Exodus

Exodus has attracted controversy over the years for its depiction of its Palestinian characters and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (See: Background). How are Arab Palestinians depicted in the text? Which elements of the text, if any, could be interpreted as stereotypical or biased, or has the text been misunderstood? Cite examples from the text to explain your reasoning.

Research the life of Leon Uris. How did his experiences play a role in shaping the perspective conveyed in Exodus? How does Exodus reflect some of the wider cultural and political currents of its time?

The novel blends the telling of its fictional characters’ lives into real-life historical incidents. How does the novel balance fact and fiction? What does a novelistic treatment of this subject matter offer that a purely nonfiction account would not?