A Map of Home

A Map of Home ties the personal experiences of the protagonist, Nidali, to the backdrop of historical events in the Middle East. One of the most crucial catalysts in the novel is the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent Gulf War, which occurred in the early 1990s. The invasion of Kuwait serves as a pivotal moment that divides A Map of Home, separating Nidali’s childhood into two parts: The relative innocence and stability of her early childhood gives way to the nomadic uncertainty of her adolescence.

Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Led by Saddam Hussein, they crossed the border and fully occupied the smaller, oil-rich nation within two days. The invasion was met with international condemnation and triggered a series of events that had far-reaching consequences for the region and the world. The invasion was the culmination of longstanding political and territorial disputes between Iraq and Kuwait. Iraq accused Kuwait of overproducing oil and driving down oil prices, leading to economic hardships for Iraq. The international community, led by the United Nations and the United States, swiftly condemned the invasion and called for the immediate withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait. The UN imposed sanctions on Iraq and made diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis. When diplomatic efforts failed, a coalition of countries, including the United States, initiated Operation Desert Storm in January 1991, marking the beginning of the Gulf War. The Gulf War had a profound impact on the Middle East region, resulting in significant loss of life, widespread destruction, and environmental damage, including the major oil spills in the Persian Gulf.

The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the Gulf War serve as a backdrop to the novel’s narrative and inform Nidali’s coming-of-age story. The onset of war forces Nidali to grapple with her Multicultural Identity and the Meaning of Home. The invasion causes Nidali’s family to flee Kuwait and embark on a journey of displacement, which becomes a central force in the novel. Their experiences as refugees and the constant search for a stable home are shaped by the geopolitical events of the time. Nidali’s multicultural background is further complicated by the displacement caused by the invasion. As the family moves from one country to another, Nidali faces moments of discrimination due to her half Palestinian identity and sometimes struggles to adjust to her new home.

Even after the Iraqi forces were defeated in 1991, Palestinians were not allowed to return to their homes in Kuwait. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were expelled from Kuwait by the Kuwaiti and Saudi governments in a retaliatory move, based on the perception that Palestinians had supported Saddam Hussein’s regime during the war. In the novel, Nidali’s family experiences this firsthand; while in Egypt, they receive the news that they cannot return to Kuwait and are forced to look elsewhere for a new place to call home.

The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait divides the book as well as Nidali’s childhood. Although Nidali’s home never feels safe or stable to her due to her father’s violence and her parents’ turbulent relationship, the Gulf War introduces external instability that forces her and her family out of their relatively stable middle-class life and into a life as refugees. These turbulent events confront Nidali with true loss, as she realizes that she will never see her friends or her home again. During Nidali’s adolescence, she copes with these extreme circumstances, all while yearning for, and experiencing, formative teenage moments. She makes friends at school, daydreams about her crushes, gets a boyfriend, and explores her sexuality. At the same time, the backdrop of war and geopolitical conflict adds weight to the novel’s theme of Relationships as War. Nidali often sees relationship dynamics in terms of conflict.