In some cases, a child must take upon the role of a grown up, assume responsibilities and fulfill obligations, in order to keep a family’s structure from crumbling down to pieces. Different themes in Hisham Matar’s “In the Country of Men”, specifically the meaning of the ideal male figure, absorb gradually into the main characters spirit. First, the absence of a father as a parent, followed by the inspiring character of Ustath Rashid, as well as the acquaintance of Sharief, a revolutionary officer, manage to sketch out a distorted picture of the exemplary role model to be followed. In Suleiman’s mind-set, this experience enhances the misunderstanding of the concept of manhood, resulting in future family altercations.
A child’s physical affection is qualified as distant, when emptiness and ruptures coexist between an individual’s ties. From the beginning, the hero Suleiman senses a gap between his and his father’s world, deeply questioning about his absence and intentions behind it,…show more content… Serving as a second father figure to Suleiman, the character of Ustath Rashid, absent from the beginning of the storyline, leaves a great margin for admiration. Starting with the trip to Lepcis Magna, the protagonist is astonished at Ustath Rashid’s cultural knowledge, to his bond with Kareem and his students as well as his hatred for violence. “At times I used to wish that Baba was more like Ustath Rashid.” (29) Suleiman learns that becoming a man means to have all of those traits, while staying strong to one’s standing position. Glued to his television screen, he pictures the perfect role model being the one who can utter a “No.”(115) in an emotionless matter, after hearing Baba’s name during an interrogation with revolutionary committee men. Though executed at the end, Ustath Rashid’s character lights a tiny spark of compassion and loyalty in the portrait of