“Woman at Point Zero”: Abuse Against Women

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Introduction

It is important to note that the oppression of women within patriarchal systems is a global problem that manifests itself in a wide range of cultures and societies. One of the aspects of the given issue is abuse against women, which can take many forms in and of itself, such as domestic, physical, sexual, emotional, or financial types. The given analysis will focus on Nawal El Saadawi’s most prominent work, titled Woman at Point Zero. The theoretical framework of interest, which will be utilized within the scope of this assessment, is trauma and cultural rhetoric studies. Although the analysis will use trauma and cultural rhetoric as tools, the critique of culture and oppression will be presented from my own perspective. Thesis: Patriarchal culture alone is the main source of all forms of oppression, trauma, and abuse against women since it is an ultimate melting pot of all enabling elements, including religion and institutions.

Overview

In order to comprehensively analyze El Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero, it is useful to provide a general and brief overview of the book. The central character of the writing is an Egyptian woman called Firdaus, who is sentenced to execution because she killed her pimp. The story is based on real events and people the author worked with as a psychiatrist. The book narrates how a wide range of elements of the Egyptian patriarchal and oppressive society shaped Firdaus’s life. For example, she was born in extreme poverty, which led to a forced marriage to an abusive husband (El Saadawi 46). The years of abuse resulted in her descent into prostitution due to a sense of despair and powerlessness. The story is culminated by Firdaus’s decision to embrace her own self-determination and self-agency in the face of death, despite the fact that her psychologist offered a compromising solution. There is an extensive focus on how women struggle and has to be resilient under patriarchal systems of power in order to survive.

Abuse Against Women

It should be noted that Firdaus’s life and her ultimate demise were shaped by the constant abuse she experienced from the start of her life as a girl and woman. Abuse is the single most prominent topic, which is the focus of the given analysis. The main character is essentially a victim of life-long trauma inflicted at the intersection of abuse and cultural rhetoric. Throughout the story, it becomes evident that she experienced sexual and physical abuse as a prostitute. The signs of emotional abuse can be traced from her childhood inflicted by her family members, which was at its highest when she was forced into marriage. Her life as a wife was a textbook definition of domestic abuse, where she did not feel safe in her own home.

Culture and Controversy

Any discussion on the topic of the abuse of women as a small part of a larger oppression tends to address one aspect or another without addressing the whole picture. In addition, the modern restraints of political correctness hinder meaningful conversations about the role of culture in enabling patriarchy and the abuse of women. It is automatically controversial and ethnocentric to critique the abuse culture, which is why there is a large body of analyses on specifics, such as education, family, or gender roles. However, culture is a collection of beliefs, values, and ideas held by a society, which is influenced by its traditions, religion, history, language, and customs, among many others (Vuong et al. 1). Although critiquing the Western culture by the Westerners is less controversial than making the same critiques of the other cultures, El Saadawi showcases how the latter can be enablers of patriarchy and oppression as well. Thus, any culture that has systematic discrimination against any group on the basis of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation should be a subject of critique.

Individuals vs. Collective

The story presents stark evidence of how culture and cultural rhetoric enables patriarchal oppression and abuse of women. If one takes any portion of the book and analyzes it in isolation, one can make an assumption that this specific man was abusive towards Firdaus. However, it is not possible to do so when the story, which is based on real-life people and events, clearly shows how patriarchal culture creates abuse of men.

She was not abused by her father, uncle, employer, and pimp only but by her entire society and culture, which enables such behavior for men. Firdaus states: “Every single man I did get to know filled me with but one desire: to lift my hand and bring it smashing down on his face” (El Saadawi 10). In other words, she recognizes that she seriously despises all men, even if she acknowledges that she did not meet every single one of them. By further analyzing the statement and the book as a whole through the cultural rhetoric and trauma framework, it becomes apparent that she is a victim of systemic patriarchy. The latter is manifested in the collective rather than in individuals specifically.

Why Culture and Not Anything Else?

In order to establish that this analysis is not yet another piece of ethnocentric ignorance, it should be stated that all cultures are subject to critique and scrutiny. There is no single culture that can be put on a pedestal as a superior one, but this does not mean that cultures cannot be criticized for their flaws. Throughout the story, a reader can observe a clear sign of the pervasiveness of patriarchy and abuse against women. One might argue that the cause of the main character’s problems is education, but it does not explain abuses outside the educational system. Another person might claim that it is due to the legal system and institutions, but it is they not only fail Firdaus but are the cause of her death. Only culture, as a set of beliefs, values, and ideas, can be this pervasive, making abuse against women present in all layers of society.

Therefore, the patriarchal culture of Egypt, reinforced by Islamic traditions, but not the religion itself, is the culprit. Firdaus admits that her destiny to be abused was sealed as soon as she was born. This is the reason why she states: “by birth, I was lower class” (El Saadawi 10). Her very first trauma was experienced through female genital mutilation. As a child born into poverty and neglect, her own mother was the enabler of the oppression and patriarchal abuse. She states: “First she beat me. Then she brought a woman who was carrying a small knife or maybe a razor blade. They cut off a piece of flesh from between my thighs. I cried all night” (El Saadawi 12). Such a horrendous practice cannot be explained through any other lens or framework except culture. Not even the religion of Islam can be directly criticized because there are Muslim societies and nations which do not practice female genital mutilation. Only culture and cultural rhetoric enable these forms of physical and emotional abuse of children.

From the cultural rhetoric studies perspective, female genital mutilation is often discussed from the wrong angle. For example, even the World Health Organization (WHO) condemns the practice from the standpoint of cultural imperialism and gender bias, which shows how blind Westerners can be about their own cultures (Earp and Johnsdotter 196). The harmful effects of the culture pervade the very fabric of human civilization. It is morally and ethically wrong to force a child to undergo an unnecessary culturally-driven surgical mutilation before the age of consent. Both boys and girls around the world are victimized by culture, often on the basis of religious teachings.

Culture: Trauma of Forced Marriages

Firdaus was forced into a marriage from a young age, and her husband was a significantly older man. Such a practice is considered acceptable in her culture, which deeply traumatizes a person limiting her safety, future freedom, and economic prospects. This patriarchal abuse of women is legally supported in Egypt, and this reflects how cultural harms manifest themselves in legal, economic, and social frameworks. Although Egypt outlawed marriage before 18 in 2008, there are still adolescent marriages taking place since the law is poorly enforced (El-Gazzar et al. 2). In addition, the timeframe of the story takes place before these changes, which showcases how difficult it is to make improvements against the cultural norms.

Firdaus was married to Sheikh Mahmoud before she was 19 years old, and the husband was more than 60. Firdaus recollects: “On one occasion, he hit me all over with his shoe. My face and body became swollen and bruised. So I left the house and went to my uncle. But my uncle told me that all husbands beat their wives” (El Saadawi 46). In other words, there is an element of normalization of domestic violence and physical abuse against women. In other words, men consider that they are permitted and allowed to inflict physical violence against their wives on a cultural level.

Trauma: From Beatings to Rape

As a result of continuous and brutal beatings, Firdaus eventually has to escape her husband’s house and flee. At this point, one might assume that the father, uncle, and husband were isolated cases of problematic men in her unfortunate life. She eventually meets Bayoumi, who initially treats Firdaus with kindness and respect. However, in the end, he and his friends take turns raping her. Firdaus recalls one such friend: “he sank his teeth into the flesh of my shoulder and bit me several times in the breast … he kept on repeating ‘Slut, bitch’” (El-Gazzar et al. 53). After such emotional, physical, and sexual abuses, it becomes apparent that there is a clear pattern of misogynistic, sexist, and abuse male conduct against women. The culture enables men to view women as inferior to them on a multitude of levels, which strips away any need to show decency or respect for their female counterparts.

The Moment of Clarity: Reflecting on Trauma

The most problematic aspect of cultural indoctrination is the fact that one cannot see the major flaws behind its veil since he or she is born in it without any alternative perspective. Firdaus needed to endure decades of trauma and abuse from the day she was born in order to come to the realization that the entire system, built on the foundation of the patriarchal culture, was stacked against her. She states: “Now I was aware of reality, of the truth. … That marriage was the system built on the most cruel suffering for women” (El-Gazzar et al. 94). The institute of marriage is one of the most prominent aspects of patriarchal oppression, which severely disadvantages women and puts them in a highly vulnerable position (Wood 612). Marriage does not have to be oppressive for women, but it is precisely the culture that can weaponize it. It is the set of ideas, beliefs, and norms in society that can shape everything else, including social practices, laws, customs, economics, employment, power structures, institutions, education, and politics.

During this moment of realization and epiphany, Firdaus felt most liberated by her prostitution. She states: “Now I realized that the least deluded of all women was the prostitute” (El-Gazzar et al. 94). It is evident that she reflected on her past and came to conclusions that every aspect of her culture failed, abused, traumatized, and oppressed her, which is why she felt most liberated as a prostitute. The latter is an example of how she went against everything imposed upon her by the culture in all of its manifestations and succeeded in the most pragmatic sense. It is stated that Arab countries tend to adhere to “the culturalist view that reduces women’s employment decisions to ideology” (Barsoum 895). There is no empowerment of women or promotion of social and labor policies to do so. This is deeply rooted in ideology, which is a set of ideas that means it is a part of the culture.

The insidious nature of cultural indoctrination is that it often operates at a subconscious level, shaping our beliefs and values in ways that are difficult to identify or challenge. This is especially true in societies where cultural norms are deeply ingrained and where alternative perspectives are actively suppressed or marginalized. For Firdaus, the process of coming to terms with the ways in which culture had shaped her life was a long and painful one. It required her to confront the reality of her own oppression and to challenge deeply held beliefs and values that had been instilled in her from birth. At the same time, Firdaus’s story highlights the potential for resistance and liberation, even in the face of overwhelming cultural pressure. By rejecting the patriarchal norms and values that had been imposed upon her and by embracing her own agency and autonomy, Firdaus was able to carve out a space of relative freedom and empowerment.

Culture as a Culprit and Source of Trauma

By analyzing the book through the theoretical framework of cultural rhetoric, it becomes evident that culture is the culprit. In other words, unless people are willing to question and change their culture, a meaningful transformation of society is impossible. In addition, many cultural beliefs, ideas, and values are deeply ingrained in religion, such as Islam, in the case of Firdaus’s sociocultural environment (Hordern 642). A similar is true for the United States, which places a heavy emphasis on Christianity. Therefore, no culture is ideal or superior to another if it relies upon abusive and misogynistic ideals to hold firm.

However, cultural relativism does not mean that specific elements of a culture cannot be criticized. The Egyptian culture and Arab culture, more broadly, have failed Firdaus since her birth, and, as a result, she rebelled, for which she was killed by patriarchy. Essentially, patriarchy abuses, victimizes, exploits, and traumatizes women until they are no longer of use for it, which leads to abandonment and punishment. It is important to recognize that cultural norms and beliefs can be deeply ingrained and difficult to change. This is particularly true in societies where power imbalances are heavily entrenched, such as those that are patriarchal, racist, or otherwise oppressive.

Furthermore, cultural trauma can be intergenerational, with the effects of past traumas being passed down from one generation to the next. For example, the trauma experienced by Indigenous communities as a result of colonization and forced assimilation can still be felt today, as many individuals continue to grapple with the effects of historical trauma. At the same time, it is critical to note that not all cultural beliefs and practices are harmful or oppressive. Indeed, many cultural traditions can be a source of strength and resilience, particularly for marginalized communities. It is, therefore, important to approach discussions of cultural trauma and transformation with sensitivity and nuance and to recognize that different individuals and communities may have different perspectives on what constitutes harmful or oppressive cultural practices.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the root cause of all oppression and abuse of women is a patriarchal culture, which subdues them through laws, norms, practices, customs, and institutions. Without any transformative change to the culture itself, changing the laws, advocating for new ideas, and ban of specific practices will not address the root of the problem. In addition, the analysis of Nawal El Saadawi’s book provides a clear example of how culture and cultural rhetoric enable abuse against women, which results in trauma and lifelong effects. The story of Firdaus showcases how abuse is not just an individual issue but rather a systemic problem that is perpetuated by cultural norms and beliefs. By examining Firdaus’s life and the various forms of abuse she experiences, it becomes clear that the root of the problem lies in the culture itself. Patriarchal culture reinforces abusive behaviors towards women and enables them to continue.

Therefore, in order to address the issue of abuse against women, it is necessary to critically examine and challenge patriarchal culture. This requires a collective effort to dismantle the cultural beliefs, norms, and practices that enable such abuse. It is not enough to simply address individual cases of abuse, as the root of the problem lies in the culture that perpetuates it. In general, Woman at Point Zero provides a powerful critique of patriarchal culture and its role in perpetuating abuse against women. It is an important reminder that in order to achieve gender equality, it is necessary to challenge and transform the cultural norms and beliefs that enable such abuse to continue.

Works Cited

Barsoum, Ghada. “‘Women, Work and Family’: Educated Women’s Employment Decisions and Social Policies in Egypt.” Gender, Work & Organization, vol. 26, no. 7, 2018, pp. 895-914.

Earp, Brian D., and Sara Johnsdotter. “Current Critiques of The WHO Policy On Female Genital Mutilation.” International Journal of Impotence Research, vol. 33, no. 1, 2021, pp. 196-209.

El Saadawi, Nawal. Woman at Point Zero. Zed Books, 2007.

El-Gazzar, Amira F., et al. “Spousal Violence and Its Determinants Among Married Adolescent Girls in Upper Egypt.” Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association, vol. 95, no. 28, 2020, pp. 1-9.

Hordern, Joshua. “‘Religion, Culture and Conscience.” Medicine, vol. 48, no. 10, 2020, pp. 640-643.

Vuong, Quan-Hoang, et al. “Cultural Additivity: Behavioral Insights from The Interaction of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in Folktales.” Palgrave Communications, vol. 4, no. 143, 2018, pp. 1-15.

Wood, Helen. “Fuck The Patriarchy: Towards an Intersectional Politics of Irreverent Rage.” Feminist Media Studies, vol. 19, no. 4, 2019, pp. 609-615.

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