Guests of the Sheik is an ethnography written from the perspective of a women trying to adapt to life in a small Iraqi village. Fernea writes not only about the changes she had to make in order to fit into the culture that surrounded her, but she exposes stereotypes about the women of El Nahra that aren’t true by comparing these women to western women in a culturally relativistic manner. One of the main points that Fernea addresses in Guests of the Sheik is gender roles in El Nahra, Iraq. Concerning the gender roles of the women in El Nahra, women derive their power, satisfaction, authority, and security through customs of dress, specifically gold, through lineage/children, particularly sons, and through work such as housework and how useful
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In summary, throughout the entire ethnography one can identify how these women derive satisfaction, power, authority, and security through customs of dress, lineage, and work, even with their particular gender roles. Fernea talks about how women in El Nahra are satisfied, feel powerful, have authority, and security because of their attire/customs of dress. But specifically speaking about gold jewelry. The more gold a woman acquires the greater it signifies to the other wives or that woman’s friends that her husband values her and he is less likely to leave her. This in turn, proves that woman has more power and authority over the other wives, if there are any, and that she is more secure, martially speaking, giving the woman satisfaction. To summarize another example in Guests of the Sheik, women derive their power, authority, satisfaction, and security through their lineage. It is described in the book several times over how a woman’s children, specifically her sons, ensure them security, power, and satisfaction. The more sons a woman can bare, the more likely it I her husband will stay with her, for the son will keep their family name going, ensuring that woman is secure. The emphasis put on this cultural aspect give a woman satisfaction knowing that she has bared a son, knowing that he will …show more content…
Briefly mentioned earlier, women take much satisfaction, security, and power in the amount of gold jewelry their husbands give them. One example is when Amina questions if Mr. Bob is truly kind to Fernea because she does not have any gold from him, and that she should get as much gold from him as she can while she is still young (Fernea, 1965, pg. 74). Another example of how women gain their satisfaction, power, authority, and security through customs of dress is when several of the women of El Nahra were examining Fernea’s wedding ring in a mocking tone because she did not have any gold on it. When Fernea explained that there is no bride price and that women in America don’t necessarily get gold a statement of security from their husbands, the women were shocked and worried that Mr. Bob would leave Fernea (Fernea, 1965, pg. 211). Another way women of El Nahra, Iraq gain satisfaction, power, authority, and security is through their lineage, specifically their sons, though not limited to only sons. One specific example about how children can bring satisfaction, authority, power, and security to a woman of El Nahra is when Fernea is being asked dozens of questions about her life in America by several women, and the topic of children comes up. Hathaya talks about how her son is
In summary, throughout the entire ethnography one can identify how these women derive satisfaction, power, authority, and security through customs of dress, lineage, and work, even with their particular gender roles. Fernea talks about how women in El Nahra are satisfied, feel powerful, have authority, and security because of their attire/customs of dress. But specifically speaking about gold jewelry. The more gold a woman acquires the greater it signifies to the other wives or that woman’s friends that her husband values her and he is less likely to leave her. This in turn, proves that woman has more power and authority over the other wives, if there are any, and that she is more secure, martially speaking, giving the woman satisfaction. To summarize another example in Guests of the Sheik, women derive their power, authority, satisfaction, and security through their lineage. It is described in the book several times over how a woman’s children, specifically her sons, ensure them security, power, and satisfaction. The more sons a woman can bare, the more likely it I her husband will stay with her, for the son will keep their family name going, ensuring that woman is secure. The emphasis put on this cultural aspect give a woman satisfaction knowing that she has bared a son, knowing that he will …show more content…
Briefly mentioned earlier, women take much satisfaction, security, and power in the amount of gold jewelry their husbands give them. One example is when Amina questions if Mr. Bob is truly kind to Fernea because she does not have any gold from him, and that she should get as much gold from him as she can while she is still young (Fernea, 1965, pg. 74). Another example of how women gain their satisfaction, power, authority, and security through customs of dress is when several of the women of El Nahra were examining Fernea’s wedding ring in a mocking tone because she did not have any gold on it. When Fernea explained that there is no bride price and that women in America don’t necessarily get gold a statement of security from their husbands, the women were shocked and worried that Mr. Bob would leave Fernea (Fernea, 1965, pg. 211). Another way women of El Nahra, Iraq gain satisfaction, power, authority, and security is through their lineage, specifically their sons, though not limited to only sons. One specific example about how children can bring satisfaction, authority, power, and security to a woman of El Nahra is when Fernea is being asked dozens of questions about her life in America by several women, and the topic of children comes up. Hathaya talks about how her son is