What really interested me however, was how the mothers used their sons and daughters like sheep, scouting them out to find who would help their sons and themselves for better relations with other families. The way one of the cousins spied Yamina, near the end of the story was weird enough, but then the way that Aicha agreed almost immediately to marry her off, was even stranger. Nowadays, parents are triply protective of their children in any intimate relations that they may have with someone of the opposite sex. "Where are you going?" "What time will you be back?" Is she from a nice family?" all these questions and more are typical of today, but back when Fatiha was being married, the only thing that applied was whether or not the parents like each other and if they did then, bang. The children got married. And if the kids loved each other but the parents didn't, well that's where tragic romance comes from.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
I'll trade you my daughter for...
This story reminds me greatly of the last story that we read, The Assassination of Light at the River's flow. They both had to do with arranged marriages, but unlike Raha's story, Fatiha was ready to do what her mother wished her to do. She reminds me of Raha because they both went to school, got modern ideas in their heads, and then tried to stop their imminent marriages from happening. Raha succeeded to a degree, but Fatiha did not and this story depicted the celebrations that took place before the actual ceremony.
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I agree these last two stories were very alike, both involve arranged marriages and in both the main characters feel abandomed and alone with nothing to do.
ReplyDeleteI also think that this story shows how different things are in their country and our country, over there kids are pupets to their parents, the men are in charge of the house, and the daughters must obey them.
Over all i didnt like the story, i thought it had a thin plot, i enjoyed the last story much more.