Exile, Memory and the Fragmented Sense of Home: A Study on I Saw Ramallah

Abstract

Displacement and exile constitute central concerns in modern Palestinian life writing. I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti offers a profound reflection on the lived experience of exile following the 1967 Arab–Israeli War. The memoir recounts the author’s return to Ramallah after nearly three decades of forced absence and examines the complex emotions that arise from confronting a homeland transformed by time and political conflict. Rather than presenting exile merely as geographical separation, the narrative portrays displacement as a continuous condition that shapes memory, identity, and the sense of belonging. Through reflective and fragmented narration, the text reveals the tension between remembered landscapes and the altered realities of the present. The memoir thus demonstrates how personal memory intersects with collective history, illustrating the profound psychological and cultural consequences of long-term exile. By foregrounding the instability of home and identity, the work provides a compelling literary representation of displacement and its enduring impact on individual and national consciousness