American As Apple Pie
... not too well off family in Iran. Dr. Mahmoody would no longer be viewed as a lower class citizen (Thio, 2004, p.20). Betty Mahmoody was completely against going to Iran, even for the brief two week vacation her husband had lead her to believe. Dr. Mahmoody swore and promised no harm would come to her or their daughter, Mahta, they would arrive as tourists. To please her husband Betty Mahmoody gave into her husband’s pleading, plus words previously spoken days ahead by Dr. Mahmoody to their upset daughter, that her family was American as apple pie helped sway her decision. Immediately upon arriving in Iran, clothes were given to Betty Mahmoody and her daughter in disguise as gifts. It was necessary that the females be covered and appear as native women of Iran. Betty Mahmoody resisted, but was in a kindly but stern fashion convinced by her husband to put the garb on.Social Learning As more and more family arrived to great this missed family member of twenty years since last seen, Dr. Mahmoody’s attitude began to take a change. Male family members reminds of years gone by and all that has happened politically and the sacrifice and endurance tolerated while he was gone in America to become a doctor. Dr. Mahmoody began to feel guilty for not being in Iran to share the hardship of his fellow countrymen. Dr. Mahmoody began to speak abusively concerning politics and receives approval from his elders and relatives. This reminds me of Edwin Sutherlands (1939) theory of differential association. Sutherland states “if an individual associates with people who hold deviant ideas more than with people who embrace conventional ideas, the individual is likely to become deviant”(Thio, 2004, p.24). Apple Pie 2 As Dr. Mahmoody’s family and friends influence him he begins to change towards his wife and child. He becomes more stern, argumentative and distant toward his wife. Reintegrative Shaming Dr. Mahmoody’s family continues with time to shame him back into his cultural beliefs and practices. They brag to others about his accomplishments, which the Dr. Was lacking in the U.S., but at the same time kept him feeling guilty for being gone for twenty years, and not sharing in their political misery. John Braithwaite (1989) “reintegrative shaming is more positive, it involves making wrong doers feel guilty while showing them understanding, forgiveness, or even respect”. This process of shaming convinces the Dr. He is needed, his place is in Iran, he is welcomed back and forgiven (Thio, 2004, p.29).Violence and Love Dr. Mahmoody’s family and friends triumph over his thinking which places the Dr. in a difficult position. He wants to be a practicing Muslim in Iran, but is married to an American who refuses to change her way of life and beliefs. Dr. Mahmoody’s wife hangs on with her nightmare of a two week vacation that will soon be coming to and end, when her husband announces they are not going back to the U.S. The refusal of the Dr. Mahmoody’s wife to give in causes the hitting and hugging process to begin. Dr. Mahmoody loved his wife but also wanted to force her into submission as other Iranian wives were (Thio, 2004. P.121). Betty Mahmoody had no idea before she agreed to visit Iran, as her husband did, that once she entered the country she lost all her rights. She was now property of her husband and had no say so what so ever. Betty Mahmoody discovered with time that there were many, many other American women in the same dilemma she was in, stuck in a country they didn’t want to be in, no way out, and at the mercy of their abusive husbands. Dr. Perez made a comment in session ones introduction which holds very true. “Perceptions and definitions of deviance is relative: what’s deviant to some ...