Girls of Riyadh Questionnaire (5 POINTS)

Take home exam on November 9 – Due date November 16 in class

1. Gamrah’s mother believes that “woman is to man as butter is to sun.” Do all the men in this novel have a corrupting influence on the women who love them? ?( Minimum 100 words )

The men in this novel have a corrupting influence on the women they seem to love. Most of the men portray a picture that is full of fancy things and materials which in a way attracts the women. The conflicting cultures between the western and the Arabic cause the women to be torn between loving from their own cultures to the western culture (Alsanea, 2007). Sadeem is so much in love with her fiancé to the point of offering herself to him even before marriage. This indicates the level at which a woman is inclined to love her man due to the influence.  

2. In what ways are Michelle, Gamrah, Lamees and Sadeem restricted by tradition and how do they work around it? ?( Minimum 100 words )

The four girls Lamees, Sadeem, Gamrah, and Michelle are restricted by their traditions in many ways. The traditions restrict the females from driving, being seen with men from outside their culture, and also be required to wear black attires from top to bottom with their heads covered. Sex before marriage is also prohibited by the society but the four girls move into new cities such as Chicago where the western culture embraces them and this is one of the ways they maneuver around to quest their human needs. They also visit the malls which are a public place where they meet up with their lovers. Changing of clothes from the recommended Saudi attire to others is the order of the day if any of them wants to survive in their hidden relationships.    

 

3. This story of young women looking for love has been compared to books like Bridget Jones’s Diary and Sex and the City. In what ways does Girls of Riyadh’s geographic and social context set it apart from its Western counterparts? ?( Minimum 100 words )

The western counterparts are known to do certain things which are very restricted in Saudi Arabia. Some of them include going out half naked in public and having premarital sex all round their lives. When it comes to Saudi traditions, the context and geographical setting are completely different. This is so because the traditions have to be observed (Alsanea, 2007). The book describes the ways in which the traditions of Saudi make it hard for women to survive in the harsh environment they are forced to live. One good example is where Sadeem is left by the boyfriend just because she gave herself to him which in the western culture is something normal.  

4. When she discovers her husband’s secrets, Gamrah desperately attempts to hold her marriage together. Do you think she is a victim of circumstance or is she guilty of dishonesty in her own right? ?( Minimum 100 words )

Gamrah according to the context is a victim of the circumstances. The traditions of Saudi require that the women be subjective and do as their husbands order and question none of their decisions.  The husband was a very abusive businessman and who never allowed Gamrah to be in her own lovely environment especially after they got married (Alsanea, 2007). The marriage which is recognized by law allows the husband to act at free will and use the woman as he pleases while the woman is supposed to be a home builder in whatever situation. Home wreckers in Saudi traditions are highly disguised and punished at times and this is what Gamrah was avoiding.

5. What role does the widow Um Nuwayyir play for the girls? Is she a positive or negative model for them ?( Minimum 100 words )

Um Nuwayyir plays a vital role in the lives of the girls and this can be attributed to the idea that she is a divorced woman who acts as a wise lady for the girls. The woman acts as a confident and a very kind auntie for the girls and this is welcoming for the girls where they talk about their hardships and predicaments (Alsanea, 2007). The woman is a positive model for the girls since she offers advice which they need and does not tell them off to their families. Living as a young lady in the early twenties in Saudi is a stressful thing especially with the change in times and technology which influences the lives of the rising generations. 

6. What are Michelle, Sadeem, Gamrah and Lamees’s individual relationships to religion and religious law? How do they differ? ?( Minimum 100 words )

All the girls in some ways seem to show some level of respect to the Sharia laws and religion in the ways they conduct themselves. However, Michelle is very different from them since she lives in Saudi but has a background of the western cultures. To Michelle, traditions and religion do not matter so much like the case of Sadeem, Lamees, and Gamrah. The individual relationship to the religion in some cases is also neglected since we see Sadeem falling in love with the cousin which is a prohibited act (Alsanea, 2007). Gamrah is somehow the only girl who observes the religion through staying pure even after being married off to Rashid who cheats on her with another woman but she maintains her ground as a wife. Lamee’s is the only one who seems to have religion and traditions all worked up through having no dramatic relationship which is against the religion.   

7. After a couple of romantic disappointments, Michelle realizes she can never replace her true love with another man. Do you agree with this conclusion and do you view her ending as a happy one? ?( Minimum 100 words )

Michelle and Firids’ relationship was a perfect match which was only ruined by the act of Firid’s mom refusing him to marry her like he wanted. Part of it can be related to the fact that Michelle is half American and this makes his mother, not in agreement with his decisions. Michelle loved Firid and this relationship is regarded as the best and final for Michelle since she feels she can never be engaged with another man (Alsanea, 2007). To some point, I do agree with the decision since the next relationship for Michelle could be with her cousin which is not right. However, this is not a happy ending for Michelle since she is left without a lover and this makes her move back to the United States after the breakup. 

8. Does this novel have a moral point of view and if so, what is it? ?( Minimum 100 words )

The novel has some moral point of view according to the traditions and socially acceptable behaviors. Arabs are supposed to be people who observe their culture at all times in Saudi Arabia and anyone who goes against the said rules is bound to face the law. The four girls try their best to live up to the moral standards of normal Arabians though hard to keep up with (Alsanea, 2007). This shows that they respect the rule of the land and observe the traditions to their level best. Cultures and traditions should at all times be observed since they are the ones that are used to define what is right and what is wrong. 

9. During the scene where Lamees graduates from medical school, the narrator describes her joy of “having it all”: love, a career, a new baby on the way. How did Lamees manage to pull off this feat --- was it skill or simply luck? ?( Minimum 100 words )

The ending for Lamees can be related to just being lucky. Among the four girls, she is the only one who seemed to have found true love while her friends are struggling with failed marriages and others being restricted by their parents. It does not require any skill to fall in love or even maintain a good relationship (Alsanea, 2007). As per the studies, Lamees can be said to have applied some skills for her success which is a good thing but coming to other sectors in her life, it is only luck that makes it more entertaining. Lamees seem to be the lucky girl among the four friends. 

10. The narrator says early on that every one of her friends “lives huddled in the shadow of a man, or a wall, or a man who is a wall.” Is this true for all of the characters, and is it true even at the end of the story?( Minimum 100 words )

This is a true statement since all the four girls were involved with men who either made their lives miserable or comfortable. For example, Gamrah was married off to a man who never loved her and who got her pregnant without love just because the traditions forced her. Initially, she loved him but as time passed the husband started cheating on with other girls (Alsanea, 2007). Michelle was involved with a man she loved but ended up being hurt since he could not marry her. Sadeem was also left by a man she used to love and this seemed like the end of her life and she left for London. Lamee’s lover did not seem much of a wall but a stepping stone to better life. All the four girls were involved with men who at times made life more difficult on their part even at the end.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Alsanea, R. (2007). Girls of Riyadh. 2005. Trans. Rajaa Alsanea and Marilyn Booth. New York: Penguin.