Hamadi By Naomi Shihab Nye

“Hamadi” by Naomi Shihab Nye is a story about a girl from Palestine named Susan, trying to adapt to life in the United States. Susan cherishes her Palestinian traditions and heritage by incorporating aspects of her culture into her American life. This is demonstrated when Saleh Hamadi shows up, “With flushed red cheeks and a sack of dates stuffed in his pocket”(Nye IL14). Dates in Palestinian culture represent prosperity and are often included in the diets of Palestinians. Although Susan is now living in the United States, she doesn’t assimilate to American culture or beliefs. Instead, she stays true to herself and acknowledges the uniqueness of her family. The idea of not changing how one expresses themselves is a central theme of this passage.