Hello! I’m Alishae Abeed, and I’ll be entering my fourth year studying English Literature at UBC in the fall. In addition to writing, reading has always been my favourite pastime, and my preferred authors range from Chimamanda Ngozie- Adichie, to Kamila Shamsie, to F. Scott Fitzgerald.
I have lived in a variety of different places along the globe, including Pakistan (my birthplace), the United Arab Emirates and Ontario, and this has caused me to develop a deep and earnest sensitivity towards cultural and social ideologies. Furthermore, I believe that having been a resident of Canada for the last seven years, the time has come for me to delve into the rich literary heritage and tradition of this nation.
I have long been fascinated by how people from so many cultures, faiths, social structures and background all seem to fit into Canada’s sociocultural landscape like pieces of a puzzle; I believe that one of the key factors in understanding why and how this is possible is reading Canadian literary works.I also believe that reading the work of First Nations authors and intellectuals will be invaluable in painting a complete picture of Canadian literature; the Aboriginal voice, to me, is one that must be listened to when aiming to create an inclusive, cohesive environment in which Canadian literature is studied and appreciated.
Something that intrigues me about this course is the blogging element; I believe that technology is fast becoming a necessary tool for education and for the spread of information. This is my first time taking a Distance Education course, and it is also my first time curating my own blog for a course-I’m excited to learn how the blogging component will foster a collaborative and accepting learning environment.
I would like to close with a quote from Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje’s magnum opus The English Patient: “She had always wanted words, she loved them; grew up on them. Words gave her clarity, brought reason, shape.” I have long found this excerpt to be emblematic of my relationship with books and writing; I am hopeful that ENGL 470 will add dimension to this relationship and will facilitate my understanding of Canada as a nation, as my current home, and as the backdrop for so many Canadian stories.
Diversity and cultural celebration have long been a part of Canada’s social landscape
Works Cited:
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2015.
“Kamila Shamsie.” The Guardian. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2015.
“Quotable Quote by Michael Ondaatje.” GoodReads. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2015.
Hello Alishae, and welcome to our course of studies, your blog looks great – and, I am looking forward to working together this semester – thanks. Erika
I really like that quote. It reminds me of being a deaf child, newly gifted with a cochlear implant, and being so fascinated with the sounds and words I could hear for the first time. It is true that words give reason and shape to many things in life.
However, I started ignoring sign language, which brings me to my question: Do you think you would be more attracted to words that are emblematic of your past, your people’s past, or words symbolizing a new future?
I recently relearned some sign language at a deaf school in Uganda, which I touch upon in my first blog post, and I could not believe I ever stopped. It is so FUN, and you can bring out your personality so much. However, I think my early experience with sign language made me a more visual person.
With our course, I think it’s important to think about whether translation dilutes the meaning of Native stories, as different words inspire different kinds of “clarity,” “reason,” and “shape.”
Hey Evan,
I think I would probably feel most attracted to words that symbolize a new future. I feel like those kinds of words could be put into stories to inspire nations to come together and work towards a brighter future, and they could be used for generations to come.
With regards to your thoughts on translation and Native stories, I definitely think something is lost in translation- this is unfortunate but something that must be acknowledged and embraced, to a certain extent. I think it’s important to do so in order to still be able to immerse oneself in the rich world of information and experience that Native stories can offer.
Thank you for checking out my blog!
– Alishae
Hi Evan, what interesting insights, and a great question to leave for Alishae to think about. I will be interested to hear her response. Thanks, Erika