Against the Loveless World

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussions of the source text’s depictions of sexual exploitation, anti-gay bias, and political violence.

The novel explores the theme of resistance in the face of occupation and oppression through Nahr’s journey toward understanding her own Palestinian identity. While Nahr is born and raised in exile, her return to Palestine changes her views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, leading her to become actively involved in the resistance movement.

As a young girl, Palestinian politics shape Nahr even from her birth. She is born abroad in Kuwait because her family had to flee Palestine as refugees. Growing up, Nahr faces discrimination for her Palestinian roots, but she is initially unable to connect as strongly with her Palestinian heritage the way her mother and grandmother do. When Jehad first tells her of her right to return to Palestine, Nahr even asks him whether it is worth it to go back. However, when Nahr arrives in Palestine for the first time, she starts to experience what life is like for Palestinians under occupation. Israeli citizens have freedom of movement, while Palestinians are subject to rules and regulations that restrict where they can travel: As Nahr observes, “It shocked me how many checkpoints there were just to go from one village to the next” (158).