45 pages • 1 hour read
Naomi Shihab NyeThe Turtle of Oman
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2014A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Turtles
Turtles are Aref’s favorite animals, and they become a recurring symbol throughout the novel, representing the cyclical act of migrating and returning home again. Turtles’ ability to migrate and then return to the same beach to lay their eggs fascinates Aref, and this pattern serves as a metaphor for his own departure from Oman. While many novels have told the story of refugees or immigrants leaving their home countries for other places, The Turtle of Oman portrays a boy who knows that he is going to return to his home. In this way, Aref is the “turtle of Oman” featured in the novel’s title. He will bring his memories of Oman with him to the US, but he will also carry his experiences in America with him when he returns.
Turtles appear from the earliest moments of the novel, as when Aref thinks that he should have given his father a tiny turtle to fly with him to the US. This moment foreshadows the fact that Aref himself will become a migratory creature when he travels to the US. Aref does not quite understand the similarities between himself and turtles yet, but over the course of the week, he recognizes that he, like the turtles, will always be able to bring his home with him and come back “safely to the beach [he] remembered” (210). His migration, like theirs, is temporary, and he finds great comfort in knowing that he will return to Oman. Seeing migratory creatures like turtles and falcons return bring him comfort, helping him to understand that part of life’s journey can include venturing away from home.
Part of Aref’s affection for turtles also derives from the seeming magic that is woven into their migratory patterns and inherent knowledge. At one point, Aref notes that “the Green Turtle would return to the exact same beach for egg-laying for decades. Turtles had invisible maps inside their shells” (201). This “invisible map” adds to the many stories told within the novel, building a mythic tone. Similarly, Sidi’s story about the turtles with candles on their backs adds to the magic of Muscat. To Aref, it will always be important to return to Oman and to the beaches so that he and Sidi can see turtles hatching on the beach. These plans animate Aref and amaze him, helping him to feel more connected to Oman even on the eve of his departure.
Stones
Aref collects stones to commemorate his various adventures. Even before his father goes to the US, Aref has already amassed a large rock collection. However, in the week before he leaves for Michigan, he collects several stones commemorating his adventures with Sidi and his final days in Oman. Each contains a memory, and its coloring reflects that memory. While his mom expresses concern over his choice to carry a suitcase filled with stones, these souvenirs act as a metaphorical photo album for Aref, allowing him to recall his time in Oman with his grandfather.
Before he and Sidi take several local adventures, Aref worries over his stone collection, and his emotions emphasize its importance. He also gives stones to his father and to Diram in order to maintain a long-distance connection between them, and this habit illustrates the broader the philosophical significance of the stones. For example, even though Aref values his turquoise stone, he values his friendship with Diram even more, so he gives the stone to his friend even though it “was going to be hard” (36) to do so. As a child, Aref does not have many possessions to share with his friends, so he uses the stones to express his appreciation for the important connections in his life.
The meaning of the stones is expanded as Sidi collects more stones for Aref to bring to the US. Each one represents a different memory that they make together. Significantly, the stones themselves resemble the experiences that they symbolize. For example, the stone that Aref receives after holding Fil-Fil, is a “black-and-brown speckled stone, which reminded Aref of the falcon’s feathers” (185). When they see the turtles on the beach, Sidi hands him another stone, saying, “Here you go. A miniature turtle egg. From the land of the turtles” (209). This way Aref can look at each stone and know exactly when he got it and what it is supposed to symbolize.
Aref’s Suitcase
Aref struggles to pack his suitcase for the entirety of the novel. The suitcase therefore becomes a symbol of his reluctance to leave Oman, and as he struggles to say goodbye to his home and to accept that he’ll be spending the next three years elsewhere, his suitcase remains empty. When he tries to be brave and becomes more open to the experience of living in Michigan, he is finally able to pack. As a result, Aref’s fully packed suitcase symbolizes his development as a character.
When the novel begins, Aref’s suitcase is empty, and his mom emphasizes that he’s “old enough! If it fits in your suitcase, you can take it” (71). This sentiment reveals how Aref’s parents trust him to make smart decisions about what to bring with him. At the same time, they also require Aref to plan his own departure rather than letting his parents pack for him. This dynamic makes him an active participant in the process of moving, and Aref struggles to accept this new reality. Several times when he is supposed to be packing, he gets distracted, and he uses various activities to avoid accepting the fact that he is leaving home.
For Aref, leaving symbolizes being torn from a life in which he is comfortable and happy. He thinks about “The other things he wished he could take—his whole room, his friends—would not fit into a suitcase of any size” (41). Traveling across the world means that he will need to adjust to a new setting, and he is afraid of starting over, especially when he does not feel like changing anything about his life. However, his adventures with Sidi give him perspective, allowing him to see Muscat as part of a larger world. As his adventures with Sidi unfold, he becomes more willing to accept the adventure that awaits him. Finally, his suitcase’s significance is underlined by his final words to his mother in the novel: “I know you won’t believe this, but—I’m packed” (152). Ending with these words conveys that Aref’s time in Oman has come to an end for now, and it also reveals that the packing process is symbolic of Aref’s readiness to leave.
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By Naomi Shihab Nye
