David and Fatima by Zaloum - Essay Example

The love elaborates deviant behavior toward their cultural tradition, value, religious faith, and beliefs (Calhoun et al, 501). Despite their families knowing each other from the time David and Fatima were born, their parents cannot support their relationship. They hide and run behind everyone’s back to make their relationship work and even run away from home and get married. They realize that neither a Rabbi nor an Imam can marry them, and their deviant behavior leads them away from their faith: to a Christian priest as a way out.

The two live in a cosmopolitan society with a Muslim and Christian majority where there is discrimination based on religious differences. Ethnocentrism based on religious differences is evident. That emanates from the fact that each family believes that their child is of superior nature and their religion cannot be tainted by the other religion. There is too much religious ego show.

There is also false consciousness existing amongst members of each religion to the point they consider each other as dirty or taboo to touch. The fathers of David and Fatima show it by washing their hands to remove the “filth” of the other, after greeting each other. They agree on the point that their children are not good for each need to be separated from the other.

Paternalistic relationship in both the Islamic and Jew is prevalent. The fathers of both Fatima and David decide what fate their children meet, who they marry, who interact with, and where to go. They also decide which institution of learning their children join and where to live. They separate the love of their children despite their wife's resistance and Fatima is sent away with the hope that they will never meet again. Fatima is married off to Hassan Faraj, a person she abhors, and sent to live in Gaza, a place of conflict.

Sexism a form of exploitation is prevalent in the societies of both the Jews and the Muslim communities (Dillion 354). The male has overall power over the female as is shown by Hassan Faraj’s treatment and expectation of Fatima in the club and the park when she finds her with David. Their fathers also believe that women should be seen and not heard, as their societal belief and customs dictates.

Rabbi Schmulic has a conflict of identity as he has lost the faith that is accredited to him. He does not identify himself with the title of a rabbi. He believes that society and the religious community has surpassed their set role in people’s life. His infighting in the conflict of God’s love and mercifulness in the face of existing social conflict challenges his faith and he does not know what to believe anymore.

The relationship between David to Fatima is a victimless crime to them. They both are ready to die for each other in the face of existing religious and cultural conflict for sake of love. There is the symbolism of fate and harmonic balance in their relationship. They were born and died on the same day.

Society is a complex entity that binds different individual beliefs into one united bond so that people can live in harmony. The mutual love between David to Fatima elaborates on the social conflicts that exist within each person. While some people have the courage to face those conflicts, many choose to live and abide by societal norms. It gives us a view of two different societies and the power of love in going against those set societal norms.