Kahlil Gibran: Humanity Through Poetry

Submitted by Judy Hanning on Thu, 2016-11-24 11:00
The term the Middle East, is euro-centric, in origin, meaning that the span of land in South East Asia or North Africa is East of Europe and the United States of America. The concept that all Muslims are from the Middle East is incorrect and small minded. The country with the largest Muslim population happens to be Indonesia. We need to expand your perspective of the Middle East; one way of doing so is through literature.
Kahlil Gibran is a good starting point for the blend of multiculturalism. After being education in Lebanon, Boston and Paris, Gibran is a literary bridge, writing his early works in Arabic and his most acclaimed pieces in English. His collection of poetry “The Prophet” has been recently turned into a movie, visual students can use to enhance their understanding of his writing.
We Americans tend to equate the Middle Eastern region with Arabic people and the Islamic religion. However, not all Muslims are from that area.
~ Eileen Mattingly

Key Takeaways:

1
Dispelling stereotypes about people are the Middle East and Muslims in general is a key factor in understanding the region and people who comprise it.
2
Kahlil Gibran, an influential Lebanese writer, painter, and poet, has created several relevant poems and writings to help students understand the Muslim viewpoint on childhood and teenage issues.
3
A movie called The Prophet, as well as a series of lessons about Gibran’s life, are freely available to teach students about the regional culture of the Middle East.
Read the full article here:
http://www.edutopia.org//blog/kahlil-gibran-humanity-through-poetry-eileen-mattingly