Saints and Misfits

Although Janna spends a good deal of time dreaming of and pining for Jeremy, by the end of Saints and Misfits, she comes to accept the impracticality of this relationship as she realizes that he will never be able to truly understand every aspect of her inner spiritual life and values. This realization is reinforced by her friend Tats’s pointed question when she asks, “I mean the truth is, Janna, is he even going to get you at the end of it all?” (269). The implication here is that while a relationship with might be a nice fantasy, their different social and cultural realities might never be able to fit together. This aspect is further reinforced by Uncle Amu’s response to Janna’s question about non-Muslim love, for he states, “The question we must ask ourselves at this point […] is: Will this person hold dear the same things that I will in life?” (297). Uncle Amu goes on to suggest that the person also ask themselves what they truly hold dear to make sure that their inner and outer life are in alignment, further emphasizing the importance of Understanding People’s True Motivations. Because Janna is actively choosing to practice her Muslim faith while Jeremy holds little understanding of it, she begins to realize that she and Jeremy will never have the same contexts or practices with which to experience the world, making a relationship between them nearly impossible. Thus, Janna’s status as a dynamic character is further developed, for her realization represents a huge step forward in understanding herself and advocating for her own best interests.

This section also resolves Janna’s struggle against her own silence and provides her a path to Reclaiming One’s Voice after Sexual Assault. Appropriately, it is the death of the wise Mr. Ram’s that serves as a catalyst to ignite all of Janna’s emotions—even her repressed emotions of anger and shame. Forced to confront her regret at not spending more time with him than she did, she wishes she had engaged with him on a deeper level in their conversations and decides to move through her grief by celebrating the mentor role that he played in her life. She grasps that he was the adult who gave her the most space to be herself while also providing subtle guidance, for “when he spoke, he always gave [her] something good” (278). Thus, while she finds solace in expressing her grief, her new willingness to engage with her darker emotions leads to another unexpressed emotion: anger. As Janna opens herself up to grief, her anger at Farooq grows too powerful to ignore, and both justice and accountability emerge as significant themes in this part of the story as Janna seeks justice for herself and other girls who may be at risk from Farooq’s actions. By confronting him directly with the help of Sausun, she refuses to remain silent and instead regains her voice and exposes his wrongdoing. While yelling at him, she calls attention to his lack of inner goodness and false image of piety, declaring, “I’m […] NOT your sister in Islam. I have NOTHING to do with you ’cause you’re a big, empty HUSK of NOTHINGNESS! […] This guy is […] [a]n attempted rapist!” (304). By openly confronting Farooq, Janna and Sausun underscore the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions and standing up against injustice. Sausun points out to Janna that such actions are not just for the sake of personal healing; they must also serve the greater good of their community.

Sausun’s actions are therefore just once instance in which friendship and support play a crucial role in Janna’s spiritual journey. For example, her relationship with Tats deepens significantly as they navigate difficult situations together, and Tats proves to be a loyal and understanding friend. Despite their differences in culture and background, Tats is willing to make sacrifices to protect Janna, such as giving up her key to convince the mean girls to stop bullying her. She also doesn’t use Janna’s revelation about Farooq to form a negative image of the Muslim community; instead, by the end of the novel, she honors the Muslim community by wearing a veil while helping at mosque. Additionally, Nuah becomes a supportive presence in Janna’s life during this section; when she finally admits that Farooq is bothering her, he immediately believes her and offers to help, despite having been friends with Farooq. This action stands in sharp contrast to Fizz, who accuses Janna of lying about Farooq’s actions. Despite this rejection, the presence of friends like Tats and Nuah provides Janna with the support she needs during challenging times, emphasizing the importance of genuine connections and a strong support system.

The themes of self-acceptance and self-love dovetail with Reclaiming One’s Voice after Sexual Assault and contribute to the novel’s many transformative elements. By reclaiming her voice, Janna learns to embrace herself fully, including her own flaws and mistakes, and prioritizing her well-being and happiness over her fears of being judged by society. She realizes that her silence had been motivated by a sense of deep shame, and that by holding the true wrongdoer accountable, she can release that shame. In the final pages, she resolves to begin loving herself more, hearkening back to Mr. Ram’s recitation of a poem by Rumi, and the poet’s claim that the most important love is “Love of the divine. Through which you could love everything” (165). Having released her shame, Janna is finally able to recognize the spark of divine love within herself.