Chapter 18: Haitham — Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
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This page covers the chapter titled “18: Haitham.”
Previous chapter: Chapter 26.
Next chapter: Chapter 28.
All page references are to the original text.
This analysis is original and does not reproduce any passage longer than a few words.
The chapter is a short, lyrical vignette that captures a moment of shared joy and the sudden intrusion of inherited fear.
It is a pivotal scene for understanding the narrator’s relationship with tradition, music, and the supernatural.
The chapter is only a few pages long, but it resonates with the novel’s larger themes of identity, belonging, and the weight of cultural memory.
The following sections break down the events, character moments, and symbolic layers of this brief but meaningful chapter.
Summary
The chapter opens with Haitham performing an impression of the legendary Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez.
He deepens his voice as much as he can and croons the narrator’s favorite songs, recording them on tape.
The narrator finds the performance both beautiful and hilarious—so beautiful it almost makes them cry, but so funny they cannot hold back laughter.
They join in with their own “awful singing voice,” and the two friends create a raucous, joyful noise together.
Their merriment is interrupted by Haitham’s grandmother, who is described as “superstitious” but also possibly just irritated by the squawking that drowns out her television program.
She tells them to stop being rowdy at twilight, explaining that this is the time when the “fine skin” between the living world and the next is thinnest.
She warns that running after sundown will cause jinn to trip them, and that raising their voices will summon the jinn to their side.
The narrator insists to themselves that they are too old to be scared by such beliefs, but the warning takes effect anyway.
When Haitham opens his mouth to sing again, the narrator suggests they watch a movie instead, effectively ending the musical interlude.
The chapter closes with this quiet shift from exuberance to caution, leaving the reader with the sense that the grandmother’s words have planted a seed of unease in the narrator.
Key Events
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Haitham performs an impression of Abdel Halim Hafez, deepening his voice and recording the narrator’s favorite songs on tape.
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The narrator joins in with their own singing, creating a shared moment of musical joy.
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Haitham’s grandmother interrupts, warning them to stop being rowdy at twilight because the boundary between worlds is thin.
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She cautions that running after sundown will cause jinn to trip them, and that raising voices will summon jinn.
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The narrator, despite considering themselves too old for such fears, is affected by the warning.
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When Haitham tries to sing again, the narrator suggests watching a movie instead, avoiding further singing.
Character Development
Haitham emerges as a playful and culturally connected figure.
His impression of Abdel Halim Hafez—a beloved icon of Arabic music—shows his familiarity with and affection for his heritage.
He is comfortable enough to be silly, deepening his voice to comedic effect, yet he also records the songs, suggesting a desire to preserve and share them.
His willingness to sing with the narrator, even when the narrator’s voice is “awful,” indicates a friendship built on mutual trust and joy.
The narrator undergoes a subtle but significant shift.
Initially, they are fully present in the moment, laughing and singing without self-consciousness.
But the grandmother’s warning triggers a deeper, almost involuntary response.
The narrator’s internal monologue reveals a conflict between their rational self (“I’m supposed to be too old to be scared”) and their emotional reaction.
The fact that the warning “works” suggests that the narrator is not as detached from traditional beliefs as they might like to think.
Their suggestion to watch a movie is a quiet retreat from the risk of summoning jinn, showing that they are willing to alter their behavior to avoid supernatural consequences.
This moment reveals a vulnerability that is not often visible in the narrator’s otherwise confident voice.
Haitham’s grandmother is a minor but pivotal character.
She is described as superstitious, but the text also hints that she may simply be annoyed by the noise.
Her warning is delivered with authority, and she passes on a piece of folklore that carries weight.
She represents the older generation’s connection to traditional beliefs, and her words have a lasting impact on the narrator, even against their will.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Cultural heritage through music: The chapter centers on Abdel Halim Hafez, a singer whose music is deeply embedded in Arab cultural memory.
Haitham’s impression and the narrator’s familiarity with the songs suggest that music is a way of connecting to a shared heritage.
The act of recording the songs on tape adds a layer of preservation, as if the music is being captured for future listening.
Superstition and folklore: The grandmother’s warnings about jinn and twilight introduce a set of traditional beliefs that contrast with the narrator’s modern, rational self-image.
The chapter does not dismiss these beliefs; instead, it shows how they can still exert power over someone who considers themselves beyond them.
Twilight as liminal time: The grandmother explains that twilight is when the boundary between the living world and the next is thinnest.
This liminal moment—neither day nor night—becomes a symbol of the threshold between the known and the unknown, the rational and the supernatural.
The narrator’s decision to stop singing at twilight suggests a respect for that threshold, even if they do not fully believe in it.
Childhood fears persisting: The narrator’s reaction shows that fears learned in childhood do not simply disappear with age.
The grandmother’s warning taps into a deep-seated unease that the narrator cannot shake, despite their intellectual dismissal.
Elders’ beliefs vs. modern skepticism: The chapter presents a quiet tension between the grandmother’s worldview and the narrator’s more modern perspective.
The narrator tries to align themselves with skepticism, but their actions betray a lingering susceptibility to the older generation’s wisdom.
Music and joy: The opening scene is full of joy—laughter, singing, and shared creativity.
This joy is interrupted by fear, but the memory of the music remains.
The chapter suggests that music can be a source of connection and happiness, even when other forces intrude.
Fear of the supernatural: The jinn are not seen, but their presence is felt through the grandmother’s warnings.
The narrator’s decision to watch a movie instead of singing is a small concession to that fear, showing how the unseen can influence behavior.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a microcosm of the novel’s larger concerns.
It shows the narrator navigating between two worlds: the modern, secular world of movies and the traditional, folkloric world of jinn and twilight.
The narrator’s internal conflict—wanting to be too old for such beliefs but being affected anyway—mirrors the broader struggle of growing up in a diaspora, where cultural traditions and contemporary life often pull in different directions.
The chapter also highlights the role of music as a bridge to heritage.
Haitham’s impression of Abdel Halim Hafez is not just a joke; it is an act of cultural transmission.
The narrator’s participation in the singing suggests a willingness to engage with that heritage, even if they are later silenced by fear.
The grandmother’s warning, though brief, carries the weight of generations.
It is a reminder that the past is never fully left behind, and that the beliefs of our elders can shape us in ways we do not always understand.
This chapter matters because it captures a moment of transition—from joy to caution, from confidence to vulnerability—and in doing so, it deepens our understanding of the narrator’s inner life.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does the narrator’s reaction to the grandmother’s warning reveal their internal conflict?
The narrator explicitly states that they are “supposed to be too old to be scared by these things,” which shows they have internalized a modern, rational perspective that dismisses superstition.
However, the warning “works” on them, meaning they are affected despite their intellectual stance.
This conflict between what they believe and how they feel is central to the chapter.
Their suggestion to watch a movie instead of singing is a practical compromise that allows them to avoid the risk of summoning jinn without admitting they are scared.
This reveals a gap between their self-image and their actual emotional response, suggesting that inherited beliefs can persist even when we think we have outgrown them.
2. What role does music play in this chapter, and how does it connect to cultural identity?
Music is the catalyst for the chapter’s joy and connection.
Haitham’s impression of Abdel Halim Hafez, a legendary singer, brings the narrator’s favorite songs to life.
The act of recording them on tape suggests a desire to preserve and share this cultural artifact.
The narrator’s participation in singing, even with an “awful” voice, shows a willingness to engage with that heritage.
Music becomes a way for the two friends to bond and to celebrate a shared cultural touchstone.
When the grandmother interrupts, the music stops, and the cultural connection is momentarily severed.
The shift to watching a movie—a more modern, passive form of entertainment—highlights the tension between traditional and contemporary forms of cultural expression.
3. How does the grandmother’s warning about twilight and jinn function as a symbol in the chapter?
The grandmother’s warning introduces the concept of twilight as a liminal time when the boundary between the living world and the next is thinnest.
This symbolically represents the threshold between the rational and the supernatural, the modern and the traditional.
The narrator’s decision to stop singing at twilight shows a respect for that boundary, even if they do not fully believe in it.
The jinn themselves are unseen but powerful, representing the fears and beliefs that linger from childhood.
The warning also functions as a symbol of the elder generation’s influence, showing how traditional wisdom can still shape the actions of a younger, more skeptical person.
In this way, the twilight and jinn become metaphors for the unseen forces that continue to affect the narrator’s life, even as they try to move forward.