ELA - Lamp of Umm Hashim

How was Ismail at the end of his days?

- greedy eater - shabby clothes with ashes on sleeves and trousers from cigarettes - asthmatic with flushed face and forehead damp with sweat, his breaths were wheezy

How did Ismail feel as he is reaching adolescence?

- he would flee from people and almost go mad in his loneliness - he felt a strange delight when squeezing his way between the women who repaired to the mosque

the "Lamp of Umm Hashim" is the longest in a collection of how many stories?

4

How many kids did Ismail and Fatima have?

5 sons, 6 daughters

How long was Ismail studying at England?

7 years

After he returns to Cairo, how does Ismail feel about his hometown and his family's traditions?

After returning to Cairo, Ismail feels that his hometown is so dirty and filled with poverty and he thinks his family's traditions are very ignorant.

the story of "The Lamp of Umm Hashim" is set in

Cairo and England

What did Ismail's family do while he was studying?

Father: recited his prayers with his voice in a whisper tone Mother: tiptoed Fatima al-Nabawiya: stopped her chattering and sat quietly in front of him like a slave

What does Fatima's blindness symbolize to Ismail?

Fatima's blindness to Ismail, symbolizes his and his neighboorhood's ignorance. this reflects the internal conflict of identity and the external conflict of faith vs. science.

What was the reason for Ismail to fight with his family the first night he was back?

He was shocked by the ignorance of using the holy oil

how did Ismail's parents feel about him studying abroad?

His father: His first thought was that it would cost a large monthly sum, apart from the expenses of travel and clothing to protect his son from the cold of the north. Then he thought about whether he would bear the thought of being apart from his son, and whether his wife (Ismail's mother) would approve or would her love for her son will stand of his future. Then, when he began to drift to sleep a gentle voice said to him "Put your trust in God." and that made him make up his mind. His father felt like this was the only way his son can have a bright future. His mother: His mother, however, realized that the separation was inevitable, consented silently, though she never stopped crying, and the phrase "Foreign parts" crept its way into the house and had a magical ring to it. Meanwhile, his mother was taken by the terrors of the sea and a cold, shivering.

What are the themes of the story of "The Lamp of Umm Hashim"?

Identity, West vs. East, Man vs. science

What happens in Ramadan and what resolution does this lead to?

In Ramadan, Ismail started to reflect on things, and began to question why did he fail to heal Fatima. He also find he can tolerate his square and neighborhood. Ismail realized even with his neighborhood's ignorance, he is still "the son of this square". This led to him going back to Fatima attempting to heal her eyes again but with this time both medicine and faith.

Describe Ismail's homecoming after seven years. What was surprising about it? How did his family react?

Ismail first paid a visit to Alexandria, then he went to his family's house. His mother was so happy that she almost fainted, she hugged and kissed his face and hands. His father felt so proud and happy to see him. What was surprising is that he saw his mother healing Fatima's wound using lamp oil (also known as "holy oil"). Before he traveled, that was normal to him; however, when he came back, he saw this as ignorance.

"He would talk to her of marriage, and she would talk to him of love." Explain how this sentence sums up Ismail and Mary's relationship.

Ismail looks to the future and cares about the future of their relationship (marriage) and is considerate with culture and religion, while Marry tends to look at the present and focuses on it (their love) and is considered with emotions and feelings. These points of view show how different they are from each other.

Who is telling the story of the "Lamp of Umm Hashim"?

Ismail's nephew

How does living with Madam Eftalia affect Ismail's view of Egyptians and Europeans? What does he begin to realize during this period?

Madam Eftalia is very greedy so this affects Ismail's view of Egyptians and Europeans because in his mind he thought that Europeans found in Egypt are a different mold from those he had known in Europe.

Mary and Ismail have different views of the weak. Discuss and cite evidence.

Mary is merciless and strongly believes in science, she doesn't believe that someone can be "weak", and she sees the people who ask for help as weal people. While Ismail regularly feels weak and lost living in a foreign country.

what was the name of the girl with a dark complexion, curly hair, and fine lips that used to come on visiting days?

Naima

Describe how Ismail had changed over the last seven years physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually?

Physically: Ismail's chubbiness faded, his lips that used to be soft and loose were now seldom closed shut and were now set in an expression of confident determination. Intellectually: Ismail learned a lot of new knowledge during his studying abroad. Emotionally, he felt homesick and lonely. Spiritually: Ismail had a moral crisis as he had forgotten the traditions and life in Egypt. Also, he wasn't attached to his religion and culture anymore and he misses his home.

What is the name of the mosque's doorkeeper?

Sidi al-Itris

Examine the time shifts that occur between pages 61 and 62 and again at the end of page 64. Which is a flash forward? What is the impact of these shifts?

The flashforward occurs at the beginning of page 61 when the story flashforwards 7 years later after Ismail's departure and shows us how he changed as a character. Another one occurs at the end of page 64, a flashback to his time in Europe. The impact of these shifts is that project details in the future or the past revealing important information about the story.

Describe, in details, Ismail's impression of the square when he first returned after seven years. What did he notice? What crisis does this lead to?

The landscape was coated by a sand storm, a landscape dilapidated, begrimed, and devastated. The vendors at the stations were in the tattered clothes, pouring sweat and panting like hunted animals. the horse carriage took him through the street which wasn't wide enough, the sight that caught his eye was uglier than he ever imagined; dirt, flies, poverty and buildings in state of ruin. This crisis leads to Ismail questioning whether he really wants to stay here or go back to England.

What kind of eye disease did Fatima have?

Trachoma

What is the reason the oil might fail?

Umm Hashim didn't extend her grace to him yet; maybe because of the sins he did or he hasn't been cleansed of filth and impurity. All he has to do is be patient and regularly visit the shrine

How did Ismail see Fatima al-Nabawiya?

a young woman in the prime of her youth; her two plaits of hair, her cheap glass bracelets, her movements and everything about her proclaimed that she was a peasant girl from the depths of the countryside

Where did Ismail stay when Fatima went blind?

at a Greek woman, Madame Eftalia; who is greedy and because of that Ismail was sure that Europeans in Egypt are a different mold than the ones he met in Europe.

Why did his professor used to tell him "I bet some pharaonic doctor priest has materialized in you"?

because "His country is in need of him, for it is the land of the blind." (signifies ignorance of west)

Why does Sheikh Ragab call Ismail an "infidel"?

because he doesn't have faith in the holy oil

Why did Ismail succeed to heal Fatima the second time?

because he had the support of faith now; used also medicine and science

Why did Sheikh Dardiri tell the mob that Ismail is possessed?

because that is the only way to convince them to leave him; he would have died under their feet

what does Ismail experience when he goes to study abroad in England?

culture shock

Where is Ismail's clinic? How were his patients?

district of Baghghala; his clients were all poor and bare-footed, never took more than one piaster

what options did Ismail have after his graduation?

enter teacher training collage or study baccalaureate again

What did his exam results mean for his future?

he can't enter the faculty of medicine like he and his family dreamed

how did Ismail preform in his final exams?

he got low passing grades

How was Ismail's father a good father?

he had fallen on bad times. Even so he had not been late once in depositing money for his son in the bank. He had not mentioned to Ismail what he was going through, nor asked him to be economical or to hurry back home. Ismail was having a good time in Scotland and eating steak, while his father was confined to the house and making his supper off of radishes and taamiya

Ismail's reaction to his mother's treatment of Fatima's disease shows that

he had rejected his culture's traditions

How did Ismail see his neighborhood before moving?

he is neither curious or bored knowing neither contentment or anger

What does Ismail do with the oil of Umm Hashim?

he throws it away

how does Ismail feel about the dark-skinned girl?

he was attracted to her, he thought he was falling in love with her

Ismail travels abroad to study medicine because

his grades weren't good enough for Egyptian university

Ismail's mother was treating Fatima's blindness with

holy oil

When Ismail goes to England, he suffers from

identity crisis

According to Ismail, what was the oil of Umm Hashim done to Fatima's eyes?

make her blind

The story of "The Lamp of Umm Hashim" is an example of

modern Egypt fiction

Was Ismail genuinely happy to be back home?

no

The theme of the story "The Lamp of Umm Hashim" can be described as

reconciliation between science and faith

Ismail's family can be described as

religious

how did Mary feel about Ismail?

she fell for him and embraced him to her, he captivated her heart

What advice did Ismail's father give him before leaving?

stay scrupulous about religion and its duties and don't become negligent about them because he doesn't know where will that lead him; beware of women of Europe, don't let them lead you astray they aren't for you and you aren't for them.

the story "The Lamp of Umm Hashim" reflect the conflict between

the decadence and secularism of Europe and Egypt's innocence and faith

When Ismail returns to Cairo, he immediately notices

the widespread of poverty and filth

How were Lady Adeela and Sheikh Ragab different then from when he left them?

they looked older

what choice did Sheikh Ragab make for his son?

to send him to study abroad

When Ismail goes back to Cairo, he struggles with

traditions

What does the oil from the lamp of Umm Hashim do?

treat eyes, it would cure the people whose perception shone brightly in faith