100 pages • 3 hours read
Atia AbawiA Land of Permanent Goodbyes
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2018A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Essay Topics
The title of A Land of Permanent Goodbyes refers to Syria. Often, the goodbyes depicted are permanent because of death (for example, when Musa says goodbye to his parents). The Syrian refugees are also saying another type of goodbye—to their homeland, where they are unlikely to return. Then there are uncertain goodbyes, like the one between Fayed and Tareq, who aren’t sure when and if they will reunite. There are even “false” permanent goodbyes, as evidenced by Salim’s character—presumed dead, only to return. Explain the significance of the book’s title, considering the various types of “goodbyes” in the book.
A Land of Permanent Goodbyes is technically a young adult novel. It deals with heavy topics that many young adults don’t face themselves, such as war. How does the use of an omniscient narrator allow for such themes to be explored more deeply?
During Tareq’s time in Istanbul, he and Musa spend a lot of time in “Little Syria.” Consider the significance of such communities not only for refugees but also immigrants in general. What purpose does Little Syria serve for
