ENGCW 272 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Hijab
20 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
CLASS NOTES
What can we take away from Dawson’s poetry or thoughts about poetry as we craft
short stories? In other words how do her reading/colloquium on poetry give us tools we
can apply to fiction?
-Draw inspiration from everything
-Listen to the elements of life that speak greatest to you. For her, she spoke heavily
about how she is easily influenced by her location, racial issues, and political climate.
That could translate to writing fiction in the same way. By being inspired by similar
things, you could use such inspiration to craft an appealing story.
NOTES/QUESTIONS (AND ANSWERS) FOR VISITING AUTHOR
How does your faith play a role in your everyday life?
"It defines who I am. I wake up every morning, pull on my hijab, look into the mirror. This
is who I am.
Walk out. Go about my day. Mingle with other people. But aren't you afraid
to live like this? Don't you feel oppressed at all?
People ask me same old things, over
and over.
But my faith defines who I am. I go back home (or to my dorm!) every evening. Look
into the mirror. See my hijab.
This is who I am. I am here. I am living. I am now."
What advice would you give to other young Muslims in the community who are
struggling?
"Keep on keeping on. As long as you know who you are, as long as you know what you
believe in, and as long as you're content within that knowledge, who cares what other
people think? They aren't you.
Only you are you, and you come FIRST."
How does your faith empower you?
"It makes me so, so
much bolder. I am a Muslim, hijab-wearing woman living in
America. In the land of the free, I am one of the freest human beings alive.
For I choose what you get to see of me--is that not freedom?"
