Noe’s Comics Nook: Lesson Plan & Review – Hakim’s Odyssey Trilogy

Review

“I guess that anyone can become a ‘refugee’. If your country falls apart. You fall apart with it, or you leave.”

This quote, said by Hakim in a moment of heartbreaking reflection at the end of the first book of the Hakim’s Odyssey trilogy, gets to the heart of the matter and a primary aim of Toulmé’s series: to humanize those so often reduced to a number. Which, believe it or not, is something that actually happened to Hakim on his journey, during his time in one of Hungary’s refugee camps (a generous term for what they are). The series is illustrated in a style reminiscent of Riad Sattouf’s Arab of the Future and features a color palette that calms even against the, at times, harsh environments and activities.

The trilogy, and each book individually, begins with the meta-narrative of Toulmé seeking out Hakim with the intention of telling his story – one story from millions of unique stories – through comics. In book 1, this is literal, as we see them meeting and feeling each other out. In books 2 and 3, these introductions serve as touchstones to real time – by book 3, we see Toulmé speaking on the previous books to readers – and as important points of catch-up, featuring smartly illustrated, collage like reminders of what took place in the prior book(s). These moments, as well as the outro in book 3, help situate these comics as works of comics journalism and provide, I think, guidance on how to read them.

In book 1, we learn about Hakim’s life growing up in Syria, about the culture there, and the differences between life in Syria and life in countries like France. One example of this? Hakim’s nursey doing well enough for him to afford a car and a decent apartment, things that have long been taken for granted in France and other western countries, stands out as a mark of success instead a bit of normalcy. We also learn about the corruption present in all parts of government life (bribes go a long way in getting a passport, even before the war) and exactly what led people to finally break, to demand better. We also learn how indiscriminately violent the regime became in the face of even peaceful protests, with Hakim being detained for daring to offer basic medical care to a hurt protestor – which is an easier fate than his brother’s, far more engaged in the fight for freedom, who disappears without a trace.

Throughout the series we see that even in the worst of times, people can find each other. In book 1, after making his way to Turkey, Hakim meets Najmeh, where they quickly fall for each other and get married. Though their happiness is tempered by the strangeness of the situation (to put it mildly), they ARE happy and soon find themselves pregnant as well. Little Hadi brings much joy, but additional hardship, as they begin the process to make their way to France with Najmeh’s family. As we learn throughout book 2, this proves to be far more complicated, for reasons beyond comprehension, than expected. As a result, Hakim and Hadi find themselves away from family for the rest of their journey and it is at this point that things take a turn for the harrowing. From Syria to Turkey, Hakim, and the other refugees he encounters, face difficulties and prejudices to be certain, but nothing like the dangers that they experience passing into Europe.

I won’t attempt to recount the specific risks taken by refugees that we see throughout book 2 and 3 here. I wouldn’t do them justice and it is more meaningful to experience them through Toulmé’s illustrations, but suffice to say I don’t understand how anyone can see these horrors and still argue that our systems of immigration and asylum work by any stretch of the imagination. Along the way, even in the face of bureaucracies that at best don’t care and at worst fight against helping, there are moments of individual kindnesses. A man who offers good advice in the face of the harsh cold. A woman who offers her empty room to refugees at a cost that doesn’t extort. Fast friends who help take care of Hadi.

In the end, as Toulmé recognizes at the end of book 3, the reuniting of family, finally, in France is not really the end, but another kind of beginning. The family still struggles with language, with finding work, with fears for family still in Syria and the wondering if they can ever go home again. But everyone, in this story, does find their way back to each other. Book 3 concludes by sharing updates on those we meet throughout Hakim’s travels, from friends who let him crash to family back home, to those who travelled on the road with him.

As the world continues to experience numerous, ongoing refugee crises – that are all but certain to increase in the face of climate change – we are seeing countless comics about these experiences each year. And yet even with that many, there is more than enough room for even more stories. Especially in the form that Hakim’s Odyssey takes, where the reader not only learns about the crisis but about the life that continues to happen even as people experience turmoil.

Elements of Story

Plot: Following the start of a civil war in Syria, Hakim must leave his country, his family, everything he has known, behind in order to seek safety. What begins as a short trip out of Syria to Lebanon quickly becomes a years long journey to France, where along the way Hakim experiences both the best and the worst of how the world treats refugees.  

Characters: Hakim, Najmeh, Abderrahim, Hadi, Nihad (and family), Fabien, and many more of Hakim’s family and friends, as well as people he meets along the way.

Major Settings: Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Greece, North Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, France

Themes: War, Family, Refugees, Migrants, Politics, Empathy

Lesson Plan Idea Using Common Core Standards (CCS)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7 – Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

Directions: Hakim’s Odyssey is the story of one Syrian refugee among millions, Hakim, whose multiple year journey from Syria to France spanned nearly a dozen countries, the birth of a son, and countless impossible choices. While some of these choices were personal, many of them were due to the politics, prejudices, and policies of the various countries Hakim and family passed through on their way to a new home where they could settle and find peace. As discussed in the three books that make up this story, the answer to the often asked question, “why didn’t they stay in the first safe country,” can be as simple as that country refused to host refugees or as messy as it being impossible to earn a living there.

After reading and discussing Hakim’s story, I would expect students to wonder what would have happened if Hakim had made his way to the United States, as many families are attempting to do today, whether from war or famine, whether from the Middle East or from Central America.

For this suggested assignment, students are tasked with writing a report that shows what the refugee experience entering the United States may look like. In this report, students should include (1) the legal policies surrounding asylum in the United States, (2) practicalities of this process, including things like funding for housing, food, and medical care, and (3) the culture surrounding refugees in the United States, both historically and at this moment in time. This third section should carefully articulate the different feelings present at the moment, with attention paid to which viewpoints hold the most sway, which are the most widely held, and how these may not be the same.

This assignment is intended to flex students’ ability to find and evaluate information, including historical, legal, and journalistic, as well as their ability to share their findings in clear language. It is most appropriate for students from 11^th grade through early undergraduate college years. Level of detail and length expected may vary depending on which grade, however, a minimum expectation should be six pages in order to provide adequate space to all three areas of focus.