I really liked this short story because it made the readers find what's under the textual evidence. I loved how Ghalem, the author, started the story by writing a written paragraph describing what is going on, sort of like 'At Rise.' I think, in the first paragraph, the author was trying to say that today was the big day; Fatiha is getting married. The one day where magical happiness and movement appears; the one day where YOU should make the decision. Yet, here we are, reading about another arranged marriage. Houria, Fatiha's mother, and she, I think, have so much in common, yet they are so different from each other. Houria, being the quiet serene listener she is, stopped her career to be forced to marry an unknown man. Fatiha, being the lively talkative optomist she is, also had her schooling and dreams taken away from her just to marry a stranger.
On page 55, where Fatiha laughed a silly comment, I think the author was introducing us to the fact that Fatiha was trying to accept this news delivery. Then, once life and joyfulness returned, she immediately went back to her grudge against this marriage. Though, she came to conclusion that the religion and culture she belonged to and accepted had its discomforts. And, this unfortunate negativity was one of them. She had to learn to accept it and find ways around what came along with it. Unlike "The Assasination at River's Flow", Fatiha began to grow on this bump.
I think Houria understood Fatiha's discomforts and tried to make them better, or at least hope so. To me, I think the author was conveying that the mother, Houria, had gone through this situation before and understood the position Fatiha is taking. All the mother wanted was for Fatiha to be happier than she was. And now, Fatiha is. She found a way around this problem, for the moment, and she decided to take the higher rode. She danced and sang and enjoyed herself while she had the time, letting go of her anxiety and worries.
Just another observation I would like to point out is that the author, being male (not trying to be racist), realized what women of this culture had to suffer through. Maybe he understood his wife and that is why he is trying to open that to the rest of his world.
Some questions: Why does the author keep using the word magic? What does youyous mean? What does the simile "A vivid kaleidoscope" resemble? Was Fatiha's mother-in-law, Aicha, good or bad?
Thank you,
Marmar
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I agree that the book was good and the at rise was a very interesting way of introducing the story. I also agree that Fatiha is trying to accept the fact that she is getting married, or she is laughing to forget that she is getting married. You are definitely right that at the end she dances and sings to take the high road, or she might even be doing that to forget her troubles and have fun before she gets married.
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