I didn’t like this story as much as the last one, mostly because I hate it when characters self-narrate their own death. (I think she dies in the end, and it is just very unrealistic.) However, it brought up some important questions, and despite how disturbing it was, it was pretty realistic. A personal connection: my mom told me about someone (who she either knew vaguely or read about) who was from India but went to collage in the USA. She was really smart and happy, but her parents were going to put her into a (forced) arranged marriage, and she eventually committed suicide.
Is Raha’s mother really to blame for what she did?
I agree that forced marriage is horrible (although arranged marriage if the couple meet before and can refuse to marry is fine in my opinion), and that beating your daughter because she refuses to marry someone who she hates is also horrible. However, I think that Raha’s mother is at least partially also a "victim" of their culture:
- · Raha’s mother probably doesn’t know of any other way that arranged marriage,
- · It would disgrace the entire family if Raha didn’t marry the man,
- · The family might need Raha’s dowry despite the good front they put up,
- · Culturally, Raha probably should have been a bit more gradual before she refuses to marry Fahid; her mom overreacted,
- · Her mom feels that Raha was disrespectful for refusing to marry Fahid, especially after the marriage was arranged (of course, this really isn’t Raha’s fault),
- · Raha’s mother might have felt the same way, being forced into a marriage she didn’t want, and both envies Raha for saying something and is using her to get some kind of “revenge”,
There are more potential answers, but I just wanted people to start thinking about this.
Looking over previous responses, many other people have made the same connections, so I want to add something new.
Is Raha’s father actually almost as bad as her mother?
Raha’s father is the only person in the family who might stop the marriage (he could make some excuse about Raha is unsuitable for marriage for five more years or so) and her does nothing. I realize that he is being pushed around by her mom, but if he could pull through once, this would be a good time to oppose her (after all, he really loves his daughter).
Why does the author decide to have the narration in first person?
This actually have some potential for unreliable narrator, it makes the story seem more real, and creates a definite character in a story so short that often the character would be lost in the narrative.
An observation: Raha’s name is used only once in the story. Is this because the idea is that it could have happened to almost any rich (or poor) girl in Saudi Arabia?
An assertion: Raha is very similar to Helena.
- Raha’s first reaction when told that she must go home is that something must be wrong with her father (which is about the worst thing that could happen to her). Helena’s first reaction when she sees Lysander lying on the ground: (Helena is speaking)
“But who is here? Lysander, on the ground!
Dead or asleep? I see no wound—
Lysander, if you live, good sir, awake.” 2.2.106-9
In this case, Helena also thinks about the worst possibility first.
-Both girls have vivid imaginations and are pretty strong-willed and romantic.
-I am also reminded of another quote about Helena: (Lysander about Helena)
“Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,
Upon this spotted and inconstant man.” 1.1.11-2
- Helena’s “dotage” upon Demetrius is very similar to Raha’s “dotage” on her parents, and in both cases the person (or people) who are doted on don’t seem to really deserve the love.
~ Mika JVM
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