A Study of the Syrian Refugees’ Issues in A Land of Permanent Goodbyes

Abstract

One of the most fundamental requisitions of human beings in life is peace, but it can hardly be achieved by only explaining one’s stance and dilemma to others. People who adhere to their needs mostly exploit others. This is true for Syrian refugees. They are plundered, exploited, tortured and tormented psychologically, physically and financially. They are passing through the most uncertain phase of life where they remain prone and can lose their lives anytime. The main purpose of this study is to expose the issues of the refugees and to showcase their relevance to Atia Abawi’s novel, A Land of Permanent Goodbyes. A Land of Permanent Goodbyes is a story of hope, loss, despair, and survival. Atia Abawai has highlighted the issue of war and its dire consequences in the shape of refugees' sufferings in their own land as well as in other countries. She is a news correspondent and writer, and has witnessed these situations. Refugees face exploitation almost at every step of their journey from homeland to another land. Tariq, a character in the novel, loses most of his family members in the war, and during his struggle to escape and survive, he faces unbearable sufferings because of the fact that he is a refugee. The novel reflects how psychologically, physically, economically, politically and ideologically these people are oppressed only due to war and a game of interests in their country. These issues have been studied and thoroughly analyzed through David Greenham’s close-reading technique. There is a reflection about the concept of trauma and resilience in the novel. Atia Abawai opines that the people are badly affected by war, and this has got to be resolved by the world in order to prevent human indignity and social devastation. Mostly, the middle-class people are facing these issues while the people, who have ignited this war, remain unaffected by war. There should be a global initiative to end this war.