Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood

In Tasting the Sky, birds appear at multiple points in the memoir and, as such, they take on a larger, symbolic significance to Ibtisam’s story. What are some of the symbolic meanings of birds in the book? Consider these points as you reflect on the text to answer the question.

• Are certain characters in the narrative compared to birds? If yes, are those birds free or are they caged/trapped?
• What are a few moments in the text where Ibtisam observes literal birds. How does it make her feel?
• Consider the title of the memoir. How does the concept of “tasting the sky” relate to bird imagery in the text?

Teaching Suggestion: Guide students toward the idea that birds are symbolic of freedom and joy throughout the text. For Ibtisam, birds reveal her desire to “fly away” and to escape the wartime hardships and difficulties that keep her confined—both literally and figuratively. As Ibtisam begins to process her trauma through poetry, birds appear in her poetry—an indication that Ibtisam finally finds a kind of freedom in her ability to tell her story. 

Differentiation Suggestion: For advanced learners—and particularly those students who are energized by higher-level literary analysis—this discussion could be expanded to consider birds as a symbol in a wider literary tradition. Start with the Guardian piece “Why are Poets so Fascinated with Birds?,” and move onto an analysis of well-known modern poems, Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Discussion and analysis of the poem can be found at Smithsonian Magazine’s “Published More Than 50 Years Ago, ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ Launched a Revolution.” You can have students compare how birds function in Tasting the Sky with symbolic birds in other literary works.