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Male and Female Interpretations of Sexuality and Gender in Religion
Dreams of Trespass, Eye of the Sun, Balcony over Fakihani, Pillars of Salt, and A Woman of Five Seasons all have female protagonist who try to change their surroundings to better fit their individual ideas about the advancement of women, regardless of perceived religious ideas by the men in their lives. There are many false assumptions that can be made when looking at these books through a “Western lens” most importantly when making the distinction between the Muslim religion and its practical application by the men in these novels. In each novel it should be defined that the traditional gender roles are at times enforced by men but the question is; is this always done for religious reasons or for the human desire for control? Sexuality in these novels is of particular concern because it is the primary means of control for the men. It is important to examine if women can be equal while still maintaining their traditional Muslim roots. Fatima Mernissi best defines this in Drams of Trespass by conveying that Muslim women can keep their traditional dress and also explores the same freedoms as women in the West. In Pillars of Salt, Mana is granted inheritance rights by her father, but is condemned by the society of men and women. In Eye of the Sun, Asya mocks religious convictions in their relation to the flesh and sexuality. In A Woman of Five Seasons, like in Dreams of Trespass, the men only want to be “Western” when it benefits themselves and “traditional” in their relationships with the women. There are differing interpretations of sexuality in relation to religion by the men and women in these novels. At times the men are truly religious and try to allow women freedom within their own feminine domain; however other men in these novels desire a western lifestyle where it is convenient for them to believe in this, while subordinating women hypocritically and justifying it through religion.
Fatima Mernissi portrays the relationship between men and women in her book Dreams of Trespass by defining the separation of men and women as domains that are given by Allah. Much of this separation is justified by saying it is to eliminate evil sexual temptation. Fatima’s father states on the very first page of the book, “When Allah created the earth, said Father, he separated men from women, and put a sea between Muslims and Christians for a reason” (Mernissi, p.1). The difference in freedoms between men and women, as expressed by Fatima’s father are not done for subordination, are justified under a religious pretense. This is an example of a justified separation of the sexes. This same idea of religious separation is then used later in the book to justify the men keeping the women from gaining access to the key to the salon, in order to avoid the loss of control of the women by men. Fatima’s Father and Uncle are the only ones who possess the keys to the salon. The women see gaining access into the salon and listening to the radio as breaking the barrier between men and women and thus expressing their own unique non-Western form of feminism. They are not trying to be like the men, they simply want to be able to do what the men do and enter their domain. Fatima’s father is not unfair to the women because of reasons of male egotism, but rather for fear of loosing tradition. He always tries to compromise with his wife by bringing her food after hours of when the co-wives eat and other such niceties. He wants to please his wife as a person; however he does not want to break from the traditional system, in order to please his mother. Her father is an example of a man who is preserving tradition against Western culture for both men and women. He sees the separation of men and women as part of the definition of his culture, but does not demonstrate this hypocritically. Her father states, “As long as my mother lives, I wouldn’t betray the tradition” (Mernissi, p. 77). Not all of the men in the book are non-hypocritical when it comes to understanding the Koran and the interpretation as it applies to men and women.
Cousin Zin is a male character that preaches tradition, but dresses in a typically “Western” fashion. He exemplifies the hypocritical nature of the men in the book who believe that women should preserve the tradition and uses religion as justification; however he does not apply this reverence to himself and other men. Although the women are expected to dress in a traditional fashion, Fatima’s father tells Cousin Zin, “’But what good does our dress do,’ Father joked one day to my young cousins sitting around him, ‘ when all you young people dress like Rudolph Valentino?’” (Mernissi, p. 85). The enforcement traditional dress among the young women as opposed to the young men points to a double standard on straying from tradition and thus religion. Conclusively, particular men in this book, such as Cousin Zin use the traditional and religious justifications as a way to control the women through their dress. The older generation, such as Fatima’s father applies the rules of propriety and separation equally to men and women and thus observe these traditions for legitimate reasons.
Dreams of Trespass, is an example of a book where the men do not possess the women with a religious justification. In some ways, Mernissi is pointing out that it may be best for the women to pursue their own brand of feminism within their own domain. Proof of this is that not only do the men believe in separation of the sexes, but so do some of the women in this book. This presents two different sides of the traditional feminist argument for equality. On one side, Lala Thore believes that men and women should be separated for reasons of propriety. She states, “If women were not separated from the men, society would come to a halt and work would not get done” (Mernissi, p.40. Lala Thore’s desire for traditional separation is a practical example of a strong woman who desires to keep the domains of men and women separate. Lala Mahani, the paternal grandmother, is an advocate of traditional dress for women believing that this avoids temptation for many of the reasons that Lala Thore believes in separate spheres. From a “Western” point of view this can be seen as oppressive, but in the feminism in the context of this book, the separation of men and women can just be practical. As with the way the men are portrayed in this book, she is the voice of traditionalism and practicality.
Fatima’s mother takes a much different stance on the separation of men and women by believing that the women should be able to do everything the men do. She also argues against the religious justification of separation. Her mother is a religious woman who references Allah a number of times throughout the book; however she never equates spirituality with religion. Mernissi states, “She (Mother) had always rejected male superiority as non-sense and totally anti-Muslim – ‘Allah made us all equal,’ she would say” (Mernissi, p.9). Fatima’s mother is a more progressive feminist, believing in the exact equality between men and women. She understands that advancement for women does not have to compromise traditional Muslim culture. Her mother has foresight enough to know that just because a woman has the freedom to smoke or choose what to wear it does not have to compromise her tradition or religious beliefs. She looks at her situation through the Western lens; whereby she believes that religion can be used at times as justification for make superiority. In reality the Koran does not preach male superiority, but in Fatima’s mothers’ opinion and in the opinion of many women in these books, the men use religion to justify the subordination and separation of men and women. Her mother is a woman of faith whose religion cannot be compromised by what she wears or how she expresses herself.
Fatima’s mother is inspired by another woman who believes that the men make the rules only to benefit themselves. Yasmina serves as the inspiration for the mother’s modern feminist mentality. She believes the women are at fault for their own subordination, “Instead of dutifully cooking and washing dishes all the time, they will find a way to change the rules and turn the whole planet upside down” (Mernissi, p.63). She also believes in the type of equality that Fatima’s mother takes on. This is type equality in which men and women do the exact same job and are on the same level. Her justification for equality is also religious. She states “Are we Muslim of not? If we are, everyone is equal, Allah said so. His prophet preached the same.’ Yasmina said that I should never accept inequality, for it was not logical” (Mernissi, p.26). The female justification of equality using religion as bases is the exact same framework the men use to justify men and women as separate. This proves that the subordination or equality of women in the Koran is subjective, depending on the interpretation of the reader and their motivation behind that interpretation.
In Pillars of Salt, there is also a strong link between religion and sexuality. In this case, the men expect the women to be virtuous according to the Koran. Maha’s father is an example of a man who is protective of his daughter, not for reasons of control, but rather to support her and protect her in the way he sees possible. Maha’s father plays against Western stereotypes of a dominating father, as he goes as far as to allow Maha inheritance rights when her brother does not live up to the standards of the man of the family. He also allows her to marry whom she chooses and accepts Harbs’ request for her hand in marriage. Maha’s father rectifies being a religious man and does not use this incorrectly as justification of subordination. His religious convictions as a truly Muslim man come out when he is speaking about his wife. He praises the woman in his life and blesses her, “May Allah grant you happiness for the good deeds of your mother Maliha, Amen” (Faquir, p. 22).
Maha’s brother Daffash is the opposite of her Father in his relationship with women, particularly with regard to sexuality. Maha describes a situation in which her friend Nasra comes crying to her that she was raped by her brother. Nara’s primary concern is of course her virginity and virtue, proving that both the men and women are concerned about the greater religious and societal repercussions of a woman’s virginity. Maha says, “My friend has lost her virginity, her honor, her life. She was nothing now. No longer a virgin, absolutely nothing. A piece of flesh. A cheap whore” (Faqir, p. 11). Maha believes that Nasra is now nothing, because she has lost her virginity. Maha is a product of her environment in that although she thinks of Nasra as a victim of a crime against her body, she still is expressing that she is cast aside in the Muslim society. Here Maha is concerned about the tradition of remaining a virgin not any religious ramification. She is speaking for a male dominated societal interpretation of what happened to Nasra. There is a double standard here on keeping virginity intact. Even though Nasra will be punished by her society, the male, Daffash will not face consequences. The inequality of punishment, in many instances, is not unlike rape in a Western society. Although Daffash was clearly at fault for the rape, Maha’s father, even though he is a respectable man still told Nasra, “ And you should not have tempted him” (Faqir, p. 13). The women are helpless against men when it comes to sex.
Maha is also worried about preserving her virginity, not for religious convictions, but because of the judgment of society if she does not uphold the tradition of propriety. This is evident when Harb asks to come visit her prior to their marriage. Ironically, Maha appears to be concerned of what Harb will think of her if she gives in and allows him to visit her at night before their marriage. Maha explains, “Would I venture out at that odd hour to meet Harb? Would Harb look down on me if I did meet him? Was he like other men in our tribe? What if Daffash found out?” (Faqir, p.13). She ultimately waits for Harb to ask her father for her hand in marriage and respects tradition. She remembers what her mother tells her about men believing that women need to be pure because they are sent down from heaven. In this case, another woman is enforcing the idea of a woman preserving her virginity for the benefit of the man and societal norms.
These societal assumptions about virginity and there religious interpretations are up for interpretation. The Storyteller exemplifies the misinterpretation of the Muslim religion and demonstrates a self-righteous onlooker. She praises the man who has stolen Nasra’s virginity, Daffash. The storyteller portrays Daffash as a religious man, “Daffash is a thin, bright man, full of ideas and keen to modernize his backward village… He used to carry the compasses of travelers… and relate to them what people say about them to what people say about them and translate what is written on the stones from colloquial Arabic” (Faqir,p.29). It is ironic here that Daffash is the one who is translating and interpreting religion when he himself has the wrong interpretation. The Storyteller speaks in religious terms and often makes reference to Allah; however she is the opposite of the true meaning of Islam.
Although Maha is progressive thinking in the context of her society, she is still appalled at the way the Western women flaunt their sexuality for men and the lack of separation between the sexes. Maha observes, “They were women and I was a woman too, but they were so different. One of them was wearing a tight dress with a wide, shamefully short skirt. I lowered my eyes. Every part of the woman’s body was reveled by the light material” (Faquir,p.33). Maha appears to be embarrassed for them and their exposing themselves to the men in the room. It is Interesting that these Western women are acquaintances of Daffash. Daffash represents the flaw in Western society; however his opinions toward sexuality could be interpreted by a Westerner as very traditionalist. This discrepancy proves that any subjugation of women is not a religious difference in cultures, but rather a wrong societal interpretation. The Storyteller in the novel, who is arguably the opposite of Maha in her attitude, interestingly also criticizes the Western women much in the same way as Maha.
Um Saad’s experience with regard to sexuality and the separation of men and women is very different and, in fact, stricter than the way Maha is asked to behave. Although Um Saad is a city-dweller, her sexuality must be more subtle than Mahas’- a country girl. When Um Saad is sent to school it is potentially beneficial opportunity; however her Mother “made me( Um Saad) wear a long black skirt, a black cape, covered my had and my face with a black veil. Hot masked, and unable to breath, I walked to the kutab, the religious school run by the mosque” (Faqir,p.38). What is important to note in this passage is that it is Um Saads’s mother, a woman, who decides to put her daughter in the hijab. Also, it is a religious school, but as a child she appears to be suffering in the garb her mother tells her to wear. Her mother is incorrect about the dress code for the religious school, as it appears her teacher is more progressive and asks her to,” take off your mask, Haniyyeh, you cannot see with that ting on” (Faqir, p.38). Unfortunately for Um Saad, in the end, even after she learn how to read and write her father made her stay home with her mother. In this way, Um Saad’s mother seems to be much more progressive than her father. Her father is trying to reinforce old traditions, not religion, by keeping her in her role as domestic in the house with her mother.
There is a strong relation to honor and virginity, be it a religious or traditional concept. When Maha gets married to Harb it is important that her virginity is proven. As in the West, there is of course a double standard for men and women as far as preservation of virginity. It is only vital that the female is a virgin on her wedding night. There is quite a threatening scene over the people waiting outside for proof of Meha’s virginity, “All the members of the tribe would wait outside the door for proof of my virginity… What would he do to me? I was about to loose some blood. Was it like an ordinary period?”(Faqir, p. 44. It is obvious from this passage that sexuality is not discussed in Maha’s culture by her naiveté. She is expected to be a virgin; however she does not have any reference for why or how. When Harb does not have intercourse with her, she is afraid of what it will do to her family’s honor because it means that she cannot produce blood to prove her chastity. Maha says, “the shame of it will kill my father. They will not leave us alone until we hand then a piece of white cloth dripping with blood”(Faqir,p.45).
Some women in the novel, such as Harb’s mother pressure Maha to remain in her traditional domain; what she considers to be appropriate for women. When Meha does not become pregnant immediately, she bothers her about this. Aunt Tamam also badgers her about her lack of fertility. Maha explains,” Oh, how I hated the sight of my menstrual blood sticking out its tongue to me every twenty-eight days. Yes, Tamam, the barrel was empty. Yes, Maha’s belly was small as ever, her breast were as limp as ever, and her period visited regularly” (Faqir,p.67).
Maha’s pregnancy also points to her fulfillment in her traditional role, be it religious or traditional. She is elated to fine out she is with-child. Maha states,” I must be pregnant. I rubbed my belly gently and whispered, ’welcome my son the herb that will heal all my wounds” (Faqir, p.118. She is also relieved to give birth to a boy. As a woman, she understands the opportunity level is better for a male child; also this helps her own status and reinforces the support of her family and community.
Maha’s father is a fair man; however is pressured to keep within societal norms when it comes to allowing his daughter inheritance rights. Father tells Maha, “My daughter, you are better than the spandrel brother of yours. I wish you were a man because the land must go to its ploughman” (Faqir,p. 173). Daffash of course contests his father’s justified favoritism toward the female child. Eventually he decides to give the land to Maha and her son, “I always wanted to be strong to protect you, but Allah wrote something else. The land must go to the ploughman. No, ploughwoman. The land is yours Maha” ( Faqir,p.180). Meha’s father interprets the Koran to reflect its religious and spiritual message of hard work, rather than using semantics to say that the man should have the land and thus power.
To justify Maha’s inheritance her father just has an oral will instead of a written one. He decides that if a man helps he gets more of the land. In this case, the man did not help, so it is only right in the spirit of the text to give inheritance to the woman. Her brother is once again conniving by trying to marry her sister off. The women in the novel, of course, take the side of her father because they know how hard Maha works on the land.
In the end, it is Maha’s strength as a woman and her attempt to go against the system that sends her to the mental hospital. When Maha stands up for herself on the courtyard with all the men, including her brother, she is encouraged by the presence of her grandmother. She notices, ”My grandmother’s mirror, the almost finished carpet spread on the floor, the blue rocking bed… stared silently at me” (Faqir,p.210).In this way, she is holding power against the men. The men use religious wording to describe what they are instructed to do to Maha; however their actions do not reflect religious action. One man shouts,” May Allah damn the sinner. You are all infidels…stone the sinner” (Fiqir,p.216). With that, they stone Maha. Her own brother turns her in and claims that she is a crazy woman. When the men shout and speak their minds it is justified, when the woman does it she is deemed “crazy.” Not only that, but it is done with blasphemous words and misinterpretation of religious texts.
In A Woman of Five Seasons, the men in this book subordinate the woman as compared to the aforementioned, for example Nadia’s husband inhibits her mentally because he tells her not to read real books. Nadia’s mother does not stand up for her, but rather is in the same position as the man in this book with her ideas of traditionalism and domesticity. Nadia is somewhere in between her mother and husband and wanting to become an independent woman. As the book progresses, she makes positive changes to become more feminist, although the change is slight. The ideas of Eastern verse Western thought come through in that the men in this book, as in Dreams of Trespass, try and emulate the west while still keeping the women traditional.
First of all, Nadia’s intelligence is offended when her husband tells her to only read nonsensical material. She is so accustomed to this that she responds, “She talked well, and lately about fashions and artists. She didn’t insist, now, on having books” (Al-Atrash,p.4). This is proof of her acceptance of her situation and also demonstrates the level of control wielded by her husband. He also only views her as an object that he needs to adorn. Her husband believes that she should have Western-style frivolities, but he does not want to allow her the freedoms believed to be Western.
Nadia’s husband continuously tells Nadia the story of his friend’s wife who is ideal and subordinate. It seems he is almost trying to brain wash her with this information, but Nadia seems to see through this and almost pieties the woman. She tells, “That recalls the story of the bride of Faris. The wife of one of his staff had become pregnant straight after her marriage… The question always nagged me. What made her even think of doing it?..was it to kill time?” (Al-Atrash,p.31). This is a sign that Nadia could be ready to make a change.
There is also the idea of proving motherhood, much like the Pillars of Salt and many of the other novels. The men in the books insist that the women become pregnant not just to propagate, but also for reasons of status and self-image. This is evident in the pressure women feel in performing their prescribed duty at a mother. Unlike the western feminism and gender distinctions, Nadia appears to be accepting of her role as a mother. She doesn’t question postponing school to make her husband pleased. Nadia expresses, “He insisted I become pregnant…I stopped my studies that year, even though Iban and my mother had agreed I should finish them after we were married”(Al-Atrash,p.41).
Nadia finds herself empowered by one of the women in the West, by the name of Jessica. This woman opens Naida’s eyes to many freedoms. Nadia realizes the wrong treatment by her husband and seeks to fix their problems to a certain degree. It is a Western woman who interprets feminism not only as a fair treatment of women in their domain, but also goes as far as to hold an equal job as men. Jessica introduces Nadia to the Real Estate Business and Nadia is intrigued by her power as a woman.
For the most part A Woman of Five Seasons does not make mention of religion. Even with lack of religious reference, it can be inferred from other books that the mistreatment of women and the separation of men and women in their perceived ability and status are due to the misinterpretation of religion by the male characters. Unlike the other books, the majority of the men in A Woman of Five Seasons are bad people who mentally abuse the women. The characters seem to worship wealth over spirituality.
In Balcony over the Fakihani, religion plays a major role as ties to political events. Religion as spirituality is limited in this book. The women in Balcony are treated relatively well. The overwhelming political climate in this book tends to deemphasize the traditional gender roles and work to equalize the women a bit. Therefore, the men are less likely to subordinate women and justify it through religion.
Politically, as with sexually, religion is used at times to justify negative actions. This is true not only in Arabic cultures, but also in the West and in “Western” religions. For example, in the beginning of the book and in the first story, the Christian soldiers are randomly killing people. Yusra reflects that the armed men had,” crosses around their necks” (Badr:14). Yusra also mentions the irony of saying one believes in god and then justifying such heinous behavior,” For God’s sake,’he said to them. ’Which God’ they replied” (Badr:14). The division between religious cultures is profound here and both are using the name of god. Even though the Christians in this case are not specifically from the West, there is a cultural division associated with the different religions that cause divide. This division in itself is a human construct and is of course not in the doctrine of Christianity or Islam.
The protagonist in the first story is part of the effort to fight, granting her more control than is seen in any of the other novels. The women are equal where it helps the man’s cause. Because the men and women in Lebanon are oppressed equally by outside forces, this leaves little room for strife and division between the sexes. In the first story, Yusra meets her future husband Ahmed in a Palestinian camp. When they fall in love they are able to marry, because women who fight are considered independent and thus are granted to right to marry whomever they choose. This is a monumental break from the traditional marriage; whereby families arrange a marriage. In this case, Yusra does not even have to have her union approved.
In the second story of A Balcony Over The Fakihani, there is yet another example of a woman who is able to choose whoever she wants to marry as a result of her political situation. In this story, Umar is fighting the PLO in Beirut. While the main character Umar is in the camp and takes a break to wash his face, in a romantic interlude, Sa’ud brings him a towel to wipe his face and he proposes to her. Similarly to Yusra, Sa’ud is able to marry Umar without an arrangement. Sa’ud is respectful of tradition and is concerned over what her parents might say. Her mother is more lenient, but the progressive marriage causes some discourse with her father. Sa’ud explains, “When I plucked up the courage to tell them, my mother gave her consent, but my father was more reluctant” (Badir, p. 38). As with most of this novel, her father’s concerns are more political than over traditionalism. He is worried that her husband is a fida’i and the political repercussions of this.
In this narrative, the protagonist female is shown in two different lights. Sa’ud represents on one hand more of a traditional separation of men and women; whereby the women are in the house. On the other side, she has served in the military; a traditionally male role. In this way, this novel is the best depiction of Western- type feminism, because she is able to succeed in both the traditional male domain and the female domain. In one scene the book depicts Sau’d as very domestic. Badr writes, “ The first day I was delighted; I’ve got a home at last, I said, and enthusiastically set about cleaning and tidying and dusting it” ( Badr:42). Sau’d goes on to resent the housework as she becomes concerned with her pregnancy, but it is interesting that the author depicts her in both lights.
When it comes to pregnancy it is easy to see where there is a divide in the treatment of women in these novels. Sa’ud’s husband is supportive of any decision she makes, but she tells that he sways her to keep her fourth child. Sa’ud explains in regard to Umar that,” It was he who wanted the last one; the pregnancy had come by mistake, but he didn’t encourage me to have an abortion, asking me instead what I had against a large family. I respected his wishes…”( Badr: 48). Sa’ud and her husband appear to have a respectful relationship in this regard.
Even though there are not religious justifications for sexual separation in this book, there are signs of cultural modesty when it comes to the separation of men and women. Sa’ud notes that in Beirut she is embarrassed to be too physically close to Umar. She also notes that, “Since the people we were staying with weren’t married and staying with them any longer would have meant constraints on both sides, we had to move and find a home of our own” ( Badr, p. 41). This passage is of course once again referring to the type of sexual modesty practiced in Lebanon at this time.
Umar’s relationship with Louisa takes on a very different tone as she is a Western woman. When Umar is being cared for in a foreign country, the woman who is there for him becomes questionably a romantic interest for him. In a way he appears to admire her for her strength and her differing allure than Sa’ud. Even though the Arab women in this story have more freedom than the ones in the other books, it is still unlikely that out of the context of the war these same women would walk around freely with married men. In the West, they are not looked down upon for being seen together in public, this is juxtaposed to when Umar and Sa’ud are in Beirut. Sa’ud feels immodest to be seen even walking to closely to her own husband. Umar observes,” She’d go to the shops with me , gaily pointing out shoes for my daughter or a coat for my son, or look around to find the most beautiful shawl for my wife” (Badr,p. 59). This section of the book makes a case for the separation of men and women in a practical sense, because there is a fine line that these two characters tow. They are living in a fantasy world whereby everything is copasetic and they aren’t doing anything shameful. It leads one to believe that the possible separation of men and women could prevent this type of interlude. He describes her as “Louisa; the reality and the dream” (Badr, p.60). Although this book does not directly address sexuality and its religious and traditional application, it is evident that it makes a case for the former. Ultimately, Umar does the right thing and even though he is in love with Louisa, he tries his best to stay by his wife by preventing Louisa from visiting.
In the final book In The Eye of the Sun, we see a completely different attitude towards sex, gender, and religion. The presence of religion is apparent in the novel and it times almost seems mocked. The protagonist female Asys has a different attitude toward sex and its empowerment than the women in the other novels. Instead of desiring an Eastern feminism, whereby she wants equality to a man, she desires only sexual freedom. There is little restriction or separation between Asya and the men in the novel because much of the story takes place in western countries such as Italy and England.
Asya’s job is in family planning. This type of job whereby sex is overtly discussed is acceptable in Algeria, but not in Cairo. The stronger presence of the predominant Muslim religion makes it more difficult for a woman to discuss sex and to advocate for birth control rights publicly. Historically, the Egyptians, like the Catholics have an objection to family planning, they believe that only got has control over such matters. Be this a religious issue or one of interpretation and subjugation, woman can be harmed when their bodies are not in their control, such as planning when to have a child. It is of course most difficult to Asya to convince the men in Egypt of the concept of family planning and, in fact, even Nassar is against it. In its larger political context, even the Muslim Brotherhood gets involve in this issue.
Asys has a great freedom to education, similar to that of a man. In her university days in Cairo she describes that her friend Crissy obtains her fathers collection of pornography. When discussing the current political situation in Egypt, Asys’s friend Nadia tells her that, “ You wouldn’t recognize the University now, Asya: half of the girls are wearing the hijab; a particular angular version of the hijab that makes them look like the Sphinx” ( Soueif, p. 17). The conservative groups in Cairo are trying to make a political statement about conservatism and the first people to be affected and made an example of are the women. The hijab originates from interpretation of the Koran that implies that women should be covered for reasons of modesty and respect. Even this legitimate reasoning is up for interpretation, but in this case, the only reason for the hijab is so that the men can make a political statement.
When designing her pamphlets for family planning Asya tries to come up with designs that deemphasize religion as much as possible. She says “Shit. This won’t do. OK. Go back and cross out all those references to the will and grace of God? Now what? Now it doesn’t sound like the way anyone would talk in Arabic” (Soueif, p.23). Again, her language tries hard to stray away from traditional religious teachings. Asys instead tries to empower women through sexual freedom. In this way Asys is very Western in her views on sexuality. Aysa imagines how her cause will play out in the reality of an Arab culture. She pictures her friend Dada Sayyida trying to tell her husband that she wants to start protecting herself through family planning. Asys is by far the sexually progressive female character in any of the books and she passes this onto the women who come for her help. Asys describes, “She puts his supper on the taliyya and after he’s eaten she makes him a glass of tea… I was thinking that we could maybe sort of – I mean three kids- in the face of the enemy… the man… gaping at his wife who had never before in his presence strung together a sentence” ( Soueif, p. 23). Aysa tries to market the family planning to both men and women to avoid it becoming a political issue. She worries that her husband will think he doing this is too “European” (Soueif, p. 24). This implies that the very idea of family planning and the respect of the woman’s body is a very “Western-feminist” ideal.
Asys’s best friend Chrissie is a woman who represents the more traditionalist stance of the separation between men and women; however she is feminist in that she stands up for herself. Asya’s sister juxtaposes Asys in the novel, because she leads a more status-quo lifestyle. Chrissie’s brother Taha criticizes Chrissie socializing with men; he considers this to be a scandal. Teha grills Asys on the circumstance, “ No of course you weren’t imagining things? She was in the street with our colleague’ ‘ah but the street is a public place.’ ‘She wasn’t hiding. She wasn’t doing anything wrong” (Soueifl, p. 117). Asys views this as two equal people having an intellectual conversation in an institution; however Chrissie’s brother can only view the encounter sexually.
The abuse of women by men is even evident when Asya goes to Italy before going to London. Here Asya has her first sexual experience with a man and, as the novel implies, she is raped. Up until this point, Asya is a virgin and she even tells Taha that he can do anything he wants, but that she must remain a virgin. This is taken away from her in Italy on her night where she ingests alcohol and goes with an Italian man, Umberto, to various parties. Her situation is described quite provocatively; however Asya has an odd reaction. When she becomes exhausted of the situation, “she does not want to hurt his feelings, and he rolls on top of her and kisses her lightly and looks into her face” (Soueif, p.176). Although Asys has some Western feminist ideas about sexual relations, in reality she cannot even stand up for herself when she is being taken advantage of.
Asya wants to bring sexual freedom and a Western feminist ideal to others; however she cannot herself cope with her own sexual relations with her husband. When Asya marries her husband she does not fulfill the normal expectation of getting pregnant right away. She gives reasons of getting an education, her appearance, and fear of giving birth as reasons why she does not go through with this. Thorea is a woman who believes that women should be held up to the expectation of having a baby. She holds a different view of women’s roles than does Asya. Thorea uses religious justification to tell Asys that it is her obligation to have a child. She tells her, “Dada Sayyida had seven children, two of them blind. … children are the ornament of life.. This is the greatest gift god can give a human being and you receive it like this” (Souief, p. 267).
Asya can never seem to escape the problems of her prescribed role as mother. Even her own doctor will not give her contraceptive and if fact preaches to her about getting pregnant. Asys takes a very secular view on having children and preventing getting pregnant. Asya is so accepting of other ideas and religions that she even prays in a church when she is abroad in England. Like many in the West, she sees birth control as freedom for women, not as something against the will of god. Asya tells Chrissie, “He didn’t even want to put me on the pill. Gave me this sermon about how it was best to have a baby right way, for God’s sake” (Soueif, p.226).
Both Asya’s husband and Gerald view Asya as a sexual object, in a way, because Harb tries to set his wife up with Mario. When Harb goes to Beirut to start a computer company, he asks his friend Mario to come along. Asya almost to sleeps with Mario, but last minute she decides not to. She later has sexual fantasies about Mario. On the other hand, Asya is able to be friends with Mario, because she feels that he is not a sexual threat to her. At one point in the book, Asya goes twenty months without sexual contact with her husband. Throughout much of the novel, Asya is looking for something different that what she has. Asys even challenges her husband by implying that maybe she wanted to be part of the “swingers.” He then acts mighty and tells her that “decent people don’t talk about that” (Soueif, p.424). On one hand, she is trying to escape her culture through her sexual promiscuity with Gerald. What is ironic is that she is looking for a Western feminist version of sexual freedom and instead she finds that she is just taken advantage of by a man of another culture.
Asya wants the sexual freedom of the Western feminism; however she does not wish for anything else that comes with being independent. She eventually is encouraged to move from her apartment to a cottage by Mario, but she doesn’t come to decisions like this quickly by herself. Also, when it comes to her education she uses it as an excuse not to have a child; however she doesn’t appear to be that driven to finish. It is her mother who encourages her to finish it. Most interestingly, even when Asya is having an affair with Gerald she still lives under her husband’s roof and runs up his phone bill. She has no desire of true independence. Saif tells Asya, “stop worrying we’ve got money in the bank.. I’ll make money” (Soueif, p.621). On the other hand, we see where Asya has some growth in terms of standing up for herself she tries to tell her husband that it is possible for a man to seduce a woman and that it is not always the woman being the seductress. She would rather be seen as smart and conniving than weak and defenseless.
There is also a pattern in this novel of men trying to pursue women out of their class in order to dominate them in a way. This is equally true of the men in the West and East. For example, Gerald has a proclivity for women from foreign countries that he wrongly believes he is superior to. He not only pursues Asya but other foreign women. Another example of this is when Asya gets a letter from Chrissie saying that her husband has left her for another woman not in their social class. Faud feels more on comfortable with women from a lower social class; they make him feel more sexually empowered. Faud has deep routed insecurity because even though he is an engineer, he does not have a wealthy background. He leaves his wife for a maid, so Chrissie goes off and demands a divorce. It is evident from this action that Chrissie is not an easily controlled woman. Faud tells her, “ Have you gone mad? Like you’ve heard it in a hundred movies they always say.’Have you gone mad.’ When a woman turns around and asks for a divorce, and I only have one thing to say to you: divorce me.’ ‘Chrissie, be reasonable-“(Soueif, p.440).
Asya’s attraction to Gerald stems from the fact that he embodies to her the sexual freedom of the West. Even in her description of him she only references the merits of his body parts, nothing else. Asya fanaticizes about Gerald and compares him to characters she likes, “ He is good looking, Gerald Store- although she generally does not go for blonde men… but of the type he’s good looking” tall and well built, the face very angular and masculine and framed by the thick, longish hair – but there’s something studied about him” (Soueif, p. 481).
Asya explores the sexual freedom she so desires through Gerald. She is a Muslim woman from Egypt that wakes up next to a European man. Soueif writes, “When Asya wakes she surprises herself. She had gone to sleep expecting to wake up to the cold finger on the fear; to the weight of the rock of doom settling on her chest: guilt, fear – confusion would surly … but she had surprised herself with how peaceful she has slept” (Soueif, p. 540). Again, Asya’s lack of extreme religious conviction allows her to view sex for the sake of sex. In fact, Asya mocks Islam by poking fun at Islam’s concept of Four Witnesses to Adultery. She says that the cows can be her witness. Asya has ideas of sexual freedom, but she does not want to own up to them in her own culture. For example, when Asya’s sister finds a sex toy, Asya denies that it is hers. She is torn between having the affair freely and feeling guilty about it. When Saif calls she becomes suddenly afraid that he knows what she is up to. When Gerad comes back that night she does not have sexual relations with him.
The difference in attitude toward sexual relations is also evident when there are two students in Asya’s university get in trouble for a cultural misunderstanding. One involves a man who follows a woman who smiles at him. He asks Asys to explain the situation to him and Asya suggest that next time he should bring his wife.
In the end, Gerald ends up being just as controlling as Asya’s husband. He asks her to take off her clothes. He is also condescending to her and says to her, “finally we have some emotion when the lady talks about her PHD” (Soueif, p. 560). In a way he is mocking her supposed ambition. The fantasy Gerald, in reality, turns out to be no better than the controlling men Asya thinks are only in her own culture. Gerald also makes Asya uncomfortable by bringing her to a topless bar, further proving his disrespect for her as a woman.
As shown, the themes of religion, culture, and sexuality are often blurred and open to individual interpretation. What needs recognition is the fact that there is no absolute in Western or Eastern cultures. Many of these novels demonstrate a turn from these stereotypical notions and those that do not look to explore how the women can improve their existence and define their own versions of feminist thought.