Amin Maalouf Utilizes Language and Religion in Leo Africanus

Amin Maalouf unlike many writers of his era portrayed an adventure of a unique protagonist striving to find a significant meaning within his life. Maaloufs Book 1 clearly conveys the child hood of Hasan, in other words, Leo Africanus and how he perceived the events that took place which, as one could determine, shaped his life. Maalouf conveys this in such a unique manner, with literary devices which exalt the principle of cultural patriotism. This is done in such a way that further intentions can be extricated such as the defiance of typical stereotypes. From years upon years, their have been numerous accounts on which the Muslim culture has been accused of violating human rights, abusing ethical principles and even Terrorism through a religious "Jihad." For this blatant reason, one is able to praise such a book which successfully attempts to convey the hardships of Western influence in terms of war and religion. Maalouf utilizes Language and Religion in order to shed light and give an insight in to the Muslim culture whilst indirectly defying stereo types of the west. In order to strengthen the effect of this message upon the reader, Maalouf presents several literary devices such as the use of an unfamiliar language to authenticate his book, a clear chronological structure and the manipulation of frame stories that give the reader to an extent, limited omniscience.

Writers such as Maalouf himself, recognize the importance of literary techniques such as the manipulation of structure. Structure in itself provides a basis for character development and this is essential to convey the writer's intention. The Novel, is divided in to four books, that contain several chapters which each contribute to a significant part of Africanus's...

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...ies of God and His Prophet."(73) From this and the mass exile following this quote, one is able to see the great devotion to "Allah"

From this novel one can argue that despite its brilliance linguistically, the novel has one certain quality that excludes it from your average travel writing and that is, the immense detail of the Islamic culture. From this detail one can argue that, this book indirectly defies stereotypes in that, in itself it conveys the qualities amongst the mediocrities of Islam and how it is not the cause for malevolence. This book draws a significant and an important line between Religion and Social Behavior. In a sense one can further argue that the book provides a safe haven for the religion whilst still giving a non-judgmental aspect towards it. In its entirety, Book 1 provides an excellent opening to the novel and is extremely well written.