Existential Angst and Identity Crises in Yasmina Khadra’s The Attack

Abstract

The paper explores how a naturalized Arab Israeli citizen, Dr. Amin Jaafari questions his very existence following the death of his wife, Sihem in a suicide bombing. The attitude of his patients, colleagues and officials points to the intricacies of being an Arab in Israel. His world turns upside down with the revelation that the suicide bomber happens to be his wife. This has far reaching implications on his personal, professional and social life. His Israeli friends help him cope with his trauma. But it leads him to delve deep into his ancestry. He tries to comprehend the existential angst of the Palestinian people against the back drop of their identity crisis. The quest helps him grapple with the dilemma of his own existence. The mindscapes of Palestinian activists are also explored in the paper. The working of Sihems mind opens up the concept of collective consciousness which Amin comes to terms with in the course of the novel. Finally, the unravelling of the intricacies related to the mind frame of Sihem and those of his Palestinian brethren helps the protagonist in attaining enlightenment regarding his ancestry and his existence.