discussion questions- returning to haifa by ghassan kanafani

1. Upon his arrival in Haifa, Said S. declares to Safiyya “I know this Haifa, but it refuses to acknowledge me.” Why do you think he felt that way about his hometown?

2. When he sees a group of armed soldiers in Haifa, Said hears sounds of explosions and gunfire that almost lead him to swerving his car onto the sidewalk. What do you think of Kanafani’s portrayal of PTSD?

3. In Returning to Haifa it is frequently mentioned that Palestinians are going everywhere “just to see” their old houses. Why do you think that is?

4. How does Said S. feel about Miriam, the woman currently occupying his house? How do you explain his confliction about whether or not she’s guilty of anything?

5. Kanafani describes Iphrat Koshen as having “never met a single Arab in his entire life” and that he kept a “mythical picture in his mind that was concealed and isolated from what was really happening -- to the point where the fighting he heard and read about in the news seemed to be taking place between men and ghosts, nothing more”. What is Kanafani saying about the power of Zionist propaganda?

6. How did Miriam’s experience through the holocaust affect her outlook? Contrast it with that of her husband?

7. Do you think Said’s estrangement from his son parallels his experience with his hometown?

8. “After all, in the final analysis, man is a cause.” Do you agree?

9. “Isn’t a human being made up of what’s injected into him hour after hour, day after day, year after year?”. Is this true?

10. After contemplating the question of “What is a homeland?” Said lands at the conclusion that “The homeland is where none of this can happen.” How do you interpret this?

11. Early on in his conversation with Dov, Said lies about his son Khalid joining the Fidayeen even though he had forbidden him. In the end of the story he prays that Khalid will have gone to join them while he and Safiyya were away. How do you explain this?

12. Who do you think is the victim in Returning to Haifa?

13. Kanafani’s stories are filled with time-jumps and are characterized by a non-linear narrative structure. What did you think of this writing style?

14. How do you feel about Kanafani’s use of foreshadowing and plot twists? Were you surprised by the events in this story