I noticed, like others, that while her work is definately representative of a strong Muslim upbringing it at the same time is very American, and not very indicative of religious devotion. I was just curious as to Randa's take on this matter, as to whether or not there is an auto-biographical element to her seemingly un-devout writings, or if she wrote them instead to illustrate the assimilated and secular nature of American culture, especially in regards to Arab-immigrants.

It seems all the reasonable questions have been covered. In addition to all these questions asked: why did you feel you had to write from your father's point of view and not yours (you barely mentioned your existence in the story)? In the past week or so, we discussed the women gender roles and stereotypes in class; and so being curious, did you feel you had to step aside form the presumed 'norm' of women writers and therefore change the way women writers should aspire to be? By the way, as my classmates have said, "A frame for the sky" is a brilliant piece; i could not tell it was a female who wrote it.

i read the story A Fourteen year old Arad Chick Who just moved to Texas, and it occured to me that this theme of being sheltered- especially sexually as far as dating, boys and any sort of social activity- has reoccured quite often in our Arab American readings. is this a main issue of most Arab Americans/ is this a main difference between America and Arab's homelands or is this just a very interesting subject and therefore a good subject to write about?

I would like to ask Randa Jarrar:

how much of her writing does she base off of her personal experience as an Arab American woman and how much does she base off of Arab American culture in general?
what is her personal favorite story she has ever written, or what work does she feel most connected to?
Does she feel like she faces obstacles as an arab american author that other author's do not have to face?

Since the two works we have read are mostly non- fiction, did you find that you were writing for yourself, or your audience? Did you find after you wrote the stories from a different perspective that you learned about the different characters, or even about yourself? How do you feel after looking back on those people and experiences? How do you want your audiences to look them?

“A Frame for the Sky” really had a deep effect on me. It was very emotional for me in the sense that when reading it, it gave me some perspective on how my own father might have felt when struggling with the issues of Palestine and Kuwait- the idea of having no place to call home and a “pity passport.” My father worked for a firm in Kuwait after leaving Palestine, much like the gentleman in the story. The details really make “A Frame for the Sky” personal and approachable.
I’m interested to hear more about how you approach your writing, how you got your start, and, as an Arab-American, how incorporating themes of your own culture effects you.

Randa Jarrar,
From the short stories our class has read, I noticed a trend in your choices of narrative point of view that seemed disassociated from your own voice and yet wholly personal with respect to your life. For example, your use of second-person narration in "You Are a 14-Year-Old Arab Chick Who Just Moved to Texas," the detached humor you use to reflect on intense situations in "Lost in Freakin' Yonkers," and your choice to speak from your father's perspective in "A Frame for the Sky." What were your intentions and goals in adopting different voices? Does this keep you at a distance from where you are not too "involved" in the writing of the story?

Your blog is fabulous. And your son's comment the Prop 2 sign - a mom and a woman - gives me hope for a more open-minded future. And it made me chuckle delightedly =)

I, like Camilia (and I believe Sarah, as well), was wondering if people read too much autobiography into your work. Does it bother you when people assume that your work is a direct reflection of yourself?

also, i wanted to ask - how do you pick which pieces you'd like to publish? how personal is too personal for a published work?

--Sam

In reference to questions previously asked, I am also curious about the role of autobiographical references in your work, and I want to know where you've grown up/what cultures surrounded you and how how that defines your writing? More specifically, it seems as though you battle with your pen the non-progressive faces in any culture, and I want to know how that came to be and what life experiences have informed that? And on the flip side, do you ever write culturally outside of yourself?

-Sarah

I was wondering if you got advice or help from the men in your life (or any man for that matter) about how to write from the perspective of a man's point of view, because in a Frame for the Sky, you write really convincingly as a man.

Do you feel that because you are a Palestinian American woman who writes about Arab American women that people have a tendency to read alot of autobiography into your work? How much autobiographical allusions do you intentially use and dose it bother you when people do automactically read autobiographical reference into your work?

I was actually just wondering where you got the idea to write in the point of view that you did. It is obviously very unique, I've never seen something like that before. At first, I thought that you used the brother in "A Frame for the Sky" to represent you (since he was supposed to be the writer of the story). Why did you do that? I know that the stories aren't entirely autobiographical, but I was just wondering how your that (your brother being the writer) related to your own life.

Randa Jarrar,
In the two short stories of yours that we have read, there are many references to subjects and events that are not necessarily part of a devout Muslim practice, such as lack of praying and not wanting your husband to convert to become a Muslim. How strong was your spirituality during the time you were writing these stories and when, if ever, in your life has it shifted?