Abstract
This thesis is a study of a group of Lebanese writers who initiated the Arab immigrant literary tradition in America in the early 20th Century and established themselves as key figures in the history of modern Arabic literature. Kahlil Gibran, Ameen Rihani, and Mikhail Naimy produced enduring works that were dedicated to modernism and constituted a channel for new ideas, but remained Arab in essence. Ameen Rihani came to be known as the father of Arab American literature and also the father of Arabic prose poetry; Mikhail Naimy’s name is associated with literary criticism that helped revive traditional Arabic literature. As for Kahlil Gibran, his writings penetrate to our emotional and spiritual awareness.
This study particularly focuses on Kahlil Gibran; the story of a visionary youth who turned out to be the most famous Arab American ever and one of the world’s great writers, by virtue of the phenomenal success of his The Prophet. The study highlights Gibran’s life, times, and contributions. It also draws attention to his major Arabic writings along with his chef-d’oeuvre The Prophet. Gibran is not, as many may think, a one-book legend. English-speaking readers who have enjoyed The Prophet will also appreciate Gibran’s A Tear and a Smile, The Broken Wings, and “The Procession” among others. These works show the development of his thought and reflection through the years and present other sides of him, including the poet-rebel and the sensitive Romantic fired by ideals.
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