In the Country of Men is a deliberate construct in which the author demonstrates his perspective of Libya 1979 under Qaddafi rule. Matar deliberately utilises several devices to establish a broken world in which characters are distant from one another. The use of structural devices succeeds in constructing a community which is divided, replicating the world of Libya in 1979 for the audience. Coupled with this, Matar’s incorporation of motifs enhances the disconnection between characters. Specific to In the Country of Men is the inclusion of an intrusive narrator which highlights not only the unreliability of the narrator but also lack of trust within the community. Adding to the atmosphere of detachment built throughout this novel is the development …show more content…
The protagonist, of In the Country of Men, Suleiman is nine years old thus, his observations and judgement are infringed upon by his innocence and naivety. This is evident when Suleiman uses the euphemism of an ‘illness’ to refer to his mothers drinking problem and where he describes mulberries as ‘a heavenly fruit never intended for this earth’. Suleiman is also very impressionable shown when due to his mothers stories of her ‘black day’, Suleiman believes he needs to be her ‘prince on a white horse’. The audience struggles to develop a clear perception about events and characters without it being tainted by the narrators susceptibility, distancing them from the reality of the novel. The intrusion of the narrator causes the audience to question his reliability as his twenty-four year old self ‘reflect[s] on ‘whether [his father] was totally ignorant of his wife’s “illness”’, impairing the audience’s initial perception. This lack of trust in Suleiman is reinforced through the idea that despite the value that ‘children are useless in war’, they act as spies. Matar highlights this when unbeknownst to Najwa, Suleiman ‘could see that the sitting-room light was on‘ and overhears a controversial conversation between Najwa and Moosa. Matar’s gradual use of aural information highlights the sinister world over which Qaddafi …show more content…
Suleiman, motivated by his childlike jealousy betrays those closest to him. Matar foreshadows Suleiman’s potential betrayal through describing his father as a ‘target’. The lack of attention paid towards Suleiman by his father results in distance being established between the two as ‘two dark lenses’ covered Faraj’s eyes demonstrating that ‘those who wear them’ are kept ‘at a distance’. Suleiman’s haunting betrayal of his ‘best friend’ Kareem stems from his impulsivity when due to his embarrassment, Suleiman refers to Ustath Rashid as a ‘traitor’. Suleiman’s betrayal distances him from his friend as Kareem physically ‘walk[s] away’ as well as emotionally through his ‘silence’. Matar constructs Najwa as a vastly complex character. Her realism and controversial views isolate her from her community, family and husband. Matar illustrates this through a feminist reading in which Najwa critiques the traditional ‘heroine‘ of Libya, Scheherazade referring to her as a ‘coward’. Matar also presents Najwa as a realist as she condemns Ustath Rashid as ‘stupid enough to believe you dreams!’. Matar crafts the character of Sheikh Mustafa, a ‘holy man‘ and Suleiman’s ‘Qu’ran teacher‘ to be ‘blind’. The character of Sheikh Mustafa symbolises that religion offers no solace to the community as it is blind to the truth of oppression. Matar’s characterization of complex characters portrays the distance between them