Choose one of the topics.
Topic #1: Good and Evil in Ghoul
According to the Quran, written from the perspective of the jinn, some of us are righteous, but some of us are less than that; we follow divergent paths (72.11). The jinn in the show Ghoul commits what seems like morally reprehensible crimes. What kind of moral path does the jinn character take on the show? Is the jinn righteous or less than that? In other words, is the jinn in Ghoul good? Evil? Something in between? What evidence of jinns actions support your stance? See Amira El-Zeins section entitled, Jinn, Humans, Evil for more insight (18-19).
Topic #2: Nidas Transformation
In the first episode of Ghoul, Nida betrays her father, giving him up to the state. She is top of her class at the academy and appears to believe fully in the integrity of the government. Why, by the shows end, does Nida undergo such a drastic transformation? How does the jinn and her experience at the advanced interrogation prison alter her perception of the state? What do you make of the shows ending, and what broader social and moral message do you think the show is attempting to convey to viewers?
Topic #3: Crossing Realms in Ghoul
According to Amira El-Zein, no jinn can crossover from one realm to another without permission from God, citing a passage from ch.55 of the Quran (El-Zein 18). If this is so, why would God sanction the entry of the jinn in Ghoul who commits numerous violent murders? Do you think Nida, too, crosses into the imaginal realm when she enters the tunnel? Why might God sanction her crossing over?
Topic #4: The Quran, Amira El-Zein, and Ghoul
How does your reading of the Quran or Amira El-Zeins book change, deepen, or enhance your experience watching Ghoul? What knowledge and insight do either text (or both) provide about the jinn that adds a new layer of meaning to the show?
Topic #5: Who is the Enemy in Ghoul?
Many of the characters in the show commit moral atrocities, such as torture, violence, and murder. If you had to choose, who (or what) do you think is the enemy, the primary agent of evil, in Ghoul? What makes this character or entity so much more morally depraved than the other evil characters on the show? What evidence from the show supports your claim?
