Two Plots

There's a very common template of a plot in Middle Eastern culture and literature. This plot involves a man or a woman but mostly man having hell like trouble in his town and regular life. So much that eventually he has to leave this place to go settle in some foreign, alien land. But the plot would follow as, the man succeeding in this new land and realizing his true potential.

He’s usually never alone in this new land. The change of fortune he experiences usually stems from him being understood or accepted or valued in this new land. With some emphasis on “well, he was actually really hardworking but the society where he used to live in before has set walls in front of his success”. Basically he is not really to blame for his trouble, he was always “awsum” and pure.

At the end of the story, this formerly dissed guy returns to his old town. Usually as a planned action, not as a coincidence, and demonstrates his might and wealth to the people whom formerly despised or bullied him. Interestingly, this lame crowd of former bullies is either apologetic or scared of this guy now. Of course he can now get the girl he has always wanted to marry and her parents are now happy for him to take their daughter. Bla bla… 

The plot for a person who is being troubled in the west would go differently. He would usually have some sort of a last straw experience which would simply stir this man into action. He won’t leave his town usually but if he did it would be to reach a level of excellence that he can’t achieve in his town. He won’t run away from there. And if or when he leaves, he won’t wish to return there one day to prove who he has become. Americans like bringing the guy back to his town because of some coincidence and show the main character how much he has achieved. Rather than him proving himself to others, his old setting proves himself to him.

Trans: My return will be magnificent. Yet another "marvellous" products of mid-eastern plot.

We all have countless culturally induced scars in ourselves. This is a scar that runs deep in mid-eastern culture. It has been big enough to give birth to countless novels, poems, stories, myths, fairy tales and songs. Plus the prophet was kicked out of his land only to return there later to show his “might”. I’m not a believer in superstition of course. All I can say is that this culture found this plot strong enough to include in its holy book.

Of course west did the same thing. Their plot has been used again and again and again and again in many ways. It has its shortcomings too but mid-eastern plot bugs me more. Because it incorporates something that I also –unwillingly - have inside of me. Something that I don’t want.

What I don’t want should have been quite clear actually. I don’t want to define my success from the perceptions of others. I want to be able to perceive my success for myself. Frankly, mid-eastern success sounds more like a victory than success. Like being victorious in a war. Because the other side has to acknowledge your achievement for you to be victorious. Or, in mid-eastern case, success.