Throughout the novel, one can see that the main character Firdaus deals with sexual harassment and abuse at the hands of men. Due to many encounters with men that used her, Firdaus started loathing and distrusted men. One main step towards her life as a prostitute and her hatred toward men was due to her abusive marriage with Sheikh Mohammad. In Women at Point Zero, Nawal El Saadawi masterfully uses diction that creates imagery and syntax to portray Firdaus’ life with Sheikh, showing the readers’ the abusive treatment towards women, and a woman’s role in a marriage during the 1900s in Egypt. The author uses these techniques to allow the readers to understand the culture and setting of the book and to feel the way Firdaus felt as she was hit
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Then Firdaus goes to her uncle’s house hoping for sympathy, but her uncle says, “all husbands beat their wives”. The author uses the word “all” to emphasize that beating a girl was common, and considered as a tradition in their culture. Also, the word all holds a very strong connation that allows the readers to feel the pain of the women in Egypt. To support this statement, the author states that “my uncle’s wife added that her husband often beat her”, and this showed that throughout the years even the women started accepting their role in society and marriage. When Firdaus argues that her uncle was a religious man, his wife says that “it was precisely men… in religion who beat their wives. The percepts of religion permitted such punishment”. This not only portray a woman’s perspective on the issue, it also shows that religion was used to justify the abuse of women. The author uses diction, such as precisely to specify that religious men were higher than the others and had the right to beat their wives. This quote described cultural values and the roles of women and men in the society. It clearly showed the power that men had over women, especially their wives. Also, it states that “virtuous …show more content…
The author uses a simile, such as “He leapt on me like a mad dog” which provides an image of a rabid Sheikh for the readers. Also, the usage of the word “dog” gives the men negative characteristic of being like animals without respect for the women. When Sheikh jumps on her “oozing drops of foul smelling pus” came from the hole on his face. The use of words with the repulsive connotation, such as “ oozing” and “foul” create imagery with different sense perceptions. As on dwells more into the text, it states that Firdaus was so tired of fighting that she “ surrendered my face to his face…body…,without any resistance…, as though life had been drained out of it, like a piece of dead wood”. This sentence was structured with commas and no periods for the purpose of displaying Firdaus’ hope dying out. Also, the use of simile, such as “like a piece of wood” emphasizes Firdaus’ defeat to resist, and her realizing the truth behind her marriage. After that incident with Sheikh, Firdaus talks about another fight where she got beat by him. Unable to tolerate Sheikh, Firdaus leaves and it stays that, “I walked through the streets with a swollen eye, and a bruised face, but no one paid any attention to me”. The usage of adjectives, such as “swollen” and bruised” gives descriptions and imagery to the abuse that Firdaus went through. Although she got hit, the saddest part was that “no one paid any attention”
Then Firdaus goes to her uncle’s house hoping for sympathy, but her uncle says, “all husbands beat their wives”. The author uses the word “all” to emphasize that beating a girl was common, and considered as a tradition in their culture. Also, the word all holds a very strong connation that allows the readers to feel the pain of the women in Egypt. To support this statement, the author states that “my uncle’s wife added that her husband often beat her”, and this showed that throughout the years even the women started accepting their role in society and marriage. When Firdaus argues that her uncle was a religious man, his wife says that “it was precisely men… in religion who beat their wives. The percepts of religion permitted such punishment”. This not only portray a woman’s perspective on the issue, it also shows that religion was used to justify the abuse of women. The author uses diction, such as precisely to specify that religious men were higher than the others and had the right to beat their wives. This quote described cultural values and the roles of women and men in the society. It clearly showed the power that men had over women, especially their wives. Also, it states that “virtuous …show more content…
The author uses a simile, such as “He leapt on me like a mad dog” which provides an image of a rabid Sheikh for the readers. Also, the usage of the word “dog” gives the men negative characteristic of being like animals without respect for the women. When Sheikh jumps on her “oozing drops of foul smelling pus” came from the hole on his face. The use of words with the repulsive connotation, such as “ oozing” and “foul” create imagery with different sense perceptions. As on dwells more into the text, it states that Firdaus was so tired of fighting that she “ surrendered my face to his face…body…,without any resistance…, as though life had been drained out of it, like a piece of dead wood”. This sentence was structured with commas and no periods for the purpose of displaying Firdaus’ hope dying out. Also, the use of simile, such as “like a piece of wood” emphasizes Firdaus’ defeat to resist, and her realizing the truth behind her marriage. After that incident with Sheikh, Firdaus talks about another fight where she got beat by him. Unable to tolerate Sheikh, Firdaus leaves and it stays that, “I walked through the streets with a swollen eye, and a bruised face, but no one paid any attention to me”. The usage of adjectives, such as “swollen” and bruised” gives descriptions and imagery to the abuse that Firdaus went through. Although she got hit, the saddest part was that “no one paid any attention”