The Secret Life of Saeed: The Pessoptimist

The Secret Life of Saeed: The Pessoptimist (Arabic: الوقائع الغريبة في اختفاء سعيد أبي النحس المتشائل‎) is a 1974 satirical fiction book by Emile Habibi.^[1] It addressed the issue of lack of creativity in Arabic literature at the time by being satirical. ^[2]

The name comes merging the Arabic words for pessimist (al-mutasha’im المتشائم) and optimist (al-mutafa’il المتفائل).^[3]

Habibi used a comic mode to mitigate the intensity of his world in Israel and to make the story easier for readers to understand which would have been difficult to through a normal historical narrative.^[3] Habiby shows his resistance against the Israeli policies of oppression with Arabic literary expressions and traditions.^[4]

Plot

The story begins with a fool named Saeed who is visited by people from outer space who tells of his life in Israel through a letter. He wishes to cooperate with the Israelis. However, he goes to prison multiple times and is assaulted by the guards.

source: Wikipedia