Hope And Other Dangerous Pursuits

Hope represents the most prevalent theme throughout the book, as indicated by the title. However, as the title suggests, this hope does imply a sense of danger, whether of the past violence and poverty suffered by the characters or of the unknown that awaits them. Murad’s sense of hope is specifically tied up his fantasies about the future, as he tries to propel himself forward by reassuring himself that his life cannot get any worse. On the boat, Murad thinks“[i]t will be all right now. He comforts himself with the familiar fantasy that sustained him back home, all those nights when he couldn’t fall asleep, worrying about how he would pay rent or feed his mother and brothers” (14). Even though Murad subjects himself to a dangerous voyage, it is his hope that keeps him sane and prevents the fear from overwhelming him. Murad’s hope for the future protects him against the danger of the present as well as the anxiety and troubles of his past. Even when Murad is unsuccessful in his journey to Spain, he still has hope: “And next time, he’ll make it” (17). In order to move forward in his life, Murad must maintain hope above all else.