How to educate local young people through promotion of literary and

literature in attempt to negotiate of 18th and 19 century liberal humanist views

with modern Arab values

The last time a book was held by a student, other than mathematics, physics and
other obligatory books, for many university students, is a long time, perhaps as far
back as their freshman year in high school.( Manal Ismail, Gulf News)

Literature has had a major impact on the development of society. It has shaped
civilizations, changed political systems and exposed injustice. Literature gives us a
detailed preview of human experiences, allowing us to connect on basic levels of
desire and emotion. Ibid

However, just as it has constructed societies, the writings and works of certain
authors have degraded societies to their most primitive form. The UAE is only 36
years old. In a country that is still undergoing rapid development, the potential
impact of literature is indubitable. An educated youth, which holds the future of the
nation in their hands, has the power to influence change. ibid

"The foundation of every state is the education of its youth," said Kevin Nawn,
assistant professor of English at the American University in Dubai. "The youth
should be educated in the great ideas of not only its own culture and time, but other
cultures and times as well." ibid

During the Revolutionary Era in American history enlightenment thinkers and

individualists were common. This era was when the United States declared
independence from Great Britain. This is when the American Revolutionary War
was fought. This is when men made great speeches of loyalty and freedom and
when religions expanded. But this was also the time of rights and civil liberties
being abused. This was a time of British imperialism and expansion, but also of
their control over society. The Americans fought these wrongdoings by writing a
very powerful and influential document that changed the entire course of American
history. This document is The Declaration of Independence. (Joyce Appleby ,2006)

This is one of many evidences that show the importance of literature and the power
it has over the flow of events that can change a whole nation from one situation
into another, from being an ill country to a prosperous and wealthy one, a power
has the ability to create a shift in the lives of each individual on the long run, this
power must be used and well implemented to be fruitful, and it requires only a
thoughtful, positive and strong mind with a sustained will.

A revolutionary literature has proven its impact on nations for decades and still
able to create better youth and brighter future for those who seek it.

The Dutch Institute for Curriculum Development argues that literature education is
important for broadening students’ personal, social and cultural horizons. Indeed,
reading literary fiction may alter readers’ self- and social perceptions, but little is
known about whether adolescents gain such personal and social insights through
reading in the secondary literature classroom, nor about how these perceived
learning outcomes are related to their teachers’ approaches to various aspects of
literature teaching. (Marloes Schrijvers, 2016)

Recently, the Dutch Institute for Curriculum Development contended that literature
education ‘has an important value for developing citizenship, for instance by
broadening social and cultural horizons and developing empathic capabilities’
(2015, p. 15). This aim is not so far-fetched: not only has reading literary fiction
often been considered an inherently cultural and social activity (e.g., Bloome &
Green, 1984/2002; Galda & Beach, 2001) and not a monolithic form of experience
(Miall & Kuiken, 1998; 1995), literary scholars have also connected reading
literary fiction to readers’ abilities to imagine other people’s situations and to make
inferences about their thoughts and emotions (e.g., Keen, 2006; 2007; Palmer,
2004; Zunshine, 2006; 2015). Moreover, the experience of reading literary fiction
has been considered a life experience that can be self-modifying and thus may have
impact on readers’ self-development (Fialho, 2012; Miall & Kuiken, 2002).
 The Dutch Institute for Curriculum Development, then, appeared to value what
reading literary fiction may bring about: personal and social development. The
Dutch secondary literature classroom may therefore precisely be the place to attend
to personal and social aspects of literary reading. However, as Fialho (2012) noted
from a global perspective, ‘there still is no consensus (and perhaps may never be)
about the aims of literary education, and little knowledge of how literary reading is
processed, as social and cultural factors are involved’ (p. 3). The same holds true
for the Netherlands. There is no prescribed curriculum for literature teaching in
secondary schools: teachers are allowed much freedom and may use different
approaches to literature teaching (Janssen & Rijlaarsdam, 2007).

Reading literary narrative fiction has the potential to change readers’ sense of self
(Fialho, 2012; Sikora, Kuiken & Miall, 2010) and their perceptions of others
(Hakemulder, 2000). Current pressing questions concern the processes involved in
a mode of reading that impacts self- and social perceptions (Fialho & Hakemulder,
2016) and the outcomes of this mode of reading (Koopman & Hakemulder, 2015).
It has been suggested that Theory of Mind (Zunshine, 2006) and narrative empathy
(Keen, 2013) are process components of reading literary fiction (e.g., Bal &
Veltkamp, 2013; Kidd & Castano, 2013).

Zunshine (2006) defined Theory of Mind as ‘our ability to explain people’s

behavior in terms of their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and desires’ (p. 6). Keen
(2013) defined narrative empathy as ‘the sharing of feeling and perspective-taking
induced by reading narratives of another’s situation and condition’ (see also Keen,
2007). Without being exhaustive, an outline some of the growing empirical support
must be done for these claims, based on both quantitative and qualitative studies
(for overviews, see also Hakemulder, Fialho & Bal, 2016; Mar & Oatley, 2008).

Experimental studies have shed light on the role of Theory of Mind and empathy in
reading literary fiction. In five online experiments among adults of around 34 years
old, Kidd and Castano (2013) found that reading literary fiction enhanced readers’
affective and cognitive Theory of Mind, which they defined, from a
neuropsychological rather than a literary perspective, as ‘the ability to detect and
understand others’ emotions’ and ‘the inference and representation of others’
beliefs and intentions’ (p. 377).
They contended that the (temporary) effects on Theory of Mind were specific to
what they selected as literary fiction, and not to popular fiction. This distinction,
which may seem somewhat artificial, was based on the work of Barthes, Bakhtin
and Bruner (Kidd & Castano, 2013, p. 377-378) and was operationalized by
selecting novels awarded literary prizes, against texts that did not receive awards.

Despite the fact that the effects found by Kidd and Castano were not all confirmed
in replication studies (Dijkstra, Verkoeijen, Van Kuijk, Chow, Bakker & Zwaan,
2015; Liu & Want, 2015), their study opened up the possibilities for further
investigations on the role of Theory of Mind in literary fiction reading.

A known novel like The Life and Adventure of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
represents the dedication and the strong will of an individual who did not accept
the way he lived and wanted to explore more about life in order to develop his life
and thoughts and had a different perspective than his people.

The main character of this long novel is Crusoe. Crusoe's father wanted him to be a
good, middle-class young man but Crusoe, wanted nothing more than to travel
around in a ship, is definitely not into this idea. He struggled against the authority
of both his father and God and decides to thumb his nose at both by going
adventuring on the sea instead. (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008)

After sailing around for a while, he made a bit of money in trade, but then was
captured and made into a slave off the coast of Africa. Here he befriends a young
man named Xury, with whom he escapes from captivity. Ibid

After sailing around for a while, he makes a bit of money in trade, but then is captured
and made into a slave off the coast of Africa. Here he befriends a young man named
Xury, with whom he escapes from captivity. Ibid

Crusoe was picked up by a Portuguese sailing captain, Crusoe made it to Brazil

where he bought a sugar plantation. He did fairly well financially, but soon became
involved in adventure to procure slaves from Africa. On the voyage there he got
shipwrecked and is left as the only survivor on a deserted island.ibid
Here comes the significant role of educating the youth through literature and their
impact on their nations, like several countries, Egypt witnessed a revolutionary
wage to change their regime and demanded the government to resign due to many
reasons related to brutality and violence.

The Egyptian revolution took place in 2011, also known as the January 25
Revolution started on 25 January 2011 and spread across Egypt. The date was set
by various youth groups to coincide with the annual Egyptian "Police holiday" as a
statement against increasing police brutality during the last few years of Mubarak's
presidency. It consisted of demonstrations, marches, occupations of plazas, non-
violent civil resistance, acts of civil disobedience and strikes. Millions of protesters
from a range of socio-economic and religious backgrounds demanded the
overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Violent clashes between security
forces and protesters resulted in at least 846 people killed and over 6,000
injured. Protesters retaliated by burning over 90 police stations across the country.
(BBC. 8 July 2011)

The Egyptian protesters' grievances focused on legal and political

issues, including police brutality, state-of-emergency laws, lack of political
freedom, civil liberty, freedom of speech, corruption, high unemployment, food-
price inflation and low wages. The protesters' primary demands were the end of the
Mubarak regime and emergency law. Strikes by labour unions added to the
pressure on government officials. During the uprising, the capital, Cairo, was
described as "a war zone" and the port city of Suez saw frequent violent clashes.

Protesters defied a government-imposed curfew, which was impossible to enforce

by the police and military. Egypt's Central Security Forces, loyal to Mubarak, were
gradually replaced by military troops. In the chaos, there was looting by rioters
which was instigated by plainclothes police officers. In response, watch groups
were organized by civilian vigilantes to protect their neighborhoods. (SBS. 27
January 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2011, France 24. Agence France-Presse. 25
January 2011 and Hauslohner, Abigail 29 January 2011).
After the revolution against Mubarak and a period of rule by the Supreme Council
of the Armed Forces, the Muslim Brotherhood took power in Egypt through a
series of popular elections, with Egyptians electing Islamist Mohamed Morsi to the
presidency in June 2012.[35] he Guardian. 24 June 2012. Retrieved 9
January 2015. However, the Morsi government encountered fierce opposition after
his attempt to pass an Islamic-leaning constitution. Morsi also issued a temporary
presidential decree that raised his decisions over judicial review to enable the
passing of the constitution.[36] he New York Times. Retrieved 9 May 2018. It
sparked general outrage from secularists and members of the military, and mass
protests broke out against his rule on 28 June 2013.[37] The Atlantic. Retrieved 2
May 2017. On 3 July 2013, Morsi was deposed by a coup d'état led by the minister
of defense, General Abdel Fattah El-Sisi,[38] NBC News. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 9
January 2015. as millions of Egyptians took to the streets in support of early
elections.[39] TakePart. Retrieved 2 May 2017.

El-Sisi went on to become Egypt's president by popular election in 2014.[40]

Police brutalityEdit
Further information: Law enforcement in Egypt
According to a U.S. Embassy report, police brutality has been widespread in
Egypt.[64] The Guardian. UK. In the five years before the revolution, the
Mubarak regime denied the existence of torture or abuse by police. However,
claims by domestic and international groups provided cellphone videos or first-
hand accounts of hundreds of cases of police brutality.[65] The Guardian.
London. According to the 2009 Human Rights Report from the U.S. State
Department, "Domestic and international human rights groups reported that the
Ministry of Interior (MOI) State Security Investigative Service (SSIS), police, and
other government entities continued to employ torture to extract information or
force confessions. The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights documented 30
cases of torture during the year 2009. In numerous trials defendants alleged that
police tortured them during questioning. During the year activists and observers
circulated some amateur cellphone videos documenting the alleged abuse of
citizens by security officials. For example, on 8 February, a blogger posted a video
of two police officers, identified by their first names and last initials, sodomizing a
bound naked man named Ahmed Abdel Fattah Ali with a bottle. On 12 August, the
same blogger posted two videos of alleged police torture of a man in a Port Said
police station by the head of investigations, Mohammed Abu Ghazala. There was
no indication that the government investigated either case."[66] "2009 Human
Rights Report: Egypt"

The deployment of Baltageya[67] (Arabic: ‫—)بلطجية‬plainclothes police—by the

NDP has been a hallmark of the Mubarak government.[67] The New York
Times. The Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights has documented 567 cases of
torture, including 167 deaths, by police from 1993 to 2007.[68] BBC News. 13
August 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2011. Excessive force was often used by law-
enforcement agencies against popular uprisings.[69] On 6 June 2010 Khaled
Mohamed Saeed died under disputed circumstances in the Sidi Gaber area
of Alexandria, with witnesses testifying that he was beaten to death by police – an
event which galvanized Egyptians around the issue of police brutality.

These events can clearly relate to the real life actions took place in Egypt by the
youth and their awareness about how they should live

The novel and the revolution in Egypt are quite interrelated in their essence, when
Crusoe’s father wanted him to act as a young fancy man, here he wants him to
merely follow the traditions of his people and do what the people are expected to
do in his age, he mean him to follow their path not creating his own, here Crusoe
refused this idea and went away to discover what he had not known and create his
adventure through his curiosity to knowledge. This section is similar to Egyptian
youth when their government wanted them the pursue the way their parents and
grandparents taken and keep the life steady the way it is and not ask for more even
if that was their will which can lead to a humane and more respected country that
keeps the rights of their people safe and well-guarded. Therefore they decided to
start a revolution in order to get their demands.

After a tumultuous journey where his ship is wrecked in a storm, his lust for the
sea remains so strong that he sets out to sea again. This journey, too, ends in
disaster, as the ship is taken over by Salé pirates (the Salé Rovers) and Crusoe is
enslaved by a Moor. This section of the novel represents the protestors attempts to
recreate their destiny in one way or another by setting forth with their dreams of a
more respectful life in their own homeland and continuing their path regardless of
the suffering and violence they received from the armed forces to tear the
revolution a part and stop the wage from spreading.

Crusoe’s ship was taken over by pirates this part shows that his ship was taken
from him illegally and stolen from him, the same happened with the Egyptians
whom their rights were stolen from them as a civilians who deserve to live in
dignity as their birth right in their country and no individual is granted to slip that
from them no matter is his authority.

Crusoe was enslaved by Moor, the same happened to Egyptians who protested to
get their rights back from the government who stolen it, the armed forces took
many protestors to captivity and tortured many of them as well, by beating and
opening gunfire at them and causing many protestors to injure. Then Years later,
Crusoe joins an expedition to bring slaves from Africa , can be seen in the
Egyptian revolution where the protestors ar keen to take their people out from the
power of their government, even the individual who did not participate in the
revolution in the streets, whether they were elderly people, children or women,
they believed in a brighter successful future and that is what they wanted to grant
for everyone who’s nationality is Egyptians.

More years pass and Crusoe discovers native cannibals, who occasionally visit the
island to kill and eat prisoners. At first he plans to kill them for committing an
abomination but later realizes he has no right to do so, as the cannibals do not
knowingly commit a crime. He dreams of obtaining one or two servants by freeing
some prisoners; when a prisoner escapes,

The cannibals represent the armed forces killing the protestors and his desire to kill
them represents the anger of the protestors who are quite furious about the killing
and torture of their friends and relatives but then Crusoe realizes that they are not
doing that on purpose, they do not know that this is inhumane and unacceptable
and disrespectful which is quite the same as how protesters were aware of their
sitation and what was the armed forces thinking about when the were commiting
brutality, the protestors knew that the armed forces thought that they were
protecting their country and serving their country as they are acting as they were
commanded.

Then a prisoner escapes, Crusoe helps him, naming his new companion "Friday"
after the day of the week he appeared. Crusoe then teaches him English
and converts him to Christianity and taught him the proper edible materials and
how to cook it and build a home to live in.

The previous part of Robinsons Crusoe’s novel can be compared to what the
Egyptians protestors trying to achieve, they taught the people of their country to
stand in the face of violence and not accept brutality or keep the track of the
country if it is going against their dignity and interest, their faith was stronger than
before because they believed only a superior power can save and protect them to
move forward with their path people started to pray more and hope for the mercy
will fall down onto them from God.

Crusoe’s adventure came up with advantages as he was able to save a friend and
his father in addition to another man, this is as same as the Egyptian revolution
where the protestors were able to save many people throughout their revolution in
spite of the fact that there were many injured and casualties during the process but
major change has happened that shifted the country to another direction that is
believed by the Egyptians to be a better one.
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