Lawrence of Arabia test to be given at end of movie viewing

Desert rider
Originally uploaded by terry evison

Notes from Lawrence of Arabia . . .

Arabs and hospitality:
owing partly to the harsh environment of the desert, Arabs are famed for their welcoming spirit. Lawrence knew about this cultural factor and used it to avoid conflict between the Howeitat (Auda Abu Tayi) and the Harith (Sherif Ali) tribes.

effendi: term of respect, like Mister or Sir.
mustapha: European name for any Arab or Turkish fellow.

Themes at work:
- the duplicity of the military bureaucracy.
- men's cruelties justified by war.
- men change; power corrupts.
- cultures are mostly resistant to change.

The tragedy of the war of the Arabs vs. the Turks was that an Arab victory did not win them their independence. The Arabs could not govern themselves in Damascus. The British and French therefore
divided the Middle East and took control.

Arab confusion in Damascus was based on
- lack of practice in administering a unified government.
- lack of knowledge in urban technology such as water and electrical systems and in hospital management.
- absence of a leader with the power to enforce his control.

Independent work:
Research and compare Islam and Hinduism.