Road to Chlifa

Road to Chlifa 

• Genre: Fiction; young adult realistic
• Originally Published: 1992; English translation 1995 
• Reading Level/Interest: Grades 7-12 
• Structure/Length: 3 sections; approximately 142 pages; approximately 4 hours on audio  
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The story follows Karim, a teenager from Beirut, Lebanon, navigating the challenges of loss and migration amid the Lebanese Civil War. After facing tragedy in Beirut, Karim embarks on a perilous journey to Chlifa with his acquaintance Maha and Maha’s baby brother. The central conflict revolves around Karim’s struggle with his past, the hardships of the journey, and his quest for a new beginning in Canada. 
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: War and violence; death and loss, including the deaths of teens and children; physical assault; migration and cultural displacement; sexual harassment and violence; rape 

Michèle Marineau, Author 

• Bio: Born in 1955; Canadian author and translator known for her work in children’s literature and young adult fiction; often explores themes of adolescence, cultural identity, and the complexities of family and social relationships, reflecting her deep interest in psychology and human behavior 
• Other Works: Cassiopée: L’été Polonais (1988); La Route de Chlifa (original French version of Road to Chlifa; 1992)
• Awards: Governor General’s Literary Award for French-language children’s literature (1993)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Legacies of Violence
• The Heterogeneity of the Immigrant Experience
• Nature Versus Culture
• Classical Mythology and Lebanese Culture
• The Importance of Storytelling

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the historical and sociological contexts regarding international refugee law and the experience of refugees that connect to Karim’s conflicts as a Lebanese refugee in Canada.
• Analyze paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Legacies of Violence, The Heterogeneity of the Immigrant Experience, Nature Versus Culture, Classical Mythology and Lebanese Culture, and The Importance of Storytelling.
• Create and share a presentation on a student committee’s goals for refugee inclusivity and integration that demonstrates an understanding of the difficulties that Karim faces based on textual details.
• Analyze the novel’s literary elements and overall messages in structured essay responses on the allusions to mythology, the narrator’s perspective, and other topics.