A Handful of Dates

“[W]hen people saw me with my grandfather, they would pat me on the head and give my cheek a pinch.”

The narrator reveals that his grandfather must be of high status in the community, as people are keen to ingratiate themselves with him by showing affection to the narrator, the grandfather’s “favorite grandchild.” This establishes the idea that the boy unconsciously loves his grandfather because of the privilege his grandfather’s power affords him. When he realizes the nature of that power, he “hates” his grandfather.

“My Grandfather must also have been extremely tall, for I never saw anyone in the whole area address him without having to look up at him.”

This excerpt elaborates on the perceived strength the narrator observes in his grandfather, relating his strength to the strength of others. The fact that others have to “look up at him” suggests a symbolic deference to his grandfather.

“I loved him and would imagine myself, when I grew to be a man, tall and slender like him, walking along with great strides.”

This line serves as the foundation for Disillusionment With the Adult World that the narrator will later experience at the story’s climax. Salih uses the boy’s idolization of his grandfather to lay the foundation for the conflict in the story when the narrator disagrees with the grandfather’s treatment of Masood, causing him to hate him by the story’s end and signifying his disillusionment.

“He’s an indolent man and I don’t like such people.”

The grandfather describing the neighbor as “indolent” shows his hostility and cruelty toward Masood. The phrase “such people” further indicates prejudice. In order justify his own avarice, the grandfather characterizes Masood as “lazy” for inheriting his land rather than working to purchase it.

“‘I don’t care,’ I told myself, ‘who owns those date palms, those trees or this black, cracked earth—all I know is that it’s the arena for my dreams and my playground.’”

When the narrator asserts his apathy, he shows his childish naivety and his disconnection from adult power struggles, setting up the disillusionment of the narrative. This centers around the fact the that boy will be made to care about who owns the land and will find the experience deeply disturbing.

“I didn’t own a single feddan when I first set foot in this village. Masood was then the owner of all these riches. The position has changed now, though, and I think that before Allah calls to Him I shall have bought the remaining third as well.”

This passage presents the grandfather’s perspective of his land acquisition from Masood. His perspective demonstrates the theme of Greed for Riches and Power: While the grandfather views the acquisition as a series of intelligent business decisions, an alternative perspective suggests he was motivated by greed, a desire for status, and personal hostility toward Masood.

“I remembered Masood’s singing, his beautiful voice and powerful laugh that resembled the gurgling of water. My grandfather never used to laugh.”

Salih establishes Masood as a foil character for the grandfather, comparing Masood’s joy and connection to nature to the grandfather’s grimness. Masood’s laughter, which the narrator compares to the “gurgling of water,” aligns him with the land and suggests he has an expansive, generous nature, much like the Nile—and much unlike the grandfather, who is depicted as selfish and greedy in contrast.

“I pictured the palm tree as something with feeling, something possessed of a heart that throbbed. I remembered Masood’s remark to me when he had once seen me playing about with the branch of a young palm tree: ‘Palm trees, my boy, like humans, experience joy and suffering.’ And I had felt an inward and unreasoned embarrassment.”

Masood’s description here personifies the palm trees, highlighting the emotional connection between nature and people. Masood’s reverence for the trees on his land contrasts the exploitative approach demonstrated by the other men in the text who simply take the dates for economic gain.

“When I again looked at the expanse of ground stretching before me I saw my young companions swarming like ants around the trunk of the palm trees, gathering up dates and eating most of them.”

Salih uses the boys’ actions to highlight the difference between the powerful and the weak. The communal harvesting of the dates creates a carnival atmosphere, and the boys join in busily “like ants,” eating many of the fallen dates. The abundance of the dates means that no one stops them. This abundance makes the grandfather’s meanness to Masood more marked, and highlights Masood’s sense of shame and low status, as even in all this abundance, Masood is left with nothing.

“I glanced at Masood and saw that he was making his way towards us with extreme slowness, like a man who wants to retreat but whose feet insist on going forward.”

Salih describes Masood as a “man who wants to retreat.” Masood is characterized as a victim due to his powerlessness against men with more riches, and yet he attempts to preserve some semblance of agency as his “feet insist on going forward.” Unlike the boy, Masood knows what is about to happen, and this creates dramatic irony and heightens the suspense. It also highlights the social norms about manliness and the internal conflicts these ideals can create: Masood feels shame at his loss in the face of the other men’s insensitivity, but he also feels obliged to be present to maintain his dignity and comply with expectations.

“I saw Masood filling the palms of both hands with dates and bringing them up close to his nose, returning them.”

Salih draws connections between Masood and his land. Masood’s handling of the dates—using two hands to gather the dates and breathe in their smell, then letting them go—is careful and loving, representing his connection to his harvest and respect for the land. The story’s title, “A Handful of Dates,” is a reference to this very scene. The word “handful” is intentional and underscores the moment’s significance: The narrator has eaten “a fistful” of dates given to him by his grandfather, while Masood, who grew the dates, takes a handful and returns them, uneaten. The contrast in diction and action speaks to the story’s meditation on Greed for Riches and Power.

“One of the donkeys let out a braying which set the camels frothing at the mouth and complaining noisily.”

Salih personifies the working animals to reflect the reality of exploitation in farming the land. The animals are portrayed as having humanlike responses to discomfort and injustice, “complaining” as if in protest. This highlights the importance of rural values, a connection to nature, and a sense of respect for animals and the land, which contrasts the exploitation shown by the grandfather.

“I heard him make a noise in his throat like the rasping of a lamb being slaughtered.”

The simile in this passage compares Masood to the death rattle of a slaughtered lamb to suggest a symbolic killing. Lambs are powerless animals exploited for their wool and meat; this reflects Masood’s position among the other men, as he is exploited for his land and harvests, leaving him with little to nothing. In Abrahamic religion and culture, lambs represent sacrifice; in Islam especially they represent generosity and communality as they are slaughtered and shared at Eid and other significant feasts.