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Nicole M. Tuma
Professor M. Jiyad
11 November 2003
Midsemester Paper: Search for the Arab Woman: An Errand of Folly
In Liyana Badr’s novel, A Balcony over the Fakihani, the reader witnesses
Yusra’s experience with water as she proclaims that, “I’ll [she’ll] stay till
I’ve [she’s] filled my [her] jerry can [even] if I [she] die[s] doing it!
(Badr, 10)” While Maha the main female character in Fadia Faqir’s Pillars of
Salt, and her husband “immersed our [their] bodies in the warm water,” (Faqir,
54) of the Dead Sea as they share their first love making experience. Yasmina teaches granddaughter Fatima of the liberating power of water in Fatima Mernissi’s lyrical coming of age account of harem life in Dreams of Trespass. While Asya, the primary female character in Ahdaf Soueif’s In the Eye of the Sun, jet sets between the pools of the posh and exclusive Cairo country clubs and summer cruises in the Mediterranean. Yet, Leila Al-Atrash’s female character Nadia only mentions water in passing as she showers to avoid the presence of her husband. While one woman is desperate for a drop of water and willing to risk her life to achieve it, others use it as a vehicle to outsmart a dominating first wife, while another fully engages with water in the convenience of her home. This variation in the Authors’ usage and need water reflects the greater diversity in the identity of the Arab woman . In the five literary works Pillars of Salt by Fadia Faqir, A Woman of Five Seasons by Leila Al-Atrash, A Balcony Over the Fakihani by Liyana Badr, Dreams of Trespass by Fatima Mernissi, and In the Eye of the Sun by Ahdaf Soueif, water can mean different things to different people and these
differing views of water reflect the diversity of class, societal expectations, education and socio-economic status that exists in Arab women. Therefore, these authors are establishing a multi-faceted view of Arab women,
and challenge the reader to abolish their own social constructions and
stereotypes about the Arab woman. In an effort to organize and disaggregate the wealth of experience and knowledge relayed through these novels this discourse ic compiled to consider the following: what is the historical image and portrayal of Arab women? How do the images represented by these authors challenge this historical image? What are the implications of a singular image of Arab women? What lessons does one learn from the multi-dimensional view of Arab women in relation to Western feminism?
Historical Images of Arab Women
Historical hindsight portrays the differences between the western world and
the Middle East as primeval conflict. These conflicts arise and persist
because of an extreme deficiency of cultural literacy which translates into
ongoing political strife, religious wars, and cultural disharmony which
continuously acts as impediments to genuine understanding and relative peace.
Contemporarily speaking, the proliferation of modern Western media combined
with these seemingly ancient sources of conflict, depicts the Arab woman as a
victim of severe patriarchal oppression, at the hands of violently dominating
Arab men. Probably one of the most misunderstood sonorously Arab, though in actuality a global phenomenon, is the practice of family arranged marriages. Critics of
this practice perceive this as an infringement on the woman’s right to choose,
a maintaining force of the paternal pattern of dominance, and denies the woman
a stake in her own future happiness. “Ms.” magazine a leading chronicler on the state of feminist affairs internationally sites the Arab world as the, “most dangerous place for a woman to practice the freedom of choice (December 1999).” Taken at surface value and without any further investigation one could confidently contend that such an allegation is
true. The permission of the father, and not the mother is formally sought
after and there appears to be no evidence of the woman in question's opinion.
Yet, the various authors’ depictions of these engagements in these novels
serve as strong examples of Arab women actively participating in the
negotiations that determine their future, and more significantly- Arab men who
are kind, compromising, and encouraging them to do so. Maha’s rendition of her life story in Faqir’s Pillars of Salt, introduces the reader to rural Bedouin life in the Jordanian valley during the British mandate in the 1920s. Typically one would assume
that Maha’s entrenchment in a rural Arab setting would account for the greater
experience with a severe patriarchal social hierarchy and consequently less of
a woman’s choice in marriage affairs. Yet despite Maha’s origin, and the
assumptions of a male dominated society, her father asks, “Will you accept
Harb?” after “He asked for [her] hand (16, Faqir).” It is only after Maha’s
approval of this proposal that her father allows for the engagement to
proceed. Therefore establishing that even in the footholds of the most
traditional Arab gender constructions, women are still given a role in the
choices that affect their lives, and though the practice of family arranged
marriages carries the façade of the absence of female influence, further
analysis of these arrangements often shows that a woman’s opinion is
significant and taken into account. The reader further witnesses the
progression of an Arab woman’s voice chronologically in Su'ad's engagement to
Umar circa 1975 in A Woman of Five Seasons. Dissolution of the details of this
engagement produces three sources of corroboration supporting the pattern of a
woman’s personal prerogative regarding marriage. Su’ad “ran to fetch a towel
for [Umar] from the bathroom. He wiped his face and opened his eyes; then he
asked me if I’d marry him (Badr, 38).” Most notably about this passage is that
the proposal directly addresses Su’ad rather than any member of her family.
The author does not go on to mention the unconventional aspect of Umar asking
Su’ad herself, and hence speaks to the apparent element of discretion that the
Arab woman harnesses in this community. Su’ad consults her family anyhow and
her “mother gave her consent but [her] father was more reluctant… he said what
settled future could [we] hope for? (38).” This reveals another point of
analysis as one recognizes the mother and father’s differences of opinion. If
this Arab social structure were as confining and oppressive as some critics
argue, than one would expect that this Arab wife would support the decision of
her husband without question. Yet, Su’ad’s mother feels confident enough to
express her discordant view of the engagement, and the father shows no
disrespect of her as result. Therefore supplying further affirmation that
erodes at the foundation of western stereotypes apropos Arab women. As the
narrative continues Su'ad “packed what clothes [she] had and with God’s help
set out for Beirut (39)” to marry Umar, in spite of her father’s clear
reluctance. There from, completely reconstructing the image of the modern Arab
woman distinctive from western ideologies: one who considers and respects the
opinions of her family, yet holds the power to make her own decisions. Al-
Atrash also examines the details of an engagement and like her counterparts
introduces Nadia’s engagement to Ihsan, though an unhappy union, as her
decision (Al-Atrash, 3).” Asya, the female narrator of In the Eye of the Sun , is told to wait to marry until she has finished the preliminary stages of her higher education (Soueif 117), but she is allowed to not only choose the man of her liking but to date him at her discretion. This example serves not only to weaken those constructions of Arab women denied the right to choose whom they marry, but is typical of the progression of Arab values and ideals as this novel is the most recent chronologically. Mernissi does not provide the reader with the details of a proposal, but she passes on precious words of advice through the interaction of Fatima and her mother. When asked what 100 percent happiness is, Fatima’s mother responds “happiness is when a person felt good, light, creative content, loving, and loved, and free ( Mernissi, 80).” This image is coupled with that of the mother “start[ing] to act foolishly, like a young girl ,and Father would chase her all around the terrace (79).” Therefore cementing in the reader mind the undoubtable bliss characteristic of this relationship. Through the intricacies of these marital unions though they are of very different women, the connection lies in the choice each was given in their future despite the apparent differences in their respective socioeconomic statuses, national affiliations, and societal expectancies which abnegates the firmly held western ideal of female oppression in the Arab world.
Negative Images of Arab Men in Relation to Arab, and the Authors’ Intentions
While the western presupposition of arranged marriages stems from the larger
perception of a fierce unrestrained male centered social system, these
contemporary Arab female authors lend some credence to these conjectures by
their portrayal of certain Arab male characters. Therefore ameliorating the
singular perception of the Arab male in relation to the Arab female and
creating a duality of character, which results in a more realistic
representation of the Arab male. Though Maha’s husband Harb and Father
consistently treat her with loving respect reflecting their consanguineous
relationships, her brother Daffash stands in stark contrast to the examples
set by these men. The reader first engages with this character when Nara
accuses him of rape. Maha questions Nasra, “Did he force you?” She
replies, “Under my breast, his dagger, I swear.” In response Daffash “point[s]
his finger at Nasra and says, ‘you stopped struggling and lay back. You
enjoyed it (12, Faqir).’” Eventually Daffash acquires the rifle Maha was
originally pointing at him and screams, “I will kill both of you, crazy whores
(12).” It is startling to consider this man is speaking so cruelly to his own
sister and a victim of his act of rape. The author continues to explore the
harsh nature of Daffash towards Maha in several other scenes. When Maha gives
birth to her child after the death of her husband Daffash exclaims, “Since
you’ve given birth to a man you may stay in my house (144).” Therefore
acquainting the reader with an example of unabashed chauvinism that exists in
some parts Arab culture. Albeit these gross examples of cruelty towards women
at the hands of Daffash, such behavior does not prepare the reader for the
last memories of Daffash Maha shares. After the death of Daffash and Maha's
father, he bequeaths his land to her rather than Daffash. Daffash
responds, “Little sister it is my property” and then “He took out a piece of
yellowish paper and said, “Sign this (202).” When Maha refuses to relinquish
her right to the property, Daffash “pulled out a black pistol and he put the
cold mouth of the barrel on [Maha’s] temple (202).” Though he threatens to
kill her, he decides instead he “will not dirty [his] hands with [her] blood,”
and explains “Sheikh Talib has proposed and [He] gave him his word (203).”
This startling sequence of event unmasks the savage and violent hierarchical
social configuration that westerners and feminists foment. Another example of
this negative depiction of the Arab male in Pillars of Salt surfaces in the
story of Um Saad’s engagement. While the reader applauds the kindness Maha’s
father displays when considering her engagement, the action of Um Saad’s
father serves as additional evidence to support the negative conventions about
Arab men. Um Saad’s father is taking her to a wedding after weeks of
confinement as punishment in the house. She asks her father, “Whose wedding is
it?” and he replies, “Yours (102, Faqir).” Therefore displaying for the reader
an example of an Arab woman whose Father denies her of any choice. Soueif also provides the reader with an example of cruel physical violence in her novel, during an afternoon study session between Chrissie and Asya. Chrissie’s brother Taha sees her walking in the street unattended with an unknown man. He tells her and her mother Muneera that, “He must tell Father ().” Upon the father’s arrival and his subsequent conversation with his son Taha he comes roaring in, “WHERE IS SHE ?.(Soueif, 120 )” His wife attempted to stop his physical assault on his daughter and “she is like a sash draped across his massive body ( ).” He screams, “From today you are not going to university anymore. It’s over (120).” While Muneera protests and begs, “What about her future?” He [Sidki],” comes forward again and swings out at [Munerra]. The blow from the back of his right hand catches her on the chest and she falls against the doorpost and sinks (121).”As he reaches Chrissie his “ open right palm fist smashes into her face,” and Asya flees from the tumultuous scene back to the safety of her own home. Yet one must consider why these authors juxtapose several examples of morally just men with some morally perverse men. Perhaps, the intention of such a comparison is to suggest that indeed isome sectors of Arab society are patriarchal even to the point of shocking violence, but despite the presence of these iniquitous forces, morally just Arab men do exist and outnumber those who are not. This relates to Arab women because to recognize that morally corrupt men are not the majority is to recognize the idea paramount to all three of these novels, the point of which are to expose a cross-section of Arab culture to those who may not be familiar with the variation in circumstance that the term ‘Arab
woman’ possesses.
The Diversity of the term Arab Women
To rely on these five novels about Arab women, written by Arab women,
produces an aberration of the stereotypical image and instead weaves a diverse
fabric of situations and circumstance. Nadia is the prominent female character
in A Woman of Five Seasons, and rather than dealing with the physical abuse of
an older brother, or arriving at her own wedding with no knowledge of the
arrangement Nadia must answer her husband when he asks, “What artists have
divorced or married this week? (Al-Atrash, 33).” To recall the frivolous
nature of the obstacles facing Nadia’s life is not done in an effort to
question her worth or efficacy, on the contrary such distinction is key to
recognizing the variety of struggles and women that is the Arab woman. Nadia
and her husband Ihsan flock to the fictional state Barqais to seek their
fortune in the nation’s oil industry. Ihsan her husband is constantly
contemplating another plan or gimmick to forward his wealth. His goal in
acquiring these newfound riches is to “cover [Nadia] in diamonds, right down
to the soles of [her feet] (Al-Atrash, 13).” Nadia’s reaction to this thrust
into a new upper crust social setting wonders, “What’s going on in that head
of his? Can’t he see he’s tiring me out, thrusting me toward a great open sea?
(12).” Throughout the novel Nadia struggles with her greater thirst for
intellectual satisfaction and the lack of which she receives through her
relationship with Ihsan. The author represents this need for mental
stimulation and sense of moral reality in Nadia's life as "another person
inside of [her], sexless, a person who feels and thinks... A person who rises
above anything Ihsan ever thinks about (35, Al-Atrash)." Therefore
establishing Nadia's personal challenge as an Arab woman as conquering the
existing gender constructions which associate free thinking and critical
social thought with "maleness” and her "powerless [ness] to rise to resistance
and refusal (35)" of these unwritten social rules. This is similar to the
challenges Maha and Um Saad face in Pillars of Salt, as both by their nature,
actions, and wishes continue to confront the social constraints they face as
women. Such restrictions include Um Saad’s husband’s decision to marry a
second much younger wife (Faqir, 151), Maha’s struggle to acquire the property
her father left for her, and Maha’s refusal to remarry another man despite the
permission her brother grants. A Balcony over the Fakihani indulges the reader
with the quotidian struggle of survival as a refugee in a war torn region.
This novel consists of three short stories all of which introduce the reader
to the uprooting of these characters from Palestine in 1948, to Jordan in
1970, and Beirut the same year. The first of the three short stories
begins by describing “[their] house they lived [at] for about a year. [The]
house was at the side of the road, an eerie house with no doors, no windows,
no floor and no sanitation (4).” The family moves to a shelter after this
location and “the enemy was right on [them], and anyone who peeped out would
be instantly shot at by snipers (7).” Yet the most horrifying scene “Exodus”,
recalls when Yusra’s young brother is “asked ‘Lebanese or
Palestinian?’ ‘Palestinian,” Jamal answered. A bullet to the head just like
that (14).” As if this was not painful enough for the family they “couldn’t
stop or lean over him. If any of [them] were to stop by somebody who’s been
killed, they’d pick them out and finish them off at once (15).” Despite this
trail of tears Yusra and her family trek from their native homeland, while she
is pregnant she believes that her baby “would be a Palestinian, from its first
moment in the world (25).” This quotation encompasses the essence of all the
challenges these Arab women face in this novel: rectifying their national
identity with their exile and position as refugees. Unlike the quest for higher education, or the everyday struggle to survive, Soueif’s main character, not much different from her own life, faces no underlying struggle throughout her life. The last half of the novel explores the miscommunication between her and her husband Saif, their sexual frustration and his “princess” view of her. Yet her stated goal in life is obscure, while she consistently likens her self to characters in passionate western novellas ( 218). To recall these various characters and their wishes, hopes, challenges, goals, and restrictions does
not translate into a singular image of the Arab woman. By these very
differences these only one concept is clearly visible: that there ceases to
exist one image of the Arab woman because of these differences in social
structures, societal norms and expectations which vacillate into distinct
struggles and causes which ultimately make these women unique.
Political Implications of a Singular Image of Arab Women
This discourse initially describes the diversity of the Arab woman, explores
that diversity through the characters in the respective novels, and finally
seeks to determine what the perceptions are of Arab women in the western
world, and the subsequent implications of such a portrayal. This image of
primitive cruelty towards women at the hands of non-European men, non-
Christian men, is centuries old, and similar to the modern global political
arena as such elocution serves as arguments for imperialistic ventures. E.M.
Forster’s widely read novel Passage to India on the British raj in India tells
through the character of Ronny that the harshness and cruelty of this Indian
culture spoke to the need of the British in India, because without them peace
would be an impossibility for these people. Such rationale seems out of place
in the contemporary context of radical racial progression and enlightenment
ideals regarding racial equality that modernly prevail. Despite these strides
towards cultural and racial harmony, these ideas still permeate the political
consensus today, and are evident in recent global military actions.
Looking to western media sources to determine the identity of the Arab woman
would be to succumb to one particular image. These sources including popular
news television stations such as CNN or the BBC, magazines and newspapers like
The New York Times, and The Washington Post portray the Arab woman usually in
a boorka which leaves only her eyes visible, in the presence of a mandated
male relative and a constant victim of patriarchal oppression.
Those ‘exclusive’ interviews that reach western living rooms with ‘Arab women
on the sidelines’ of whatever conflict at hand, speak often of their lack of
education, strict religious and cultural regulations, and excruciatingly cruel
father, brother, or husband. One cannot depreciate the power of such expansion
of this singular image, as most westerners especially in the United States
rely on television and popular media sources as their primary source for
global news. This image of the Arab woman also serves as justification for
several feminist proclamations, movements, and full-scale wars as it did
imperial conquests. In 2001 United States President George Bush encases his
war on Afghanistan with such humanitarian rhetoric as, “To liberate the women
of this oppressive patriarchal regime.” It remains debatable whether this was
a portion of the grounds for war or an excuse masking political self-interest.
Regardless this image of abuse along with other factors, led a nation to
support its president and his actions. Therefore undoubtedly iterating the
significance of this type of representation of Arab women. This oppressive
debatably politically calculated model of representation of Arab woman has
implications for the image of the Arab male as well. If these women are
experiencing such harsh and oblique existences, than it is these men who are
inflicting such a lifestyle on them. Following this line of reasoning, it is
morally justifiable to invade these Arab countries, install the trappings of
democracy, and control the resources- for humanitarian reasons, of course.
Implications for Western Feminism in Relation to the Arab World
The variation of portrayal of the financial, social, moral, and religious differences evident through these five novels has significant implications for Western feminism, and how is translates into the Arab world. Dreams of Trespass at first look highlights, “tales of a harem childhood”. When many with a westernized world view see this novel, without reading it, the imagination might conjure up the picture of several beautiful women at the sexual service and whim of a portly, hirsute, and wealthy Arab man. It is only in the footnotes of the novel that Mernissi distinguishes that this harem which was the setting of her childhood was “domestic, are more of an extended family, with hardly any erotic dimension to speak of (Mernissi, 35).” She goes on to say that “what defines it is a harem is not polygamy but, [a] wish to maintain an extended household rather than break into nuclear units (35).” The harem also served as a type of “safeway” house for women who were mistreated, like Fatima’s Aunt the famed family story teller Aunt Habiba, and also a “ground of negotiation” for those women unhappy with their filial circumstances (51).” Therefore the western first glance fails to consider all the positive aspects of this lifestyle and only takes into account the seclusion of the women, women who are highly educated, cultured, and opinionated. When Chrissie is beaten by her father in Soueif’s account, one immediately reacts with sorrow and anger towards a father who would so savagely physically attack his daughter. Yet, one cannot ignore the inquiries posed at this juncture saying, “You would shame me in front of people? You would drag the Tarbulsi name in the mud ? ( Soueif, 121)” Here the father is referring to the Arab social structure which hinges upon the idea of family name, and honor. Western social structures are without such an ideal, and so it brings to bear the question of whether such western ideals can indeed be imposed upon the Arab world when they are so different? Working within that framework of the importance of honor, which exists in many cultures outside of Arab culture including African and Asian cultures, Sidki’s actions seem justified considering the breach of honor and respect that Chrissie committed. With just these two examples, it becomes clear that the measurement of progression or liberation of women in the Arab world will consistently be inaccurate because of these inherent social differences, and when looking to form an opinion on the station of women in the Arab context one must be cognizant of the diversity of women in this social sphere, and more importantly recognize the differences between the two social hierarchies, prior to judgment.
In closing, the quest to find the identity of the Arab woman is an errand of
folly, as she embodies a myriad of experiences, dreams, hopes, needs, and
aspirations. This variation of representation as in such literature as A
Balcony over the Fakihani, Pillars of Salt, and A Woman of Five Seasons, Dreams of Trespass, and In the Eye of the Sun are incredibly significant because they serve not only as sources which explore the variation of Arab women that exist, but also the diversity of men that interact with them- men that are sometimes patriarchal, morally perverse, but
more so respectful and loving. Enriching the gender discourse about Arab men
and women is imperative especially in this modern context, as the exploitation
of a singular image can be implemented as justification for war and challenges the ideals of Western feminism in relation to the Arab world.