The Mother Tree: Nostalgia, Transformation, and Identity in the Yemeni Diaspora
By
Dr. Hatem Mohammed Al-Shamea
Introduction
Hamid Oqabi’s novel centers around the life of a Yemeni immigrant in France. The narrative primarily revolves around the protagonist’s internal world, which is intricately tied to his memories of his homeland, particularly his associations with “the mother tree,” an ancient, large tree outside his window. Through the lens of this tree, the novella explores various elements of displacement, identity, belonging, and the trauma of exile. The tree functions as both a literal and symbolic anchor, linking the protagonist’s past in Yemen with his present in France.
Symbolism of the Tree
The tree in Mother Tree represents both stability and connection to the past. The protagonist, living in exile, sees this tree as a stand-in for the homeland he has left behind. The branches of the tree, sprawling and enveloping, are reminiscent of family ties, cultural heritage, and the sense of belonging he has lost since leaving Yemen. The “mother tree” acts as a central metaphor for the nurturing yet distant maternal figure of his homeland.
In literary criticism, trees often serve as powerful symbols of life, endurance, and time. In Oqabi’s work, the tree can be seen through the lens of Gaston Bachelard’s notion of the “poetics of space.” According to Bachelard, spaces like homes, rooms, and natural elements (such as trees) serve as containers for memory, helping individuals construct their identities. For the protagonist, the tree is a spatial marker of memory and identity, linking his present and past through its continuous presence outside his window.
Nostalgia and Memory
A central theme in Mother Tree is nostalgia, which emerges as a significant aspect of the diasporic experience. The protagonist’s constant fixation on the tree outside his window is emblematic of his longing for Yemen. This aligns with Svetlana Boym’s analysis in The Future of Nostalgia (2001), where nostalgia is divided into two types: restorative and reflective. Restorative nostalgia seeks to reconstruct a lost home, while reflective nostalgia focuses on longing and loss without the need to return to a physical place.
The protagonist’s relationship with the tree is one of reflective nostalgia. He doesn’t express a desire to return to Yemen physically, but instead, the memories of Yemen, particularly of nature and rural life, flood his consciousness and dominate his sense of self. The tree becomes a bridge to his past, one that sustains him emotionally as he struggles with the alienation of living in a foreign land. He speaks to the tree, attributing human characteristics to it, as if it were his only confidant, the sole remnant of a life that once was.
Trauma of Displacement and the Crisis of Identity
The experience of exile and displacement is not only nostalgic but also traumatic. Edward Said, in his seminal work Reflections on Exile (2000), describes exile as a “condition of terminal loss” and a “permanent sense of estrangement.” Oqabi’s protagonist embodies this sense of estrangement. His sense of identity is fragmented, torn between his Yemeni heritage and his life in France. This is reflected in his changing perception of his surroundings—where Europe, once seen as a beacon of hope and progress, now feels oppressive and alienating.
The tree, then, symbolizes more than just nostalgia—it becomes a symbol of survival in the face of a fractured identity. The protagonist experiences an internal crisis as he realizes that the dreams of a better life in Europe are illusory. The political tensions, racial discrimination, and cultural alienation in France exacerbate his feeling of being uprooted. He has not only been physically displaced from his homeland but also psychologically estranged from the self he once knew.
Liminality and the Transformation of Characters
In analyzing this novella through Dr. Hatem Al-Shamea’s Transformation Theory in Literature, it becomes clear that the protagonist is caught in a liminal space, suspended between two worlds: the Yemen of his memories and the France of his present reality. Liminality, as theorized by Victor Turner, refers to the in-between stage in a rite of passage where individuals are no longer who they once were but have not yet become who they will be. For the protagonist, the “mother tree” anchors him in this liminal state, representing the tension between his Yemeni identity and his attempt to assimilate into French society.
Al-Shamea’s transformation model identifies phases of identity breakdown and rebuilding, and in Mother Tree, the protagonist is in a continuous crisis stage. He is stripped of his old defenses (family, community, culture) and faces existential challenges (racism, alienation). The tree, with its strong roots, symbolizes the connection he has lost, but it also offers the possibility of regrowth and transformation. The narrative does not reach the final stage of “integration” in Al-Shamea’s model; instead, the protagonist remains suspended, unable to fully transform or integrate into his new environment.
The Role of Memory in Identity Construction
Drawing on the theories of Maurice Halbwachs on collective memory, the novella can also be interpreted as an exploration of how personal identity is shaped by collective memory. The protagonist’s memories of Yemen are not just personal; they are part of a larger cultural and historical memory shared by the Yemeni diaspora. The “mother tree” symbolizes this collective memory, representing the homeland in both a personal and collective sense.
However, the protagonist’s memories are selective and idealized, reflecting the fractured nature of diasporic memory. His nostalgia for Yemen is not a longing for the political or social realities of the country, but for an idealized version of it, embodied in the tree. This selective memory is a common feature of diasporic literature, where the homeland is often romanticized and remembered through the lens of loss and longing.
The Philosophical Implications of Displacement and Identity
From a philosophical perspective, the novella raises profound questions about the nature of identity and belonging. Heidegger’s concept of “being-in-the-world” (Dasein) can be applied here to understand the protagonist’s sense of alienation. Heidegger argues that human existence is always situated in a specific context, and that context (or “world”) provides meaning. For the protagonist, his world has been shattered by displacement, and the “mother tree” represents a connection to a world that no longer exists. His sense of Dasein is disrupted, and he struggles to find meaning in his new environment.
Moreover, the tree can be seen as a symbol of Heimat, a German word that denotes a sense of home or belonging that goes beyond mere physical location. The protagonist’s relationship with the tree suggests that his true Heimat is not France, but Yemen—a homeland that exists only in memory. This aligns with the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, who argues that our sense of self is shaped by our relationships with others. For the protagonist, his relationship with the tree, and by extension with his memories of Yemen, is what defines his sense of self.
Conclusion: The Tree as a Site of Resistance
In conclusion, Hamid Oqabi’s Mother Tree uses the symbol of the tree to explore themes of displacement, identity, and memory in the context of the Yemeni diaspora. The tree serves as a metaphor for the protagonist’s connection to his homeland and his sense of self, while also representing the tension between the past and the present, memory and reality.
Through the lens of Al-Shamea’s transformation theory and the philosophical concepts of Heidegger, Levinas, and others, we can understand the tree as a site of resistance against the forces of alienation and displacement. It anchors the protagonist in a world that has been lost, while also offering the possibility of transformation and renewal, even if that possibility remains unrealized. In the end, the “mother tree” stands as a testament to the enduring power of memory and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of exile and loss.
