Loai Up the Tree

Loai Up the Tree Parent and Teacher Guide

The novel mirrors the stage of Tawjihi, as it is called in Jordan, which constitutes a familial concern and a troubling social phenomenon. It discusses it through the perspective of the adolescent Loai, who narrates the events of the novel in a satirical and humorous manner.

Loai enters this stage with determination to fulfill his family’s dream and become a doctor. Thus, he embarks on a journey of studying filled with pressures and various forms of stress from school, family, and friends. He invents bizarre strategies to achieve a high GPA that qualifies him for medical school.

After tremendous effort, difficulties, and challenges, the results are released, and Loai achieves a high GPA, but it doesn’t qualify him for medical school.

At first, he is deeply saddened, but he later discovers that medicine was not his true desire; it was his parents’ desire. Loai confronts his parents with his true desire, which is to study Arabic literature. His parents vehemently reject this desire, so Loai climbs a tree in protest. After numerous attempts to get him down, Loai descends, hoping that his parents have changed their minds.

However, he is shocked when they bring him the books for the new school year to repeat the entire year and achieve a higher GPA to study medicine. In response, he climbs back up the tree.

Questions for discussion

• Luay is a smart and high-achieving student. If he didn’t face all those pressures, do you think he would have achieved a higher GPA? Where do you think the flaw lies in Luay’s approach during this stage?
• Perhaps you noticed in the novel the importance of the role played by parents in supporting and motivating a Tawjihi student. How was Luay’s family’s role during this stage? Did they provide the right kind of support? What are the most important things that families should consider when dealing with Tawjihi students?
• Luay came up with several study strategies, most of which ended in failure. Are there any other strategies that might be successful and beneficial for any student? Please explain your answer.
  What do you think is the most important strategy that Loai adopted, and can you apply it in your own studies?
• Having a supportive friend can be very important and have a positive impact. What is your opinion of Loai’s friend Basl? Do you think his assistance to Loai represents a genuine friendship? Imagine if you had a friend like Basl, how would you respond to his advice and ideas?
• The novel highlights Saif’s role in supporting Loai based on his mother’s request. Try to imagine Saif’s personality when he was in high school and compare it to Loai’s. What differences do you see between them?
• The novel addresses the issue of the stigma associated with certain professions. How did Samih react when he saw Loai with his father? Discuss with your teacher the importance of professional careers and society’s perception of them.
• Some families force their children to study scientific majors such as medicine and engineering, among others. What makes these majors a common choice despite sometimes having limited job opportunities?
• Loai resorts to magic and witchcraft after convincing Basl to seek a higher GPA. Have you ever heard of similar practices? What are the risks of resorting to such solutions?
• What is the significance of maintaining a healthy and balanced diet for mental and physical health, as mentioned in the novel?
• Modern means and technologies were not available in 1994. Describe the changes that have occurred in the high school stage after technological advancements in terms of studying methods and obtaining results.
• In your opinion, what are the drawbacks of relying entirely on supplementary books and summaries? Can they replace the study of the actual textbook?
• Do you think that the reliance on private tutoring might be due to shortcomings in the school’s interaction with students? What are the reasons that make each student feel the need for such tutoring, sometimes for all subjects?
• If you had a sibling about to enter the Tawjihi stage, what advice would you offer them?