The Story of Zahra

Majed marries Zahra, whom he barely knows, out of a desperation to get married. He thinks about his emigration to Africa and his life in the south of Lebanon, where he grew up in poverty. He recalls the pride his father felt at his moving to Africa to flee such oppression; Majed believed that once he married and had children, he would finally be a “real human being” (75). However, building a life in Africa proved difficult for Majed, whose class followed him. At a celebration of Lebanese Independence Day for all the expatriates at the embassy, most people ignored Majed, who felt out of place in the lavish setting and struggled to find someone he could speak to in Arabic rather than French.

He met his friend Tallal after working in his shop during the evenings so Tallal could drink and gamble. Majed was amazed at all the food Tallal ate, including mangoes and papaya; he told Majed to forget about foods like falafel when they could be eating avocado and caviar.

Majed has long craved physical touch from a woman but could not find one he considered suitable, in part due to his racism and in part due to shame about his frequent masturbation.