personalities and specific of Oranges,” “A World We Have No,” experiences, and embodying “On Men and Guns,” in addition to his them with artistic creativity plays: “The Door” , “The Hat and the without raising resonant slogans, Prophet”, and “Forever Bridge” (G and without resorting to bullying Kanafani, 2008). rhetorical methods.

In all of these works, despite 5. The ability to represent and their diversity and the diversity of the present a clear, firm and stable destinations in which they have position on the grievances and travelled and explored, it is possible crimes of the occupation, and not to find clear and fixed features to stand on alleged neutrality, coupled with the meaning of and not to be convinced of that resistance. Some of these features cold objectivity, with the are: expression that Ghassan Kanafani gave in his book and referred to 1. Features that related to the basic it. deals in these works, all of which are linked to the embodiment of 6. Features that represent the the suffering of the Palestinians dimensions of resistance in the inside and outside Palestine due works of Ghassan Kanafani, are to the crippling occupation. related to the use of simple and profound artistic methods and 2. Features that related to the idea frameworks in his novels, stories of "chronological order", meaning and theatre, in a way that makes that the fictional, narrative and all his works stem from a clear theatrical works of Ghassan ability to reach his recipients Kanafani always refer to simply without complication. circumstances and details related to a specific period or periods of The other third and final point: history, so that these works on a With regard to Ghassan Kanafani's certain level appear as a kind of experience associated with history of Palestinian suffering resistance, it is represented in his and a history of Palestinian embodiment of the meaning of the resistance methods. parable of resistance, or the meaning of the "lesson of resistance”. This 3. The capture of very many details, view in which I overlooked some of abundant, varied, and accurate at his perceptions about the meaning of the same time, of the ways of life resistance, and about the that the Palestinians lived in representations of resistance in his various forms, which is a kind of works, all of which are inseparable preserving the Palestinian from the practices that Ghassan memory, and this is also a form of practiced during his life. There is no resistance. distance at any level between the experience of Ghassan Kanafani in his life and that of Ghassan in his

Lakon: Jurnal Kajian Sastra dan Budaya Volume 9. No. 2, November 2020 writings. There is no separation An example of this meaning between the individual and the group, can be found in the character of and there are no allegations at any "Umm Saad" in the novel which this level. He performed his role that was character gave her title. “Umm Saad” portrayed with nobility and honour. is not a single woman in the clear He played this role in his writings, phrase in the novel, and we can stop and he played this role in his at a set of important values that practices, and he played this role in characterized this character: honour, the creative texts and in the political toughness, patience, steadfastness, writings he wrote, and he remained respect for work, simplicity, wisdom, committed to this role until his last and utterance in a collective popular martyrdom. Indeed, his martyrdom tongue, and a simple and deep could be the culmination of this awareness. All values and qualities parable. Which Ghassan Kanafani associated with these the character in embodied eloquently, easily and whom we can smell the phrase "the simply. Thus, I think that Ghassan scent of the deep countryside.” Kanafani was, is and will remain the embodiment of this example of the Kanafani's work has shifted resistance. away from portraying individuals as allegories of the Palestinian struggle Themes of resistance in the (as in Men in the Sun and All That's characters of Kanafani’s novels: Left to You) and instead focuses on the heroism of a whole class of Among the above features is Palestinians, rather than just the approach to methods of individuals. resistance and their embodiment in new, non-traditional and superficial Unlike Hamid and Miryam literary forms. For example, at the from Jaffa, or Mansur from Majd al level of Ghassan Kanafani's business Kurum, who happens in many stories figures, it can be seen that some of in Of Men and Guns, Umm Sa'd is these characters are somewhat close never associated with a particular to the concept of the "positive hero" Palestinian region, nor is she given a that was promoted and popularized specific personal history? Despite the in some period, but Ghassan fact that we've been told she now embodies this meaning of the positive lives in Lebanon's Burj al-Barajna hero without resorting to the ready- camp. In the same way that Miryam is made descriptions surrounding this portrayed as "a fertile land" (Coffin, concept in Propaganda writings. 1996). Ghassan Kanafani's positive heroes and heroines to the positive point and Umm Sa'd has a bond to the point to a bright future, and are land as well, but it is more organic characterized and characterized by and absolute in her case. While the the capacity for patience and full of land is depicted as giving and fruitful open hope for a future, but without in All That's Left to You, it is also resorting to the traditional formulas unquenchable and disturbing: "the that surrounded these meanings, desert swallows up ten like [Hamid] in among stereotypical figures, in many one night." Although, the land in Umm other writings.

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Sa'd has no such negative or harmful literature succeeded in laying the implications (Coffin, 1996). foundations for a new literary movement that could be better Another aspect of the described as literature in exile rather resistance that is connected with the than Palestinian or refugee literature. characters of Ghassan's novels is that all of Ghassan Kanafani's works are Poetry was the main betting and succeeding in their bets, component of this movement, and in on an extended influence after the recent years it was able to witness completion of their reading, which remarkable advances in quality and means that the impact of these works technique. The short period of silence is not limited to a specific period, nor that followed the 1948 war was on the time of its reading, but rather followed by a great awakening, and This influence extends after the the scattering of patriotic poetry that completion of its reading, and extends reflected the patriotic fervour of the to other, distant times to come to the Palestinian people. It interacted with last tragic shout that we heard at the Arab and foreign literary currents, end of the novel "Men in the Sun": gradually breaking the traditional "Why did they not knock the walls of rules of literary technology, rejecting the tank?" (G Kanafani & Kilpatrick, the old emotional outbursts and 1999). This shout continued to emerging with a unique feeling of resonate with everyone who read and deep sadness commensurate with the recited this novel after reading it, and reality of the situation regarding other later ones continued after Palestine. reading it. In translating his political CONCLUSION commitment to liberating Palestine into his art, Kanafani was not simply Palestinian literature, until this making a general call to revolutionary tragic downfall caused by political violence. Instead, he sought to conflicts, was part of the mainstream portray a specific vision of collective of the Arab literary movement that and collective resistance at every flourished during the first half of the level of society. Violence, for century. Its sources were drawn from Kanafani, was a necessary and Egyptian, Syrian and Lebanese inevitable part of that resistance, but writers who led the literary ideally, it should be goal-oriented and movement and were influenced by it. executed with a clear sense of Even the famous Palestinian writers commitment to the common cause. In owed their fame mostly to the Arab general, he believed that the capitals that received them, revolution would be brought about by sponsored and published their works. those whom he considered the most In fact, several factors contributed to who suffered and tasted pain. For the diminution of the value of Said, ‘the intellectual ought neither to Palestinian literature at a time when be so uncontroversial and safe a figure Palestine was enjoying a prominent as to be just a friendly technician nor position in the political arena and the should the intellectual try to be a full- struggle for Arab nationalism and time Cassandra, who was not only patriotism. After 1948, Palestinian righteously unpleasant but also

Lakon: Jurnal Kajian Sastra dan Budaya Volume 9. No. 2, November 2020 unheard… But the alternatives are not Kanafani, G. (2000). Palestine’s total quiescence or total children: Returning to Haifa & rebelliousness’ (Said, 1994). Ghassan other stories. London: Lynne Kanafani proved to be one of the Rienner. important Palestinian intellectuals, Kanafani, G. (2008). Resistance over the years. This is to say, the Palestinian Literature: implications of resistance literature Dimensions and Attitudes. are clearly embodied in Palestinian Retrieved from literature especially Ghassan http://www.diwanalarab.com Kanafani’s works. /spip.php?article12489 Kanafani, G, & Kilpatrick, H. (1999). REFERENCES Men in the Sun and other Palestinian Stories. Colorado: Abd Al-Hadi, F. (1990). Ghassan Lynne Rienner. Kanafani: Novels and Short Kanafani, Ghassan. (1982). Literature Stories. Al-Quds: Passia, al- of Resistance in Occupied Jamiyah al-Filastiniyah al- Palestine 1948-1966. Beirut: Akadimiyah lil-Shuun al- Institute for Arab Research. Dawliyah. Kilpatrick, H. (1976). Tradition and Coffin, N. (1996). Engendering Innovation in the Fiction of Resistance in the Work of Ghassan Kanafānī. Journal of Ghassan Kanafani: All That’s Arabic Literature, 7(1), 53–64. Left to You, Of Men and Guns, https://doi.org/10.1163/1570 and Umm Sa’d. The Arab 06476X00068 Studies Journal, 4(2), 98–118. Riyanto, E. D. (2017). Celebrity and Retrieved from Komunitas: The Rise and Fall of http://www.jstor.org/stable/ the Jogja Hip Hop Foundation 27933702 (Monash University). Harlow, B. (1987). Resistance https://doi.org/10.4225/03/5 Literature. New York: 949bd62cf2db Methuen. Said, E. W. (1986). Intellectuals in the Harlow, B. (1996). After Lives: Post-Colonial World. Legacies of Revolutionary Salmagundi, 70/71, 44–64. Writing. London: Verso. Said, E. W. (1994). Representations of Jayyusi, S. K. (1992). Anthology of the Intellectual: The 1993 Reith Modern Palestinian Literature. Lectures. New York: Pantheon New York: Columbia Books. University Press. Said, E. W., & Barsamian, D. (2003). Kanafani, G. (1966). All That’s Left to Culture and Resistance: You: a novella and other Conversations with Edward stories. Egypt: The American Said. Cambridge, MA: South University in Cairo Press. End Press. Kanafani, G. (1968). ’Al-Rijal wal-

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