The Girl in The Tangerine Scarf

It was interesting how throughout the beginning of the novel, Khadra and her family did not associate themselves with Americans. They were separate people. Americans were dirty, selfish, malicious, promiscuous, and money-minded. Khadra identified herself through Muslim. When the family had to become citizens of America, it was painful for her, so much so that she had difficulty pretending that she would honor and love this country above all else. A dramatic thing happened to Khadra when they went on haj. Khadra's experience with REAL Muslims was not anything like she had expected it to be. The trip starts with her diappointment that she will not be able to pray at the mosque. Khadra does not understand this and is deeply hurt. Because she is a woman it means that she is inferior in that country. Khadra is not accustom to this kind of oppression. More importantly, she can hardly believe this is a custom of her religion. To make matters worse, she encounters some other young Arabs while she is there. Immediately, she is assumed different because she is from America; however, it seems as though she is more Arab and Muslim than any of the people she meets during this experience. She is shocked by their perverted behavior and disrespect for women, and the women's disrespect for themselves. The novel states, "And even though she was in a Muslim country at this moment, and not just any Muslim country but the Muslim country...she had never felt so far from home. There was a nip in the air all of a sudden" (177). It appears as though Khadra has lost her identity. It was very difficult for her to relate to people in America, and finally in the place she thought she belonged, she feels like she does not belong at all. It was as if something has left her during this experience. She feels cold; more alone than ever before. I believe that this was a major turning point in Khadra's life.