Steadfastness, Resistance, and Occupation in the Works of Sahar Khalifeh

This comparative study offers a close reading of Palestinian author Sahar Khalifeh’s Wild Thorns and The End of Spring. The paper focuses on the discussion that the novels explore with regards to the varying methods of resistance to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. I argue that the novels mainly portray two differing modes of resistance: steadfastness, or nonviolent resistance and armed resistance. Additionally, I analyze the critique that Khalifeh provides in her novels of the Palestinian Authority government in the West Bank and discuss the mental and emotional repercussions of the occupation on the daily lives of civilians.