57 pages • 1 hour read
Abdulrazak GurnahParadise
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1994A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Despite there only being two European officers who speak in the story, the presence of Europeans impacts various groups of people and customs. Describe the effects the European presence has on the characters and cultures in the book.
Why do you think the book is titled Paradise? Describe what “paradise” means to the characters and how those ideas are similar to or different from each other.
Several times in the novel, a character tells a story of jinns or other mythical beings. What is the purpose of these stories to Yusuf? To the novel as a whole? Do the tellers of these stories seem more religious or superstitious? Or both?
Research the story of the prophet Yusuf in Islam. What parallels do you see with the character of Yusuf in this novel?
The novel’s conclusion is fairly open. What do you think will happen next in Yusuf’s life? How well do you think his experience in the army will go? Use evidence from the text to support your answers.
Why do you think so much time is spent discussing religion in the story? How does Yusuf interact with religion and spiritual beliefs?
Who or what do you think is the main villain in the story? Why?
Trace the author’s development of the concept of freedom in the story. How do each of the characters define freedom differently? How do you think the novel defines freedom by the end of the book?
The author has stated that one of his goals in writing is to show the complexity of the people and cultures of his homeland. Select three characters who demonstrate that complexity and explain how they disrupt simple assumptions or stereotypes.
