The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

About the author

Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer. Born in the town of Bsharri in modern-day Lebanon (part of the Ottoman Mount Lebanon mutasarrifate), as a young man he emigrated with his family to the United States where he studied art and began his literary career. He is chiefly known in the English speaking world for his 1923 books. The Prophet, an early example of inspirational fiction including a series of philosophical essays written in poetic English prose. The book sold well despite a cool critical reception, and became extremely popular in the 1960s counterculture

Unfamiliar words

•      pilgrim- a religious devotee who journeys to a shrine or sacred place

•      Over-prudent - wise in handling practical matters; exercising good judgment or common sense

•      dread - fearful or distasteful anticipation

•      coffer - a chest, esp for storing valuables

•      yonder - being at an indicated distance, usually within sight

•      myrtle - any of several evergreen shrubs or trees; an aromatic shrub native to the Mediterranean region and western Asia

•      rend - to tear or split apart or into pieces violently

• unabashed - not embarrassed; poised.

 Synopsis of The story

The Coming Of The Ship

•      The Coming of the Ship talks about a man called Al Mustafa who had been waiting for twelve years for his ship to return and take him from the island where he was .

•      It talks about the mixed feelings leaving behind his life there and finally doing what he had dreamed about. He speaks about pain, the pain that he has suffered during his life on this island for 12 years and how much it has carved his soul.

•      People of Orphalese sad over the leaving of Al Mustafa. Almitra asks Al Mustafa to give truth to the people of Orphalese before his departure.

•      People ask one by one about twenty-six questions regarding various aspects of life.

aspects of life consist of:

Love                                     Marriage    

Children                              Giving   

Eating and Drinking          Work   

Joy and Sorrow                  Houses    

Clothes                                Buying and Selling    

Crime and Punishment     Laws     

Freedom                             Reason and Passion    

Pain                                      Self-knowledge  

Teaching                             Friendship    

Talking                                Time    

Good and Evil                    Prayer    

Pleasure                              Beauty    

Religion                              Death                                     

The Farewell

On Giving :

•      This part of Khalil Gibran masterpiece tell us about the meaning of giving. He starts telling the story by quoting the rich man inquiries about the meaning of giving. And Mustafa answers it using some metaphors to tease the rich man as well as giving them the lesson.

•      According to Mustafa the meaning of giving for a rich man is only a piece of cake giving, they only give a little from their belonging, they only give what they do not need it anymore, not the valuable thing they have. In contrast, for a poor one giving is to give all they have.

•       In addition to this, giving for Mustafa can be in the form of joyful or pain in which it has the same detonation to show the gratitude. He also gives a critic to the receiver who only give a praise when there is a givers. At the end of the story he states that the truly givers is God

On Teaching

•      this story starts by giving the inquire of teaching. Mustafa then answers that the principle of teaching is giving a knowledge and wisdom to others but One person's knowledge cannot give another person wings. Everyone stands alone in knowledge and must be alone in his knowledge

•      Astronomers can talk of space but not give anyone their understanding. Musicians can sing but not grant anyone an ear or voice. Physicists can talk of weights and measures but not conduct anyone away.

On Children

•      In this story Mustafa want to open the parents eyes on how to threat our children. In his opinion, although our children is come through you, they are not belong to you.

•      We as a parents can give them our love, but we cannot  give out thought because they have their own thought of life. Moreover, we cannot insist them to be like us, because they have their own choice.

•      Mustafa illustrates that parents and children is like a bow and arrow. Parents should let their children  to go far to find their goals while parents’ obligation is just to watch  them.

Most Striking Part

•      Giving : And there are those who have a little but give it all

•      Teaching : The astronomer may speak to you of his under standing of space, but he cannot give you his under standing.

•      Children : you may give them your love but not their thoughts, for they have their own thoughts

Connection in the Real World

• Giving

Nowadays, rich people ignore the important of giving, they live in hedonism which bring them to the individualism life. Even they do not know the meaning of giving itself. In contrast, the poor one really know about the meaning of giving in which they always give what they have if ones need it.

• Children

Recently parents sometimes do not know how to threat their children, they always want them to follow what they want. Through this story Gibran want to teach parents that actually children have their own choice of life. We as a parents can get a lesson on placing our self as a parents as bow and archers. Parents should take a position as a bow and let their children have their own choice to go like an archer

• Teaching

This story has been applied in current teaching and learning approach which place the teacher as the facilitator of learning not the dictator who can change the students knowledge and behavior. Recent approach in teaching also give autonomy for the students to stand with their belief and explore their potential in learning