Arab Americans
Manar of Hama's key theme is the community of Arab living in America. Their unfamiliarity, struggle and, longing for the essence of their culture. The Protagonist of the story misses the food of her homeland. Manar represents the true feelings of those Arabs who didn't want to leave their motherland, but they had to do so to survive.
Food
Food plays a major role as a cultural symbol in the story of Manar of Hama. Manar keeps comparing American food to Syrian food and resents living in America. She thinks her palate can't adjust to the taste of plain and aroma-less food of America.
Diverse Cultures
Mohja Kahf displays various cultures such as Syrian, Palestinian, American, and Arab culture in her stories. In Manar of Hama, Mohja pens the struggle of protagonist Manar. She is from Syria, and American culture seems very alien to her. She wants to return to her place one day.
Arab Uprisings
The writer tells the stories of refugees who come to seek refuge in America from Middle Eastern countries. These uprisings and political turmoil are the major cause for Arab people to leave their homeland. In the story of Manar of Hama, a couple immigrated to America after surviving a massacre in Syria. Mohja describes the condition of people affected during the massacre of Hama in 1981.
