"Homecoming"

Paper Summary:

The paper examines Natasha Radojcic's novel "Homecoming" and the experiences of the main character, Halid, who although is considered a hero upon arriving, feels as if he has lost everything; his family, his ability to love, his will to live, his best friend, as well as his home. The paper highlights how the skill of "Homecoming" is that it shows the paradox of national identity, how it can provide for us but also kill our sense of self. The paper posits that "Homecoming" shows how people have a dual need, to feel a positive and valid sense of place and home, but also the need to feel validated as an individual human being in a way that transcends national characterizations.

From the Paper:

"The title of Natasha Radojcic's novel Homecoming is bitterly ironic. On one hand, the main character Halid has been released from the army and thus can 'go home' to the land he has been fighting to free. He can reclaim the national identity he has been attempting to liberate from tyranny. Yet, rather than view this prospect with joy, home is "the last place in the world he wanted to see" after witnessing scenes of war, and bearing the scars of war upon his soul. Although he fought for his homeland, he has no desire to live there or return there, yet feels inexorably pulled, by the force of history, back to his childhood dwelling, just as the force of history pulled him to fight for the army."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "LAmerica." Directed by Gianni Amellio. 1994.
• "Miss Sarajevo." Directed by Bill Carter. 1993.
• Radojcic, Natasha Homecoming. Random House, 2005.

More papers on "Homecoming":

• Poem Review # 116441 : "Homecoming in Homer's "Odyssey"
• Comparison Essay # 113547 : "The Homecoming" vs. "Oleanna"
• Analytical Essay # 69878 : "The Homecoming"

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