Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks - Essay Example

s the assignment was due Western Civilization Paper Introduction The status of woman in a society is determined by the culture and traditions of the region she is living in. A woman, living in a Western country enjoys more freedom than her counterpart, living in an Islamic country. In Islamic countries, women are still deprived of equal rights. In a male-dominated society, these women lead a subservient life under the shadows of their husbands. The book “Nine Parts of Desire” by Geraldine Brooks depicts the lives of these women living in Islamic countries. Geraldine Brooks, a reporter, had lived in various Islamic countries and witnessed the lifestyles of women in those countries. Being a woman, she was able to interact with these women and know about their feelings and thoughts. Brooks had described the position of woman in the different parts of Islamic world such as Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Eritrea and Iran. She examines the role of woman in various fields of life in Islamic countries. Brooks points out the fact that although the freedom of women in Islamic countries is limited, the position of women varies from one Islamic country to another. Position of Woman Brooks brings forth the position of woman by describing the lives of women in Islamic countries and their limited freedom. She writes about the custom of veil in Islamic countries and how woman are restricted from entering the fields of politics and sports. The women in Islamic countries have to lead their lives in accordance to the Islamic laws that are interpreted and implemented by the males in the society. Brooks writes about the restriction of driving, imposed on women in the country of Saudi Arabia. She also mentions how women protested against this rule. “If there was one thing that Saudi women were prepared to criticize about their lot, it was the ban that prevented them from driving.” (Brooks 197). The women expressed their discontent regarding the ban on driving. They cited the reasons for their discontent and tried to convince the King that the ban on driving was causing them economic burden and making them to depend on their husbands, sons or drivers for mobility. “Some raised economic issues, calculating that twenty percent of average Saudi family income was spent on drivers, who ….. Women without their own drivers could get around only at the whim of husbands and sons.” (Brooks 197). To protest against the ban, forty seven Saudi women assembled in a supermarket in Riyadh and some of them drove their cars on a busy main road. But the protest of these women was not successful in lifting the ban on driving; instead they were punished from violating the laws of their country. But the situation in Iran is different from Saudi Arabia and Brooks presents the difference by depicting the lives of Iranian women and the success of these women in bringing changes in their lives. Although the Iranian women do not enjoy equal rights, they have succeeded in bringing change in their lives and this change is evident from the present attitude of the Iranian government towards women’s sports. After the Islamic revolution in 1979, sporting facilities in Iran were closed and women athletes were required to wear veil. Faezeh Hashemi, a well-educated Iranian woman changed this scenario, by convincing the radical government that sports were essential for women for maintaining physical and mental health. Her efforts bore fruit when the first Islamic Womens Games were supported by Iran and women participating in the games were allowed to remove their veil after the men exited from the stadium. These changes are significant for women, for they signal towards a better future for Iranian women. And this is the reason why Brooks believes that women like Hashemi are more effective in bringing changes in the lives of women of Islamic countries, as they are part of the Islamic society. “That is why I found the brightest hope for positive change camouflaged among the black chadors of devout Iranian women.” (Brooks 233). The position of women in Iran is better when compared to other Islamic countries mentioned in the book. By describing the lives of women and attitude of the society towards women in various Islamic countries, Brooks sheds light on the reasons for this position of women. “Today, the much more urgent and relevant task is to examine the way the faith has proved such fertile ground for almost every anti-woman custom it encountered in its great march out of Arabia.” (Brooks 231). She also concludes that for changing the position of women, the interpretation of Islamic laws must be examined. Conclusion The book “Nine Parts of Desire” presents an accurate depiction of lives of women in different parts of Islamic world. Brooks not only depicts the lives of these women but also explains the reasons for their position in the society. The changes, that are brought by women like Hashemi, point towards the influencing role of women in uplifting the position of women in Islamic society. The book aids in understanding the limitations of these women and the reasons behind their situation. This book helped me to look at the Islamic society from a different perspective. The fact that these women are succeeding in changing their lives by functioning within Islam provides a new aspect of Islamic society. Some of the Islamic countries are changing and at the same preserving their Islamic culture. These Islamic countries considering the opinions of people who are part of Islamic society, shows that they trust the members of their society. They ignore the thoughts of an individual belonging to the western society, for they think that an outsider cannot understand their culture and its significance in their lives. The negative picture of Islam that is portrayed through media and books is proved wrong by this book. The book proves that the problem lies not in Islam but in the interpretation of Islamic law by radical groups who utilize these laws to limit women’s freedom. The author’s suggestion that if the position of women in Islamic societies is to be changed, then the true meaning of Islamic laws should be understood presents a practical solution to the problems faced by these women. But the book fails to the present the position of women in other countries which are similar to these women in Islamic countries. It is not only the Islamic culture which restricts its women, there are other cultures which do not treat women with equality. The reasons for their situation may be different but they can help in understanding the position of woman in societies across the world. In some Islamic countries the woman is leading a safer life than other western countries. Brooks has not included in her book the lives of women in those western countries. Works Cited Brooks, Geraldine. Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women. Anchor Books. 1996. Read More