Food and Politics in Mahjoub’s The Fugitives

Abstract

Food has been the object of examination in literature, and hence, the current study seeks to study the symbolic, cultural, and political significance of food in Arab-British Jamal Mahjoub’s The Fugitives (2021). In particular, this study shows that Mahjoub deploys culinary images to highlight how Rushdy, the protagonist, grows spiritually and intellectually in the course of the narrative by becoming increasingly aware of the significance of food as a sociopolitical marker. Additionally, Mahjoub’s employment of culinary codes helps him criticize the political system which is held accountable for endless wars, the poverty and starvation of people in Sudan. In fact, Rushdy’s development, one may argue, is instigated by his friend, Hisham, who opens his eyes to his compatriots’ impoverished conditions and their dire need for food. As a member of the Kamanga Kings, a Sudanese musical band who are invited to perform in the US, Rushdy begins to construct a binary opposition between his country and the US vis-à-vis food accessibility. This realization is further strengthened when the band become fugitives because of their self-imposed agent’s dishonesty and trickery. By doing so, the study highlights, through culinary images, the pains of Sudanese people who have been under US-imposed sanctions since 1997. In a country that has been witnessing continuous political and armed conflicts, the recent of which has erupted in April 2023, food shortages and starvations are chronic threats that Sudanese people must endure. Thus, by focusing on the character of Rushdy, the study uncovers the connectedness between Rushdy’s being a restless fugitive in the US and his inability to enjoy food there despite its abundance.