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Wanjala Chris, Memories we Lost and other Stories. Using Leila Aboulela’s story 'Missing Out', write an essay on how Majdy’s stay in London alienates him from...

Wanjala Chris, Memories we Lost and other Stories.

Using Leila Aboulela’s story 'Missing Out', write an essay on how Majdy’s stay in London alienates him from his people.

Answers

Martin
Introduction

Majdy is at first unhappy when he gets to London.He pleads to come home, but his mother pleads with him to stay on and read.
Eventually, Majdy becomes distant from his people. He drops their practices and sets his mind on staying in London.When Majdy first goes to London, he writes letters home to say that he would like to come back.
He threatens to give up his studies and return home. However, his prolonged stay in London transforms him. He becomes detached from his family and people.

i) Majdy abandons his people’s prayer habit while in London.
- When Samra asks him for a prayer mat, he confesses he does not have one.
- He does not even know the direction of the Ka’ba or where the Qibla is.
- Samra is appalled ; she cannot comprehend that Majdy

has been in London for a whole year without
- praying. He doe not even observe the mandatory Friday prayers.
- it is obvious that he has distanced himself from the practices that he grew up with among his people.
- He argues that in London, prayer is a distraction, an interruption and inconvenience.

ii) Majdy considers London civilized , and Khartoum backward. He feels the structured life makes his time more blessed.
- Majdy does not want to go back home. He even enrolls for a PhD.
- He feels London gives him security to build his life; unlike home where coups , new laws, petrol
- shortages and doctors strikes disrupt the order of life.

- He is unable to appreciate the more relaxed, simple and rich family life back home. Unlike his early
- days, he does not to go back to his people.

iii) Majdy is so indifferent to his people that he is not able to sympathize with his mother. Samra
- informs Majdy of her struggle when she went to call him at Central Post Office.
- She could not get transport due to petrol shortage.
- She got burnt by the sun till in desperation, she stood in the middle of the road and stopped the first car
- in sight. The young driver took her home at her request.
- Majdy blames the system back home and is determined to stay away. Samra accuses him of disloyalty, of indifference.

iv) Majdy is eventually so distant from his people that he does not desire to go back home.
- When he is almost done with his PhD, he is invited to a conference in Bath.
- He feels that he has worked so hard at his studies that the only logical thing for him to do is to stay in London and reap what he has sown.
- He feels a childish sense of exclusion, of being left out of life at home. However, he has no desire to go back home.
marto answered the question on August 27, 2019 at 12:35

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