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Salt Houses


From a dazzling new literary voice, a debut novel about a Palestinian family ...
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What similarities or differences did you notice in how Souad and her mother handled similar circumstances?

Created: 05/25/18

Replies: 8

Posted May. 25, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

What similarities or differences did you notice in how Souad and her mother handled similar circumstances?

Souad's life, as well as her temperament, echoes that of her mother. Both women find themselves away from home during a military invasion, for instance. What similarities or differences did you notice in how these two women handled similar circumstances?


Posted Jun. 07, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
JLPen77

Join Date: 02/05/16

Posts: 362

RE: What similarities or differences did you notice in how Souad and her mother handled similar circumstances?

They both keep a lot of their feelings bottled up, and express them indirectly in their interactions with others, alternately disengaged and hands-on to the point of being critical. They both act decisively, sometimes impulsively. They are both strong and resilient and succeed at holding their families together (in Souad's case, after her divorce). Souad ends up going farther on her own. Her generation of women learned to take themselves seriously; Alia never found a satisfying outlet for her own energy. She seemed unfulfilled and restless, with nothing to direct her mind away from the past.


Posted Jun. 07, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Marcia S

Join Date: 02/08/16

Posts: 505

RE: What similarities or differences did you notice in how Souad and her mother handled similar circumstances?

Alia found comfort in the women of her family. Souad loved her family but was willing to brave the outside world. I think she found more fulfillment that Alia did. They both had bad tempers and were self-centered. They loved their children but weren't affectionate. I think they were more alike than different- which is why they had problems with each other.


Posted Jun. 09, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
reene

Join Date: 02/18/15

Posts: 497

RE: What similarities or differences did you notice in how Souad and her mother handled similar circumstances?

Their similarities were often the cause of their disagreements. They were both strong women, who often acted before thinking, especially when dealing with each other. They may have been in different places when hearing about another outbreak in their home country. Both reacted emotionally, for wherever they lived at the time they still had very strong feelings about their "Homeland".


Posted Jun. 10, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dorothyh

Join Date: 01/23/15

Posts: 225

RE: What similarities or differences did you notice in how Souad and her mother handled similar circumstances?

Both were strong and the apple did not fall far from the tree. Both were distant with their children.


Posted Jun. 13, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
taking.mytime's Gravatar
taking.mytime

Join Date: 03/29/16

Posts: 363

RE: What similarities or differences did you notice in how Souad and her mother handled similar circumstances?

Like mother, like daughter. Souad picked up a lot of her mothers habits. Both women were strong, both ignored their children and both were very critical.


Posted Jun. 13, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dianaps

Join Date: 05/29/15

Posts: 460

RE: What similarities or differences did you notice in how Souad and her mother handled similar circumstances?

Souad was more ambitious then her mother who was stuck in the old ways and accepted her plight in life. Souad wanted to be and do more than Alia did.


Posted Jun. 15, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
joycew

Join Date: 06/13/11

Posts: 107

RE: What similarities or differences did you notice in how Souad and her mother handled similar circumstances?

I think it is more an issue of Souad being the next generation. The lifestyle and rules loosen: Alia stays in her marriage, does not expect to be fulfilled. Souad is not happy in her marriage, so she moves on seeking a better life.


Posted Jun. 19, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
janeto

Join Date: 06/05/18

Posts: 41

RE: What similarities or differences did you notice in how Souad and her mother handled similar circumstances?

Both Alia and Souad saw them selves as victims of an unjust world. Their anger often caused difficulties in their relationships and their desire for independence motivated them to push boundaries placed on them by culture and family. Alia however sought solace in her family where Souad was much more independent. Atef described Souad well when he reflects that his daughter is living the life she has foraged, like an island survivor in a palace of shells. (pg. 258)


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