What Will People Think Summary, Characters and Themes
What Will People Think by Sara Hamdan is a captivating narrative that explores the journey of a young Arab-American woman, Mia, who is trying to balance her comedic ambitions with her family’s conservative expectations. As a comedian and a fact-checker at Vibe Media, Mia faces the complexities of cultural identity, self-discovery, and navigating relationships.
Her feelings for her boss Jackson, her career challenges, and her family’s past are central themes throughout the story. The book delves into Mia’s emotional turmoil, societal pressures, and her pursuit of a life that is truly her own, all while highlighting the importance of family, love, and personal growth.
Summary
Mia, the protagonist of What Will People Think, is a young woman of Arab descent trying to find her place in a world that feels divided. She is a budding comedian, performing at the Greenwich Village Comedy Club, where she faces the anxiety of performing while managing her complex feelings for her boss, Jackson.
On stage, Mia delivers a set that resonates with the audience, using humor to break stereotypes while dealing with her own personal struggles. Despite the nerves and distractions, she succeeds in captivating the crowd.
After the performance, Mia receives a note from a talent scout praising her work but urging her to dig deeper emotionally in her comedy. This encourages Mia to reflect on her comedic career and what it might mean to truly be authentic in her performances.
However, the transition between her stage persona and the more reserved person her grandparents expect her to be is not easy. Back in her everyday life, Mia feels the weight of her family’s conservative values and their expectations for her to be a certain way.
This contrast creates tension as Mia tries to reconcile her desire to break free from those expectations while honoring her cultural background. As she continues to navigate her dual identity, Mia’s life becomes more complicated when she finds herself attracted to Jackson, a man who is already in a relationship with someone else.
As the story progresses, Mia spends time reflecting on her feelings with her friend Katie, who urges her to embrace her romantic desires. Yet, Mia struggles with these emotions, particularly because of her family’s expectations and her fear of becoming involved with Jackson, who seems out of reach.
Her internal conflict deepens as she watches Jackson’s relationship with his girlfriend Adriana and feels jealous, torn between her professional ambitions and personal desires.
Mia works as a fact-checker at Vibe Media, where she faces a critical decision. Jackson, who is aware of her potential, offers her a reporter position, which Mia considers for her career growth.
At the same time, Mia is uncertain about leaving her current role where she feels appreciated and in control. Her internal debate grows stronger as she struggles with her emotions towards Jackson and his subtle acts of kindness, such as giving her chocolates, which make it hard for Mia to define the boundaries of their relationship.
In a quiet moment of reflection, Mia draws inspiration from her grandmother’s past. She begins translating her grandmother Teta’s journal, which reveals stories from Teta’s own life in Palestine.
These stories help Mia connect with her family’s history, particularly the love story of Teta’s youth, which was cut short by political unrest. Mia begins to realize that her own emotional turmoil may stem from her family’s unresolved past and the choices her grandmother made.
This deeper understanding of her family’s history gives Mia insight into her own life, her identity, and the struggles she faces with modern love and career choices.
In a later chapter, Mia’s performance at the comedy club takes a different turn when a heckler interrupts her set, but the overwhelming support of her friends helps her to continue moving forward. Mia’s growth as both a comedian and a person is evident, though her personal life remains in flux.
She learns to embrace her identity and to be bold in her decisions, even if those decisions conflict with her family’s expectations.
Mia’s journey becomes even more complicated when an article written by Katie about Mia’s performance goes viral. While the article brings attention to Mia’s talent, it also raises concerns for Mia due to her family’s undocumented status.
She is furious with Katie for publishing the article without her permission, and her emotions intensify when she learns that Jackson had played a part in recording the performance. This breach of trust causes Mia to confront both Jackson and Katie, but it also forces her to face the consequences of her own choices and their impact on her family.
Mia seeks solace in the wisdom of her grandmother Teta, who reassures her about the family’s decision to live in the U. S., despite their precarious status. Teta’s support helps Mia navigate the guilt she feels over the situation, but the complications of the article’s publication continue to linger.
In addition to the challenges posed by the article, Mia finds comfort in the diary of Zeina, a character in her grandmother’s journal. Zeina’s struggles with societal pressures and love provide Mia with a reflection of her own dilemmas.
As Mia’s relationship with Jackson continues to evolve, she starts to recognize the similarities between Zeina’s journey and her own.
The complexities of love, family, and identity continue to weigh on Mia, but she resolves to find her own path forward. Through her interactions with Jackson and Katie, as well as her deepening connection with her family’s past, Mia begins to chart a course that honors her personal desires while recognizing the challenges of her cultural and family dynamics.
As the story unfolds, Mia comes to understand that self-discovery is not a straightforward journey but one that requires courage, reflection, and the ability to embrace both her past and her future.
In the end, What Will People Think explores the struggle for personal freedom, the conflict between cultural traditions and modern desires, and the importance of embracing one’s identity. Mia’s growth as a comedian, woman, and individual reflects the emotional and societal challenges faced by many young people today.
Through her journey, the book highlights the power of love, self-acceptance, and the complex layers of identity.
Characters
Mia
Mia is the protagonist of What Will People Think, navigating the complex intersection of her cultural identity, family expectations, and career aspirations. At the core of Mia’s character is her desire to reconcile her upbringing with her ambitions, specifically as a comedian in a world that demands emotional depth.
She struggles with feelings of inadequacy and the tension between her public persona on stage and her more reserved, responsible identity in her personal life. Mia’s relationships, particularly with Jackson and her friend Katie, reflect her internal conflicts.
She is drawn to Jackson, her boss, but is conflicted by his existing relationship with Adriana. Mia’s emotions and actions are deeply influenced by her family’s conservative values, especially her grandparents’ expectations, and she often finds herself caught between loyalty to them and her own desires for independence and fulfillment.
As the narrative progresses, Mia grows through her experiences—facing betrayal, navigating romantic complexities, and seeking self-discovery. Her development highlights the challenges of balancing personal dreams with the weight of familial obligations.
Jackson
Jackson, Mia’s boss and a significant figure in her emotional journey, plays a complex role in Mia’s life. He is charismatic and kind, offering Mia professional opportunities and moments of emotional connection.
Despite these gestures, Jackson is also the source of much of Mia’s inner turmoil, especially when his romantic involvement with Adriana becomes apparent. His actions—such as recording Mia’s comedy performance and allowing it to be published without her consent—serve as pivotal moments that challenge Mia’s trust and complicate their relationship.
Jackson’s lack of full understanding of the cultural and personal stakes in Mia’s life further adds to the tension between them. While he is a key figure in Mia’s professional growth, his emotional impact on her is both inspiring and painful, making him a complicated character who embodies both support and emotional confusion for Mia.
Katie
Katie serves as Mia’s confidante and friend, offering both support and perspective on Mia’s personal and professional life. She encourages Mia to pursue romantic interests, particularly when it comes to Jackson, and also nudges her toward professional advancement, such as applying for the reporter position.
However, Katie’s well-meaning actions sometimes overstep boundaries, such as when she publishes an article about Mia’s comedy performance without her consent. This betrayal highlights Katie’s lack of awareness of the stakes Mia faces, especially with her undocumented family status.
Despite the betrayal, Katie remains a central figure in Mia’s life, helping her process her emotions, though their friendship is strained as Mia confronts the consequences of her actions and Katie’s decisions. Katie’s character illustrates the complexities of friendship—where well-intentioned advice can clash with personal autonomy.
Teta
Teta, Mia’s grandmother, is a key figure in the story, offering both wisdom and emotional depth. Through her storytelling and reflections on her past, Teta becomes a symbol of resilience, navigating love, betrayal, and political turmoil.
Her life story, particularly her experiences with a secret romance and the familial betrayals during political unrest in Palestine, deeply influences Mia’s understanding of identity and family. Teta’s past, filled with heartbreak and loss, mirrors Mia’s own struggles with love and family loyalty, offering a perspective of healing and renewal.
Teta’s calm and insightful responses to Mia’s worries, especially about the consequences of their undocumented status, help Mia find clarity and guidance. Through Teta’s character, What Will People Think explores themes of generational trauma, the weight of cultural heritage, and the ability to heal and move forward despite past wounds.
Adriana
Adriana is Jackson’s girlfriend, and though her role is more peripheral in the story, she plays a significant part in Mia’s emotional journey. Adriana embodies a life that Mia longs for—a stable, confident relationship with Jackson—yet she is also a reminder of the boundaries that Mia cannot cross.
Adriana’s presence heightens the tension in Mia’s internal conflict, as Mia grapples with her feelings of jealousy and inadequacy. Although Adriana herself is not a central character, her relationship with Jackson forces Mia to confront her emotions and the reality of her own desires, creating a critical contrast between Mia’s personal struggles and Adriana’s seemingly secure life.
Zeina
Zeina, a character introduced through Teta’s journal, represents another layer of emotional depth in What Will People Think. Her troubled relationship with her husband and the societal pressures she faces resonate with Mia’s own challenges.
Zeina’s story of seeking fulfillment and struggling with love and family expectations mirrors Mia’s own internal conflicts. As Mia reflects on Zeina’s experiences, she gains insight into her own emotional turmoil, particularly regarding her relationships with Jackson and Katie.
Zeina’s character serves as a source of reflection for Mia, offering a perspective on how to navigate love, loss, and personal identity within the confines of societal norms and expectations.
Themes
Identity and Self-Discovery
Throughout What Will People Think, Mia embarks on a profound journey of self-discovery, navigating the complexities of her cultural identity and the pressures of societal expectations. As an Arab woman working in a predominantly white field, Mia constantly grapples with the tension between her heritage and the identity she wishes to project to the world.
Her comedy becomes both a refuge and a tool for self-expression, allowing her to break free from the constraints of societal stereotypes and challenge her internalized perceptions of herself. However, Mia also faces the challenge of reconciling this public persona with her private life, where her family’s conservative values weigh heavily on her choices.
The contrast between her role as a comedian—bold, assertive, and confident—and the more reserved version of herself expected by her family highlights the internal conflict she must resolve. Mia’s exploration of her family’s past, particularly through the journal of her grandmother, provides additional layers to her identity.
As she learns about the struggles and sacrifices of those who came before her, Mia gains a clearer understanding of who she is and the complexities of balancing her personal desires with the responsibilities and expectations of her cultural background. Her journey is one of embracing both parts of her identity, allowing her to navigate her relationships, career, and sense of self more authentically.
Love and Complicated Relationships
Mia’s emotional journey is deeply intertwined with her experiences of love and her complicated relationships, particularly with Jackson. Her feelings toward him are a source of constant turmoil—on one hand, she is drawn to him, both personally and professionally, but on the other hand, she is tormented by his relationship with Adriana.
This conflict is amplified by Mia’s internal struggle to prioritize her own needs against the backdrop of her family’s expectations, which include the pressure to marry within her culture and avoid romantic entanglements that might conflict with those expectations. Jackson’s actions, such as his kindness toward her and his involvement in the publication of her comedy performance, further complicate Mia’s feelings.
She is torn between the potential for romance with him and the sense of betrayal that comes with his disregard for her privacy and her family’s precarious situation. The theme of love is also explored through Mia’s connection to her grandmother, Teta, whose own love story and subsequent heartbreak serve as a mirror to Mia’s experiences.
Teta’s past—marked by infidelity, loss, and sacrifice—offers Mia insights into the complexities of love, helping her to understand that love is often accompanied by pain, but it can also serve as a powerful force for growth and healing.
Family and Cultural Expectations
Family plays a pivotal role in shaping Mia’s journey, particularly in how she navigates her relationship with her grandparents and the broader cultural expectations they impose. Mia’s connection to her family is marked by the deep-rooted values of tradition, which influence her sense of duty and responsibility.
While Mia strives to build a career as a comedian and break free from the constraints of her conservative upbringing, she is continually reminded of her family’s sacrifices and the pressure to adhere to their cultural norms. This tension is especially evident in her relationship with her grandmother, Teta, who embodies the weight of cultural expectations and the choices Mia feels compelled to make.
The relationship with Teta also highlights the generational differences in how family dynamics are understood and lived out. As Mia uncovers her grandmother’s past, she gains new perspective on her own struggles, realizing that the challenges she faces are not unique but part of a larger familial legacy.
Teta’s own story of overcoming familial betrayal and finding love later in life serves as both a cautionary tale and a source of inspiration for Mia. Ultimately, Mia learns to embrace her identity within the context of her family, but not at the expense of her personal desires or aspirations.
The theme of family emphasizes the complexity of balancing respect for tradition with the pursuit of individual fulfillment.
Gender and Societal Expectations
The book delves into the pressures placed on women, particularly within conservative and patriarchal frameworks, and the impact of societal expectations on Mia’s choices. As an Arab woman in a male-dominated field, Mia’s journey is marked by her struggle to assert her voice and gain recognition.
Her career in comedy, often seen as a male-dominated space, offers a platform for her to challenge stereotypes and demand respect, yet she is constantly confronted by the gendered expectations that shape her interactions with others. Mia’s self-doubt and internalized fear of judgment are exacerbated by the scrutiny she faces, both as a woman and as a person of Arab descent.
The cultural norms surrounding modesty and appropriate behavior for women complicate her relationships and her aspirations, especially when she is faced with romantic or professional choices that seem to conflict with what is deemed acceptable by her family or community. The theme of gender expectations is explored not only through Mia’s own experiences but also through the women in her life, such as her grandmother and her friend Katie.
Teta’s life, marked by love, betrayal, and resilience, demonstrates the different ways women cope with societal restrictions and the importance of forging their own paths. In contrast, Katie’s more liberated approach to romance and career challenges Mia to question the limits placed on her by both her family and the broader society.
Through these interactions, Mia learns to navigate her own identity as a woman, asserting her right to make choices that are true to herself.
The Immigrant Experience and the Search for Belonging
The theme of the immigrant experience is central to the narrative, particularly through Mia’s reflection on her family’s history and the ongoing struggle for belonging. Mia’s grandparents, immigrants to the U.
S. , carry the weight of their undocumented status, which serves as both a source of pride and fear.
The threat of exposure hangs over Mia’s life, affecting her decisions and her sense of security. As Mia learns more about her grandmother’s past in Palestine and the decisions that led to her family’s migration, she begins to understand the deep emotional scars of displacement and the desire to create a sense of home in a foreign land.
This theme also manifests in Mia’s own search for identity, as she feels torn between the country of her heritage and the one in which she has grown up. The immigrant experience shapes her worldview, influencing her understanding of what it means to belong, both within her family and within society at large.
Teta’s journey, marked by political unrest, familial betrayals, and eventual migration, mirrors the struggles Mia faces as she navigates her own path. The sense of being an outsider, of having to adapt while holding onto pieces of one’s past, is a constant undercurrent in Mia’s life.
Ultimately, the search for belonging becomes not just a personal quest but a familial one, as Mia comes to terms with the complexities of her heritage and the role it plays in shaping her future.