The Lance of Kanana

The Lance of Kanana is a novel written by Harry W. French and first published in 1892. It is a book for intermediate readers, because it contains a lot of information and uses sophisticated language which, I believe would be rather overwhelming for early readers. I would classify this book as a historical fiction work, since it incorporates some actual events from the past into a fictional tale. The book  is set in the Arabian peninsula in the distant past. The time is not precisely defined.

             

 

        

The Lance of Kanana recounts the adventures of a young Bedouin, Kanana, who belongs to the tribe of the Beni Sads. Kanana is not prone to violence and he refuses to cast his lance against any human being. As a result, he is considered a coward and derided by his tribe. When Kanana's brother and the family's white camel are kidnapped, he embarks on a quest to find them and bring them back. But as Kanana tries to follow the caravan which has taken away his brother, he encounters wounded soldiers who inform him that Turks, Greeks and Romans are planning an attack upon the Arab empire.Gradually, Kanana finds himself in the center of the struggle against the conquerors. By the end of the book, Kanana proves that he is anything but a coward; it is his own lance that saves Arabia, although the boy once again does not cast it to kill. Instead, he uses it to send a message to the general Kahled the Invincible, which saves his army from military defeat. French, through Kanana's story, conveys the message that true bravery does not necessarily have to be demonstrated through acts of violence.

 

 

 

It is hard to comment on the book's historical accuracy, because most of the events are fictional. Yet some of the figures mentioned in the book were real. For instance, Emperor Heraclius was the Emperor of Byzantium from 610 to 641. The Byzantine army, whose operations were directed by Heraclius, was crushed by the Arabs in 636. The book may be based loosely on these events.

 

 

Even if the facts do not correspond exactly with the actual historical facts, the era is evoked through the use of other elements, such as language. The book is written in elegant, somewhat poetic prose; for the dialogues French uses an almost archaic style, which lends the story an authentic feel and seems to add further gravitas to the characters' sayings. Moreover, there are numerous references to arabic history and culture dispersed throughout the story. The reader, by reading an exciting tale, is informed about milestones in arabic history as well as arabic customs, such as praying rituals.

 

 

The pencil illustrations of the book are beautiful and detailed. The illustrator has used vivid colors, particularly the color yellow, which is appropriate for depicting the scenes in the desert as well as the luxurious, traditional clothing of the characters.

 

 

 

 

The Lance of Kanana is a book I would recommend to my students. I think that its epic, adventurous elements would appeal to them. It would also introduce them to various aspects of the Arabian world and culture. And by showing how Kanana becomes a hero without actually killing, the book also conveys an important message against violence.

   As a motivational activity, I would ask my students to do some research on the Bedouins' customs and beliefs. Another motivational activity, which I could incorporate in the classroom

lesson, would be to ask the students to provide alternate endings to the story.

I would also ask my students the following questions:

1)What did you like about this story? Do you like adventurous stories and why?

2)What do you think of Kanana? Do you think he was a coward for not wanting to use his lance for killing?

3)How does the character of Kanana develop throughout the story?

Harry Willard French was an american author born in 1854. Other works of his include:

Gems of Genius (1881)

The Colonel (1893)

The Devil's Discharge (1914)

 

References:

 

Galda, C. &. (2011). Literature and the Child Seventh Edition .

 

Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing . 

 

French, Harry W (2003). The Lance of Kanana.  Wildside Press