God Dies by the Nile, Gives the reader and interesting look at a time and place that seems to have no equality between men and women. The Middle east has many very interesting features and aspects about it such as the way their economy is organized, the type of religion that they practice, the various geographical aspects of the land, and the way that society is in general. Because the economy is so poor, many people live in mud huts along rivers, and have very few material possessions. The main source of income comes from working in the fields. What little money they earn from the hard labor goes toward food for the family. Although this is not how everyone in lives. Strong political figures are those who live in luxury. This is the way it is in Kafr El Teen, where the characters of God Dies by the Nile, live.
This story is focused on one family in the town of Kafr El Teen, especially on the woman of the family. Zakeya and Kafrawi are Brother and sister and the oldest of the house. Karfrawi's daughters also live with them, Zeinab, and Nefissa's. Also at one point Galal, Zakeys son lived with them ( also Zeinabs husband ). This family is put through many struggles mostly placed upon them by the Mayor of the town, who has an obsession with the daughters of Karfawi.
The story starts out with Zakeya walking to the field. She ties her buffalo to the water wheel and starts swinging her hoe to the earth. She does this for hours. This is the kind of hard labor that was done by women. Men also worked in the fields. Women also would have chores like walking down to the river to fill up jugs, just so they could tote them back to their houses on top their heads. These are just a couple of examples of hard labor women had to do. ...
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...sent him. Nefissa was sent to work for the mayor, so he could have his way with her. The child bore by Nefissa was the mayors child. Neffissa ran away because she was ashamed of what the mayor had done to her. The mayor had Karfawi set up for murdering the "supposed" father of Nefissa's child. The mayor sent Zakeya and Zeinab to the city, where he had a plan to trick them into believing Allah was talking to them. So that Zeinab would work for him. When Zeinab did work for him he took advantage of her. When her husband intervened, the mayor set Galal up. He made him look like a thief.
Women were vengeful . Zakeya took revenge and killed the mayor for all his wrong doings . She realized that the Mayor was Allah. He was who was in control of her life. So she killed God and buried him by the Nile
Works Cited
Nawal el Saadawi, God dies by the Nile, beirut 1974
First of all, in chapter five, Atiq went to the mosque for the Isha Prayer. Then, he left and wandered around the city. Unknowingly, he arrived at the jailhouse. He decided to spend the night there. So, he lit up the lamp and lied down. Suddenly, he got scared to see Nazeesh behind him. As you can see, Atiq met Nazeesh a decade ago, when he was a mufti in Kabul. Then, Nazeesh told the sad story of his old father. He also told him that he wanted to die by walking into the ocean. He was describing the way of his coming death for a long time. Furthermore, after the discussion on his old father and his plan of death, he left that place. After that, Atiq also headed towards his home again. On the way, he started to think about his wife and whether she was continuing her role of sacrificial victim. Finally, he decided to stop her from doing any kinds of works and to treat her much more gently and nicely.
The main characters are David, his mother, and father. David, the abused child, cannot escape his mother’s punishments. David’s mother is a drunken, abusive mother that refers to her child as “It”. David’s father is caring and understanding, but cannot help David escape. The mother and father drastically change after the alcohol abuse. David also changes in his attitude towards his parents.
Zeitoun could courageously confront all the frustration and live under any conditions because he had experienced a lot. He was born in Jableh, fishing town on the coast of Syria. He began fishing when he was only thirteen years old. His father had passed away when he was twelve years old. He and his brother Ahmad grew up in a poor family. After Zeitoun moved to New Orleans and built his own business, he had finally improved his standard of living. Moreover, Kathy helped managing the company regularly. One day, Zeitoun and his worke...
The novel tells the story of, Amir. Amir is portrayed as the protagonist; the novel revolves around his recollection of past events 26 years ago as a young boy in Afghanistan. Amir is adventures and brave. Hassan is Amir’s closets friend and servant to his house and is portrayed as a subservient male, often supporting and accepting blame for Amir’s actions. Assef, Wali and Kamal are the “ bad guys” within the novel; Wali and Kamal hold down Hassan and Assef rapes him purely for ethnicity differences, as Hassan is a Hazara. Afghanistan boys are supposed to be athletic and true to Islam .The leaving of Soraya Hassan mother with another man gives the notion that women lack morality leaving behind there children .The Taliban laws are followed closely within Afghanistan and women are treated without any rights, beatings, stoning and execution become the reality for women who violate the laws. Culturally Afghanistan women are portrayed to be subservient to there husband only live and breath to provide children, cook food and clean their
Ma, Ruthie, and Rose of Sharon all show this when going out to pick cotton at the cotton fields to earn money. “Rose of Sharon sat in the middle, and Ma on the outside The girl’s eyes were lusterless again. “You shouldn’ of came,’ Ma said. ‘You didn’ pick more’n ten-fifteen pounds.”’(586). In the beginning of the Joads journey through California, only the men would go out to get work and bring back money for food or supplies. But as the story goes on, the women begin to pick up work other than general housework such as cleaning and cooking. They go out to pick peaches, cotton and other harvests in order for their family to have enough money to eat. The gender barrier once again crumbles at this example in The Grapes of Wrath with families lives being at stake. The men’s work and women’s work become less meaningful and everyone pitches in to survive for one more night.
The distance between the members of the family, especially, Jewel and Darl, is brought to the surface throughout the sections of the book. Darl and Jewe...
The novel River God by Wilbur Smith is set in Ancient Egypt, during a time when the kingdoms were beginning to collapse and the Upper and Lower Egypt were separated between two rulers. The story is in the view-point of Taita, a highly multi-talented eunuch slave. At the beginning of the story, Taita belongs to Lord Intef and helps manage his estate along with caring for his beautiful daughter, Lostris. She is in love with Tanus, a fine solider and also Taita’s friend. Unfortunately, Lord Intef despises Tanus’s father, Lord Harrab, and Intef was actually the one who the cause of the fall of Harrab’s estate, unknowingly to Lostris and Tanus. Taita’s goal is to bring back Egypt to its former glory, but with so many bandits and invaders it would be a difficult task.
The theme of this book is that the human capacity to adapt to and find happiness in the most difficult circumstances. Each character in the novel shows this in their way. For instance, their family is randomly taken from their home and forced to work but they still remain a close nit family. In addition, they even manage to stick together after being separated for one of their own. These show how even in the darkest time they still manage to find a glimmer of hope and they pursued on.
In the story the most important character is Lesley. Lesley is a spoiled, pretty, Jewish, fourteen year old living in Canada. As the story progresses we see Lesley change to a caring and mature person by overcoming the differences in her new life. Two other important characters are Nat Shelby and Mustapha. Lesley’s father, Nat Shelby is the person who decided the family needed to live in Israel. Mr. Shelby decides he doesn’t want his daughter growing up as a spoiled uncaring princess. Mustapha, other important character, is an Arab boy who Lesley watches abuse his donkey across the Jordan River. All the Jews are not supposed to hate Arabs, but Lesley however comes in contact with Mustapha by the river and talks to him as a person not as an enemy. Mustapha made Lesley a more understanding person towards different kinds of people. The character I would most admire is Lesley for her ability to adapt to a new home, country and way of life.
The main character described in the novel is Amir. Amir is the narrator and the protagonist in the story. Although an impressionable and intelligent son of a well-to-do businessman, he grows up with a sense of entitlement. Hassan is Amir’s half-brother, best friend, and a servant of Baba’s. Although considered an inferior in Afghan society, Hassan repeatedly proves himself to be a loyal friend to Amir. Baba is the wealthy, well- respected father of Amir and Hassan. He is willing to risk his life for what he believes in, but is ashamed of having a child with a Hazara woman, leading him to hide the fact that Hassan is his son. Ali is another modest man, who is a fatherly figure to Hassan and a servant to Baba.
You know he’s pretty obstinate about himself. Once he gets his eyes set on a woman he must have her, come what may” (88-89). When Nefissa is in the Mayor’s eye, Sheikh Zaharan tries to persuade her to accept the Mayor’s offer. “Our Mayor is a generous man. You will be paid twenty piasters a day.
The book begins with an attempt on Zainab’s life, presumably by Nasir’s forces. Later, the Muslim Ladies Group is banned when Zainab refuses Nasir’s offer to join the Socialist Union. She then engages in secret meetings with Muslims in h...
The story begins in Afghanistan in the 1970s and spans over 20 years. It is told from the perspective of Amir, a rich Afghani boy who lives with his father and their Hazara (low caste Shi'a) servants. Amir, an only child, spends much of his childhood with Hassan, the son of his father's loyal servant Ali and also the best "kite runner" in Kabul. The boys grow up as brothers despite the social differences, but this relationship is put to the test after an important kite flying tournament. Amir is overwhelmed with guilt when he allows Hassan to be beaten and raped ...
Women at Point Zero is a book written by Nawal El Saadawi where she focuses on the main character Firdaus and shares her story in a way that allows reader to get an idea of the patriarchal structures of Egyptian society. Her life story shows readers the obvious discontentment women have with the way society views them, and the glorification of things that go against normal societal structures. This book does an excellent job of portraying the patriarchal society and how women are dominated by men. However, it truly reinforces the stereotype that western culture has of Middle Eastern men as being animalistic beings ravaging defenseless women and the role of Islam.
The first essential means by which the writings can be connected is through the settings of both the authors and the writings presented. Some basic research of both Nawal El Saadawi and Laurie Penny will expose the underlying beliefs held by both authors, namely feminism, or essential human rights in general. The society and culture of both Britain and Egypt provide ample opportunity for one to conn...