How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?

by

Moustafa Bayoumi

Saddam Hussein Term Analysis

The authoritarian president of Iraq from 1979 until 2003, when he was deposed by the invading American-led coalition in the Iraq War.

Saddam Hussein Quotes in How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?

The How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? quotes below are all either spoken by Saddam Hussein or refer to Saddam Hussein. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Racism, Discrimination, and Foreign Policy Theme Icon
).
Lina Quotes

What happens when your homeland is in the process of disintegrating in front of your eyes? What do you do, especially when Iraq's turmoil has always hovered in the background of your life? Perhaps you do what immigrants to the United States and their children have done for generations. You build your own destiny from your American home while keeping one eye open to that which has been lost. And while your American life largely takes over, you still live somewhere between geographies, as you have for most of your life. It's just that the in-between has become harder than ever to locate.

Related Characters: Moustafa Bayoumi (speaker), Lina, Laith
Page Number: 184
Explanation and Analysis:
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Saddam Hussein Term Timeline in How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?

The timeline below shows where the term Saddam Hussein appears in How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Lina
Arab American Identities Theme Icon
Growing Up and Self-Discovery Theme Icon
In Iraq under Saddam Hussein, “there was no ice cream.” It is illegal, as the nation is “choking under... (full context)
Racism, Discrimination, and Foreign Policy Theme Icon
...States and United Nations effectively stop all food, medicine, and equipment from flowing into Iraq. Saddam imposes rations and “at least half a million” children die unnecessarily; the nation’s infrastructure collapses.... (full context)
Arab American Identities Theme Icon
Growing Up and Self-Discovery Theme Icon
...to generalize, is nevertheless tinged with politics, especially because of her father’s resolute opposition to Saddam. (full context)
Racism, Discrimination, and Foreign Policy Theme Icon
Arab American Identities Theme Icon
...at the Iraqi embassy and brings her father to parties where “the necessary worship of Saddam” infuriates him, and his criticisms lead to Maisa’s firing in 1986. The family moves to... (full context)
Racism, Discrimination, and Foreign Policy Theme Icon
Growing Up and Self-Discovery Theme Icon
...mid-2001, Lina’s father hastily marries a woman from a family of dissidents-turned-refugees torn apart by Saddam’s regime. Lina is confused and sad, but eventually grows close to her new family in... (full context)
Racism, Discrimination, and Foreign Policy Theme Icon
...a member of Lina’s stepmother’s family. This means that Wisam, too, is secretly working for Saddam, and Lina is devastated to learn that “her closest friend and so much more” has... (full context)
Racism, Discrimination, and Foreign Policy Theme Icon
Growing Up and Self-Discovery Theme Icon
Justice, Activism, and the Future of American Democracy Theme Icon
...guilty and was probably acting as a double agent, working for both the FBI and Saddam. (full context)