different cultures
...be covered up. I am shocked that the men in the Middle East and in many other countries don’t realize that women can do anything and work just as hard as them. Some men say that women are weak, but I believe that women are very strong not only physically but mentally as well. Women carry a baby in their stomach for nine months, and go through a lot of pain to give birth, which I believe takes a lot of endurance. "Princess" is a great book which is written by Jean P. Sasson. After reading this book I realized women in the Middle East and Asia struglle a lot for their rights. Everyone knows about American culture; however, not many people know about other cultures. I will be using the true story of sultana which is very similar to my life to familiarize everyone with the life of women from other countries and how they deal with it. It is a story about a woman in Saudi Arabia from the time she was born. When Sultana says, "I was born free, yet today I am in chains. Invisible, they were loosely draped around and passed unnoticed until the age of understanding reduced my life to a narrow segment of fear." (Sasson 1) This one particular line is so well written, and almost every women most likely feels this way at least once in her lifetime. It’s a story of a woman who’s name is Sultana. Her true name is not reveled in this book, because of fear. When she was a child her father always took his son Ali’s side, because he was going to grow up as a man. Sultana always hated that fact, which made her deeply dislike her brother and her father. It was painful for Sultana’s mother to see her daughters getting neglected all the time, but she couldn’t say anything to Sultana’s father, because he was a man. Sultana had many sisters, and one of them was Sara. Now, the particular man her father had chosen to marry his most desirable daughter Sara was a member of a leading merchant family in Jeddah that had decided financial influence with their family. The groom was chosen solely because of past and future business deals. He was sixty two years old and Sara only eighteen; Sara would be his third wife. Although she had never met the old man, he had heard of her great beauty from his female relatives and was eager for the wedding date to be set (Sasson 28-29). Sara was told to marry that old man. Sara and her mother shed tears. However, her mother had no words of comfort for Sara, for she knew her husband has the full right to dispose of their daughters in any marriage he liked (Sasson 29). Sultana’s father had many other wives, so he had to rotate every evening so each wife and family is given an equal amount of time. He told Sultana’s mother he would not come to see her and the children, due to Sara’s disagreement with his decision. This was his way of punishing them. Sara was forced to marry that old man. Her father told them not to visit Sara for the first three months of her marriage, so she could adjust. Sara tried to commit suicide, because of her marriage. Her mother and Sultana finally went to see her. Sara was not only abused sexually, but physically as well. After seeing her daughter in pain, she informed her husband and told him that Sara is going to leave that old man no matter what. Sara finally went back with her mother and sister. Sultana was getting older, which made the family think about her marriage as well. Sultana was told that she was to wed a guy named Kareem, one of the royal cousins. Kareem was twenty eight years old and Sultana was to be his first wife. Kareem was handsome, and had been educated in London as a lawyer. Sultana knew Kareem’s sister slightly, so she called her, and told her to advice her brother that he can only marry once, and if he decides to marry again she will poison his other wives. Sultana’s father was amazed after hearing what she had said to Kareem’s sister. Sultana was finally getting closer to her father. She sat on the floor and leaned across her father’s lap. She wanted to hold the moment forever when he squeezed her shoulders and smiled down at his amusing daughter. Taking advantage of the intimate scene, she became brave and asked her father if she could meet Kareem before the wedding (Sasson 113-114). Her father smiled at her and for the first time there was some kind of communication between them. Sultana’s brother Ali was just stunned at the attention given to Sultana. Ali leaned against the door frame with his mouth just wide open. Finally Sultana got to see Kareem, but her sisters and Kareem’s mother was watching them very closely. Before Kareem left he asked Sultana if it was OK for him to call her. Sultana was very excited and without even asking for anyone’s permission she told him he could call her anytime after 9. Sultana was ready for her new beginning, another life. She wanted to speak with her father, but he had hurried from the garden the moment his role was complete. His mind was relieved; his youngest and most troublesome daughter of his first wife was now safely wed and no longer his responsibility. Sultana ached with the desire for a bond between them that had been in her dreams but never broke into reality (Sasson 130-131). Sultana was very happy with Kareem. He wasn’t like the other Saudi men who controlled women. I believe if more women can be like Sultana, there wouldn’t be so much abuse. Sultana took each step very carefully for her rights, and after reading her story I learnt how to talk to m...