Yvette Davis

GOD DIES BY THE NILE

It’s amazing to me how men in Egypt think they can speak for God. How can it be that always in the name of God, people are permitted to cause harm to others, particularly women? The notion of god in this book and in other religions, often has to do with god speaking to some, and not to others. The assumption is that those who god speaks to directly are better. I’m not so certain that "God’, or the notion of "Allah" doesn’t exist for the sole purpose of, in a way enslaving people. In God Dies by the Nile, the teachings of Allah is clearly on the side of men, made up by men and enforced by men. In the name of Allah, men can mutilate, beat, and abuse women. What’s wrong with this picture?

Page 75 was especially poignant when that woman was performing the exorcism on Zakeya, she screamed out in agony over all the pain she’s endured for so many years. It’s like they just don’t get it. Men attempt to ward off evil spirits, when the evil isn’t inside her, but all around her. Again, in the name of Allah, random acts of violence are systemic. On page 109, Sheikh Hamzawi is removed from his job because he and his wife were caring for a child who was left out in front of their home. The violent fight that started because of a child, a living human being, which took place immediately before a prayer service, was simple brutal and difficult to read. I know that all cultures are different, but how can it possible be thought by anyone, that in the name of god, one can kill.

The title of this book is a strong metaphor for women’s rights, not only in Nawal El Saadawi’s culture, but in American culture as well.

Inez in Egypt after being sent to the Mayor’s House - Monologue

You can take my body in the name of Allah. You can beat me in the name of Allah. You can even kill me in the name of Allah, but you can never take away who I am. I will never care for you, nor will I bore you a child. I shall never look upon you as someone to love. One day you will discover who I am, and will have to live with the secret, as it will shame you as a man. You would not want to be known as one who turned one woman to another. You should not like to be called one whom she can not imagine fornication with, as it would be a disgrace to your manhood. You can kill me, so be it, but you shall take to your grave knowing that I was repulsed by you. I will arrange it so that you doubt that you are almighty man. I will make it so that you will never know if a woman truly wants to be with you, or would rather be with a woman.

Inez in Brave New World

Inez’s reproduction process was plagued with complications. A malfunction at the plant left her a bit off, forcing her to miss some of the training sessions. Inez was a bit off in that during the sexual play, she would only play with the girls. The Director and Ford let this go, as it was not absolutely necessary for her to play sexual with boys, since the only reason for sex was to satisfy men. Inez had a rebellious side, which she could not understand. One Day, after having forced herself to have sex with Ford, she came upon some books about the history of the world. Most of these books are considered to be complete fiction, but Inez found herself engrossed. She read about how women used to bore children, and how some men and women preferred same sex partners. Unbeknown to her, she felt like Bernard Marx. She could somehow relate to what she was reading. Inez began choosing Ford as a sex partner more and more, simply to get a hold of the books. And before long Inez decided that she would wage a protest against man. First, she stopped taking the contraceptives given to all women in order to wage a post feminist war. She gets pregnant by Bernard Marx to prove to the world that mothers once ruled the world.

Inez has the baby and many fear her as a direct result. She had become much like the biblical figure Mary, only she secretly does not feel deserving of the attention. Inez in her heart did not want the responsibility of the child, and wished that she could simply go back to sexual play with girls. This new life she created had become a living hell.

Analysis Brave New World

Is man so different, or is man in the same position as earlier in time? Men in Brave New World control women’s bodies with contraceptives, and have created them in such a way as to treat them as vessels to fill. Men have taken away the right for a woman to have a child. Is this so different from today and how male politicians have say over what a woman wants to do with her b Brave New World?

James Joyce: Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man Analysis

Difficult to read, but isn’t an unusual story by any stretch of the imagination. It’s simply a coming of age story of a young man. I had heard that some time ago, this book made people feel uncomfortable. Today, however, I don’t believe it would get the same kind of response. The character Stephen Dedalus isn’t so different from any boy I knew growing up. Joyce’s barbs at Catholicism are the same as my brothers and mine growing up Baptist. Joyce’s writing style is somewhat cinematic, although it seems to drift in and out of consciousness, which was a little unnerving for me. I could identify with Stephen frustrations, dealing with the church, guilt about sexuality, and his parents. It makes perfect sense to have "Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man," on the reading list for college age young adults, because they’ll be able to relate.