18. Respond to one of the following prompts by writing a well-organized essay. Write your
answers in essay format using complete sentences,
a. Write an essay that finishes the sentence "The people of the Middle East have..." with a new
understanding you have about Middle Eastern and South Asian culture. Include supporting
details from the various stories in this unit. You may want to consider the following character
and stories:
• Himli in "Wanted: A Town Without a Crazy" by Muzaffer Igzu
• Siham, Ihsan, or Siham's father in "From Behind the Veil" by Dhu'l Nun Ayyoub
• The family, drivers, or police in "Five Hours to Simla" by Anita Desai
• The narrator or his daughter Mini in "The Cabuliwallah" by Rabindranath Tagore
• Sekhar, Sekhar's wife, or the headmaster in "Like the Sun" by R. K. Narayan
b. Write an essay that answers the following question: Are cultures different only in their
details? Discuss the assumptions about men and women, class status, religion, race, or the
body that you encounter in one of the selections in this unit. You may include supporting
details from the stories listed in prompt a. Additionally, you may include supporting details
from the poem "Sweet Like a Crow" by Michael Ondaatje.