Mornings in Jenin

The name of this section, “An End and a Beginning,” is multi-layered. The book starts almost at the end of the story, with the Prelude in which Amal faces the Israeli soldier and defies him—and death. Now, at the end of the book, Amal’s real end has come. There are beginnings, such as a new life for Sara with her Palestinian relatives. They create a home together in the United States, reinforcing how even separated from their homeland, they are able to create community together. David’s new beginning is symbolized by his giving up alcohol and accepting himself and his past. Each of the remaining characters continues the healing journeys set up in earlier chapters; through truth, community, and reconciliation, they are able to find peace, even through extreme loss.

At the same time, Amal’s death symbolizes the death of hope to some degree, as Amal’s name in Arabic means “hope.” Cold and cruel events continue in Palestine, without hope for a peaceful and positive solution. Only Yousef stands as a beacon of love against the backdrop of decades of horror. There is a small but significant message in his stance: The individual shall not always be completely destroyed by the horror they experience. Small vestiges of hope remain that humanity can overcome trauma and override the hatred it is taught, choosing love instead.