I am Fatima

I, Fatima, a social impactful novel, begins with a painful moment, in which Fatima – the black girl – is exposed to shocking racism. But Fatima refuses to surrender to injustice, and she possesses a strong spirit and an indomitable will, and decides to fight against racism with all her strength. The novel inspires young people and encourages them to stick to their principles and stand against injustice, and shows that skin color does not determine a person's value, and that everyone has the right to live a decent life. Parents and teacher guide Some Arab and non-Arab communities still suffer from racism intensely to this day, and worse are the consequences of this problem, such as the formation of false concepts among children and young people in particular, and the most dangerous of which is determining a person's value based on their external appearance. My Fatima novel highlights this issue directly through the main character Fatima, who was born in Tunisia to a black father and a white mother, so Fatima came out black to her father. Because of her color, Fatima faces racial discrimination within her mother's family, at her school, and in her social environment. She tries to confront it calmly, but her harshness forces her initially to respond with counter-violence, which leads to a radical transformation in her personality, resulting in her rejection and fighting even from her mother. After bitter events, Fatima resorts to migration to her father in France, hoping to escape this racism, and begins a new life there with her father. But she is surprised to find racism in France in more diverse forms. Fatima had no choice but to face this discrimination and coexist with it, passing through harsh events again. But because of her determination and insistence on success, Fatima challenges all obstacles, and ends up establishing an initiative titled: I am here, I am a human, emphasizing that humans with their differences and distinctions are like a mosaic, and no piece of it makes sense without the others. Its goal is to present success stories of people who faced difficulties and obstacles, and overcame them with their persistence. Questions for discussion - After reading the novel, how was racism and fanaticism represented in Fatima’s life, and how did it affect her growth and development as a person? - In your opinion, what is the importance of the role of parents in supporting their children and enhancing their self-confidence? How do Fatima’s father and mother play a role in her life? - Was Fatima’s transformation into a violent person justified? And if you were in her place, what solutions would you implement to face this problem? - Fatima’s aunt’s wife left a big impact on her life, which she remembered until the last moment. Is it reasonable for words to remain stuck in minds? And how can their impact be overcome? - What was the correct action that Fatima’s mother could have taken to deal with her? - Psychological pressures have great effects on a person, which may push him to reckless actions. What are the best ways to deal with them, as happened with Fatima’s mother? Are sedative pills part of the solution? Or are there better solutions? - What does the presence of racism in France after Fatima’s hope of its disappearance from her new life indicate? Are there effective ways to eliminate it? - Show the change that occurred in Fatima’s personality after her travel to France, and how her father played a role in supporting her. - How can writing be a means to alleviate pain and psychological pressure? Do you follow this method in your life? Mention its benefits. - What lessons and instructions can be derived from Fatima’s story and her suffering? - How do you interpret the development of the relationship between Fatima and Christine? And what is the role of remorse and admitting mistakes in the reconciliation process? - Highlight the importance of forgiveness and tolerance in building positive relationships and overcoming conflicts and problems. - Positivity and optimism have an impact on achieving success and changing the reality for the better. How can people be a source of inspiration for others? Who is your source of inspiration and why? - In your opinion, who do you think had the greatest influence on Fatima’s life among her friends, Christine or Fatiha? And what is each of their role in supporting Fatima? - Do you think the story reflects the reality of racism in society? Explain your answer. About the author Supervised by Mohamed bin Murad, a Tunisian-Jordanian writer and journalist, interested in child upbringing, holding a master’s degree in psychology and human behavior management, and a master’s degree in media and communication sciences. She worked as a presenter supervisor at one of the Tunisian radio stations, and as a correspondent journalist for several media outlets. Her love for children led her to specialize in child upbringing, and she took training courses to obtain a certified educational consultant certificate according to the British curriculum. She has written for many newspapers and magazines in the field of children, including: Jassim Qatari magazine, Waz magazine issued in Morocco, Al-Raed electronic magazine, and other Arab magazines. Currently, she works in the field of cultural media in the State of Qatar, and has been hosted on several Arab and foreign TV and radio channels, including Al Jazeera, Qatar Channel, at the Zakoura Cultural Center in Morocco, Radio Monte Carlo French, Radio Tunisia, Qatar, and others.