Lawrence of Arabia

• Epic
• Gone native

Epic

This is an epic infused with a personal story, set during the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans and the First World War. T. E. Lawrence is insolent, clever, and charismatic. Lawrence leads the Arabs in their attack on Aqaba. He earns the Arabs’ respect by rescuing an Arab lost in the desert. The British and the French intend to partition the Middle East after the war was over, which appalls Lawrence. Lawrence urges the Arabs to govern Damascus without help from the British. Lawrence is dismayed— in the heat of war, as it were— at his own barbarity.

Gone native

Lawrence comes to believe that the Arabs deserve the same respect as a white person. To get rid of him, the British promote him and send him back to Britain.