I think that Khadija rips up the letter (at the end of the story), because she really wanted to be married to Mas'ud. Since she found out that her brother is getting married to someone else, she is sad and angry at the same time. I must say, though, that she shouldn't really be mad at Munir, because he had no clue what was happening (just like Hajji Guma' said on page 44). I find the marriage propositions in this family to be very confusing, due to the fact that they want to marry their cousins/ relatives.
I found it kind of funny, on page 43, El Milady wrote: "Although Hajji Guma' could not remember anything about that recitation of the Fatiha, he appropriated it with great enthusiasm and said that he too would never think of parting two children united by the words of the holy Qu'ran." After reading the story, I believe that this passage is probably the only passage with a hint of humor in it. Unlike "Don't you have any donkeys in your country," this story (more similar to "Assassination of Light at the River's Flow") was a little bit dramatic and revealed some problems in the family.
One last thought: At the end of the story, when Khadija and Nafusa rip up the letter that they were going to send to Munir, I found what they said to Hajji Guma' and the rest of the relatives inside, something very interesting and something that may reveal a bit about their characters. The two women lied to their family in saying they would send the letter. I'm left wondering what happens next... will the rest of family find? They have to at some point. Will the family accept the woman that Munir is married to? Will they forgive him when they see each other face to face?
I think that by defending his son, Hajji Guma is implying that he didn't mind his son marrying someone who is outside of the family, but also rich. I think that you're right that the father wanted his son to marry someone rich to help the family, but he also wanted his son to marry Nefusa because that would enable Khadija to marry Mu'sud. I think that the dad has mixed feelings, but Khadija feels very strong about her own and Nefusa's marriages. When Hajji Guma' says "He has an excuse. He did not know what we have been planning. God help him" (page 44); he is in a way defending his son and forgiving his son for marrying someone else. In Arab culture, it is not unusual for one to marry one's cousin because many families want to keep their family connected.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your last point about a cliff hanger. I think that the 2 women of the family will be in trouble, because they have just betrayed and lied to their family. They are angry at Munir and the whole situation and therefore, they don't want to congratulate him with the letter. Another Question is, who will be in more trouble, Munir, who is marrying without his parents consent, or the women, who lied to their family?
I think that the family will forgive Munir when they meet face to face, or at least the father will because it's "Gods will" and because the marriage will bring money to the family. However, he might be upset about not being invited to the wedding, because this shows that Munir is partly embarrassed for his poor family to meet his fiance's wealthy family.
i think that when Hajji Guma claims that his son has an excuse of page 44 he is not really defending him but actually trying to stifle his own hurt feelings. think about it: if your son, who was very successful and of whom you were quite proud, had been supporting you and doing you favors and suddenly didnt invite you to his wedding, how would you feel? personally , i would first be extremely upset and angry and then i might feel ashamed of myself and embarrassed. the anger is obvious because i was just stood up and humiliated by the man i raised (all this hypothetically of course.) then the shame would sink in because i would realize that he probably didnt invite me because i wasnt good enough for him. this would mingle with sadness not only because my own son had outgrown me but also because now my daughter and niece would be unhappy as well.
ReplyDeletei suppose that Hajji Guma had it coming to him for arranging a marriage for his son without even telling him about it. that is the one thing that puts me on Munir's, the son's, side: he had no idea that he was ruining his family's plans. also, i have always despised the very concept of arranged marriage because it removes all choice of the parties involved.
lastly, i think that the whole problem in the story was miscommutication and neither the family nor the son was exactly guilty (depending on Munir's intentions). feelings were hurt and hopes were crushed, but in the end what does it mean? they will all move on with their lives and i dont think that the niece and the daughter will spend the rest of the lives grieving over the fact that they didnt get married to the people their parents first arranged for them to be married to.