IRANIAN WOMEN’S POSITION IN THE SOCIETY REVEALED IN YASMIN CROWTHER’S THE SAFFRON KITCHEN
A Thesis
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidilkan Degree
in English Language Education
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
i
IRANIAN WOMEN’S POSITION IN THE SOCIETY REVEALED IN YASMIN CROWTHER’S THE SAFFRON KITCHEN
A Thesis
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidilkan Degree
in English Language Education
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
vi ABSTRACT
Putro, Agustinus Wahyu Wasono. 2010. Iranian Women’s Position in the Society Revealed in Yasmin Crowther’s The Saffron Kitchen. Yogyakarta: Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Department of Language and Arts Education, English Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis discusses Yasmin Crowther’s novel, The Saffron Kitchen. The reason in writing this thesis comes from my curiosity to know more deeply about women in Iran, as revealed in The Saffron Kitchen. There are two problems that become the focus of this thesis: (1) How is the major character, Maryam, portrayed, and (2) How are women’s positions in Iranian society reflected through the major character. Based on those problems, this thesis aims to describe the major character of the novel and to analyze Yasmin Crowther’s description about women’s position in Iran as revealed in the novel.
The method that I used in this study is library study. The Socio-cultural approach is used to analyze the data. The primary data of this thesis were taken from The Saffron Kitchen novel. Whereas, the secondary data used to answer the research questions were taken from relevant and supporting references and also from internet sources. Quotations and statements from certain experts were also used to clarify some important ideas.
Based on the result of the analysis, there are two conclusions to be drawn. First, Maryam Mazar is portrayed as an introvert, determined, tough, and independent woman. Second, Iranian women’s position are reflected in two aspects, women’s position in the family and women’s position in the society. Iranian women’s positions in the family are being subordinate, having no authority, having minimal right and being protected from outside influences. Next, Iranian women’s position in the society is divided into two areas, education and laws. In education field, girls should sit behind men at school. In laws, women’s life is considered as half men’s life. Maryam Mazar represented Iranian women who tried to raise their position in the society.
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ABSTRAK
Putro, Agustinus Wahyu Wasono. 2010. Iranian Women’s Position in the Society Revealed in Yasmin Crowther’s The Saffron Kitchen. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skrispi ini membahas sebuah novel karya Yasmin Crowther, The Saffron Kitchen. Alasan penulisan skripsi ini bermula dari rasa keingintahuan saya untuk memahami lebih dalam mengenai wanita di Negara Iran, yang tersampaikan melalui karakter utama dalam novel The Saffron Kitchen. Dua permasalahan menjadi pokok permasalahan dalam skripsi ini, yaitu: (1) Bagaimanakah Maryam sebagai tokoh utama digambarkan dan (2) Bagaimanakah posisi wanita dalam kehidupan sosial di Negara Iran digambarkan melalui karakter utama dalam novel. Berdasarkan masalah – masalah tersebut, skripsi ini bertujuan unutk mendeskripsikan karakter utama dalam novel dan juga untuk menganalisa bagaimana Yasmin Crowther mendeskripsikan posisi wanita di Negara Iran melalui novel.
Untuk mencapai tujuan dari studi ini, metode yang saya gunakan adalah studi pustaka. Untuk menganalisa data yang ada digunakan pendekatan Socio-cultural. Data utama dari studi ini diambil dari novel The Saffron Kitchen .Sementara itu, data penunjang yang digunakan untuk menjawab permasalahan di atas diambil dari beberapa referensi yang berhubungan dan mendukung dan juga dari akses internet. Kutipan dan kalimat dari beberapa ahli juga disertakan untuk memperjelas beberapa gagasan yang penting.
Berdasarkan hasil analisa, ada dua hal yang dapat disimpulkan. Pertama, Maryam Mazar digambarkan sebagai seorang wanita yang tertutup, keras, tegar, dan teguh. Kedua, posisi wanita di Iran digambarkan dalam dua aspek, posisi di keluarga dan posisi di masyarakat. Posisi wanita di keluarga adalah seorang bawahan, tidak memiliki kekuasaan, memiliki sedikit hak, dan dilindungi dari pengaruh luar. Selanjutnya, posisi wanita Iran di masyarakat dibagi dalam dua area, pendidikan dan hukum. Dalam bidang pendidikan, wanita harus duduk di belakang pria. Dalam hukum, harga nyawa wanita dianggap setengah dari pria. Maryam Mazar mewakili wanita-wanita Iran yang ingin berusaha memperbaiki posisi mereka di masyarakat.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to Jesus Christ and Mother Mary who have blessed and guided me. My thesis would not be finished on time without their blessing and guidance from the beginning until the end of my thesis.
I would also express my deepest gratitude to my sponsor, Henny Herawati, S.Pd., M.Hum, who had supported and given me advice. I thank her for spending her time to read and check my thesis. I am really grateful for her patience and encouragement from the beginning until the end of my thesis accomplishment. I would also thank all PBI lecturers for guiding and sharing their knowledge during my study in Sanata Dharma. I would like to thank all staffs of USD especially for Mbak Dani and Mbak Tari.
My deepest and endless gratitude goes to my beloved parents, Antonious Sukandi and Anastasia Sri, thank them for their encouragement, prayer, and eternal love. To my beloved brother and sister, Al. Joko Susanto and Bernadeta Dwi, thank them for their support and laughter which always accompany my sorrow. I also thank my beloved Tyas Maharsi, who always encourages me to accomplish my thesis.
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Djanu, Dhamet, Mega, Devi, Esti, Bayu, Endru, Eva, Dion, Wuri, Septi, Tunjung, I am so thankful for their laughter and tears we have shared together. For all PBI 2005, I would like to present my greatest thanks to all of them.
I would also thank all my friends in PSM Cantus Firmus, Mudika Kelor, LLC Kanisius, and Karimuni Choir, thank them for their friendship, support, and prayers. Last but not least, I would like to thank everyone, whom I have not mentioned, for the help and support in finishing my thesis.
Agustinus Wahyu Wasono Putro
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE……… i
APPROVAL PAGES……… ii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY……….. iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS………... v
ABSTRACT ……… vi
1.3 Problem Formulation………. 4
1.4 Benefits of the Study..……….. 4
1.5 Definition of Terms……….. 5
CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 Review of Related Theories……….. 6
2.1.1 Character and Characterization...………..….. 6
2.1.2 Theory of Critical Approach….………..….. 9
2.2 Women’s Position in Iran in the Late 20th Century…………. 11
2.2.1 Positions in the Family……….. 11
2.2.3 Positions in the Society……….. 14
xi 4.1 Characterization of Maryam Mazar……….…….... 20
4.1.1. Introvert………….………... 21
4.1.2. Determined………... 23
2.1.3. Tough……… 26
4.1.4. Independent………..……… 30
4.2 Iranian Women’s Position Revealed in The Saffron Kitchen………... 32
4.2.1 Women’s Position in the Family………..……… 33
4.2.1.1.Being Subordinate…….……… 34
4.2.1.2. Having no Authority………. 36
4.2.1.3. Having Minimal Right……… 37
4.2.1.4 Being Protected from Outside Influences……. 38
4.2.2 Women’s Position in the Society……… 39
4.2.2.1. Education……….. 39
4.2.2.2.Laws………... 40
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 5.1. Conclusions….……… 43
5.2. Suggestions………... 46
5.2.1.Suggestions for Future Researchers……….. 46
5.2.2.Suggestions for English Teacher……… 47
REFERENCES……….. 49
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LIST OF APPENDICES
Page
Appendix 1 Summary of The Saffron Kitchen ..…...………... 51
Appendix 2 Lesson Plan ….………...……… 52
Appendix 3 Learning Material ..……….…………..… 56
1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of five parts, they are background of the study,
problem formulation, objectives of the study, benefits of the study, and definition
of terms. The background of the study gives the explanation about the topic of this
study. The objectives of the study state my purposes of writing this thesis. The
problem formulation consists of two questions, which explain the problems that
are analyzed in this study. Benefit of the study gives explanation of who will get
the benefit of the study. The last part is definition of terms which explains some
terms that are used in this study.
1.1Background of the Study
The work of literature is the reflection of human life. Through the work of
literature we can feel the beauty and the bitterness of life. While, in making a
good story, the society becomes an important background. The society can give an
important effect in the composition, as Langland (5-6) has said in her book,
Society and the Novel, that the condition in the real world can be applied in the
pattern of art. If we go further, we will realize that literature can give us so many
things other than enjoying reading. The work of literature can give us the issues
Women have become an interesting subject to discuss, woman is one of
the issues that become the most popular topic in this world. The issues of sexual
harassment, women’s role in politics and economy, female workers, and many
others are now becoming one of the main concerns for most countries in this
world. Indonesia is also one of the countries which have the same issues. Women
are used to be seen as someone who always stays behind men. Javanese might say
“konco wingking”, which may give the impression that women seem to have a
lower status than men. Up to now, this still occurs in our surrounding. While
Montagu (23) proposed that women have been conditioned to believe that they are
inferior to men, and they have assumed that what everyone believes is a fact of
nature, therefore she states that “Women’s place is in the home”. She also
mentioned that in most of the cultures of which we have any knowledge, women
are considered to be a sort of lower being, a creature human enough, but not quite
so human as the male; certainly not as wise, nor as intelligent, and lacking in most
of the capacities and abilities with which the male is so plentifully endowed (27).
This statement really shows that women have lower status than men.
Some women have tried to raise women’s status by struggling to raise
women’s status. Related to these issues, one of the novels written by Yasmin
Crowther also mainly discussed about women. The major character, Maryam, is
an Iranian who tried to get her freedom by revealing her past, which has gone in
Iran. She is an Anglo-Iranian mother who used to live in Iran. However, since
Maryam has done something wrong, she decided to go back to Iran and tried to
wound was healed in her hometown. She felt the atmosphere of Iran which
reminded her about the past, where she could feel the freedom of living.
This novel was written by an Iranian writer, Yasmin Crowther, who lives
in England. Moreover, she also has an Iranian mother. Consequently, the situation
and condition of the story really reflected the real condition of Iran. After reading
her novel, I realized that there are differences in seeing men and women,
especially in Iran. By analyzing the novel I would like to know women’s position
in Iran, especially in the latest 20th century, when the story took place. According
to Hughes (22), in this period of time, Iranian women have organized and fought
for human and political rights. Women in Iran want equality, respect and the right
to participate in all social, political and economic activities. They want to live
their lives productively and with dignity.
Therefore, this study mainly analyzes how Iranian society perceives
women in their society, which includes women’s positions in the family and in the
society that is reflected through the major character of the novel, Maryam.
1.2Objectives of the Study
This study is conducted in order to achieve several objectives. First, this
study is conducted to portray the major character, Maryam. Besides, this study is
also conducted to find out the women’s position in Iran as reflected by the major
1.3Problem Formulation
Based on the discussion above, I will formulate two problems that will be
discussed in this study.
1. How is the major character, Maryam, portrayed in Yasmin Crowther’s
The Saffron Kitchen?
2. How are women’s positions in Iranian society reflected through
Maryam, the major character of The Saffron Kitchen?
1.4 Benefits of the Study
In general, this study aims to enrich the knowledge of literary study and
give more references about the position of women in this world, especially in Iran.
I expect that this study can give useful contribution to other researchers who
conduct a study on women’s position in other countries. I hope this study can
provide new perspective on the women’s position in this world and can add new
perspective on how to treat women. By reading the novel itself, we can get
pleasure and also understanding of human life that later can enrich our knowledge.
This study may also provide the information on Yasmin Crowther and her
novel The Saffron Kitchen, and offer some information about the position of
1.5Definitions of Terms
There is term that needs to be explained in this thesis. It is position.
1.5.1 Position
The first term is position. The novel is a story about women’s life which is
related to women’s position. According to Oxford American Dictionary and
Thesaurus, position means (1) a place occupied by a person or thing (2) a person
situation in relation to others (3) rank or status: high social standing (1161).
Related to this study, a position means an individual status and social
standing that is given by the society, in this case the individual status and social
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter explains some theories that are related to this study. It
consists of three main parts. The first is review of related theories, followed by the
socio-cultural reviews as the second part and the third part is theoretical
framework. In the theoretical review, I give a brief explanation of the theories that
support my study. Socio-Cultural reviews explain about women’s role in Iran in
the late 20th century. Theoretical framework gives a brief summary about the
theories that is used in my study.
2.1. Review of Related Theories
This part consists of two main theories that are used in this study. The first
one is theory of character and characterization which becomes the basis of the
study to portray the major characters in this study. The second theory is theory of
approach that is used to reveal the society perceive women on their surroundings.
2.1.1. Character and Characterization
Abrams in his book A Glossary of Literary Terms defines characters as the
person presented in a dramatic or narrative work who are interpreted by the
readers as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed
in what they say (dialog) and what they do (action). Meanwhile, the main
story. Usually the acts of the story are focused on this character from the
beginning to the ending parts (20).
Furthermore, Abrams states that as people presented in the story,
characters have the same characteristics as real human beings. They have
temperament and moral nature. Their temperament will be the basis of their
speeches and actions. In the story, characters may remain constant or stable or
may undergo a radical change through its development or as result of an extreme
crisis in the story itself (20).
In An Introduction to Fiction, Stanton states (23) that characters are the
individuals who appear in the story and these individuals are resulted from
mixture of interests, desires, emotions, and moral principles. He also divides a
character into two: central character and minor character. A central character is a
character who dominates the whole story and is presented frequently to develop.
The minor character is presented to explain and to help other characters,
especially the major character. While, Jacobs, in Fiction: An Introduction to
Reading and Writing (501), states that character is an extended verbal
representation of human being, the inner self that determines thought, speech and
behavior. A character is then a person in the literary work.
Murphy in his book Understanding Unseen points out nine ways in which
an author attempts to present the character in the story understandable and feel
like the characters are alive for the readers (161-173). They are from the personal
description, the way in which the character is seen by others, the character’s
comments given by the author, the character’s thought and mannerism. The
explanation of each point given as follows:
It is about personal description. It is the way that the author describes the
physical appearance or attributes of the characters. It includes their clothes,
accessories, face, skin, eyes, and look.
The first is by seeing a character as seen by another. The author describes
a character through the eyes and opinion of other characters and the readers will
get such reflected image of the character. The second point is the speech. The
readers have an insight about one’s character through his or her conversation with
the other character, in which the readers are eventually able to uncover his or her
opinion or view. The next point is by identifying the past life of the character.
The author describes or tells the past life of a character. This information, in turn,
helps the readers to know and understand the events that have helped to shape the
character.
Using conversations of others in the novel is the other points. It is the way
in which the author gives the readers clues about one’s character through the
conversation of the others about him or her. The next point is the reactions which
occur in the novel. By describing the reaction of a character to various situation or
events, the author gives the readers clues to know his or her characters. Direct
comments and thoughts are also considered as the points to reveal the
characterization. Direct comments show that the author describes or comments on
one’s character directly. While by seeing thoughts, we can identify that the author
The last point is Mannerism. It gives us explanation that the author portrays a
character’s mannerism, habits, and idiosyncrasies, which may tell the readers his
or her character.
In Reading and Writing About Literature, Rohrberger and Woods (81)
explain that characterization is the process by which an author creates character,
the devices by which he/she makes the reader believe that a character is a
particular type of a person he/she is.
2.1.2 Theory of Critical Approach
Reading a novel can make us know about life, human beings, and their
development. When we read a novel, we cannot ignore the elements of the novel
such as, characters, plot, setting, theme, dialogue, symbolism, language style and
the other elements, which can guide the reader to know the real theme of the story.
That is why understanding these elements is very important.
Rohrberger and Woods (6-15) state that there are five critical approaches
which can be implemented in analyzing the work of literature. We need to employ
these approaches in order to have a reasonable point of view. It is because by
using these approaches, we can understand better on how the literature is shaped
and what the literature means. The first is formalist approach which is based on
the total integrity of the work of art. It focuses on the aesthetical value. They
concern on demonstrating the harmony’s involvement of all the parts to the whole
and on pointing out how meaning is derived from structure and how matters of
The second is biographical approach, which has the main idea that a work
of art is a reflection of the author personality. Therefore, readers need to know
about the author’s life and development to understand the author’s writings.
Biographical materials also provide useful facts that could put readers in a better
position to understand and appreciate the literary objects (7-8).
The third approach is Sociocultural-Historical approach. Rohrberger and
Woods (9) state, “Critics whose major interest is the Sociocultural-historical
approach insist that the only way to locate the real work is in reference to the
civilization that produced it”. It means that in order to analyze and understand a
literary work we need to analyze and to understand the social background and the
historical background when the literary works are produced. What happens in the
society, in the time the literary work is produced, influence the understanding of
the story. By knowing the Sociocultural-historical and historical background, the
proponents will get the meaning of the story and can give the esthetical response
to it.
The next approach is mythopoeic approach. This approach tries to discover
certain recurrent patterns, to find expression in significant works of art. The
universal recurrent patterns are found in first expression in ancient myths and folk
rites of human thought that have meaning for all men (11-12).
The last is psychological approach which involves the efforts to locate and
demonstrate certain recurrent pattern. This approach uses various theories of
story. The proponents of this approach believe that the behaviors of the characters
in a story can be referred to the psychology of human being.
In this study, I would like to use the sociocultural-historical approach to
analyze the women’s positions in Iran. However, the study will focus more on the
socio-cultural background because this factor has more influences in finding the
women’s positions in Iran.
2.2. Women’s Position in Iran in the Late 20th Century
This section presents the women’s position in Iran in the late 20th century.
This section is divided into two. They are position in the family and position in
the society.
2.2.1. Position in the Family
Iran is an Islamic country which has similar culture with those other
Islamic countries, that is why, primarily, most Iranians are Muslims. The New
Encyclopædia Britannica also mentions that Iranian speak in Arabic and Fārsī, the
most important and most specifically Iranian language (862-863). In most
cultures, women’s activities are primarily confined their role(s) as wife(s) and
mother, family interactions is important for understanding the situation of a
women. Hughes stated those women’s roles and duties to be child bearing and
care taking, and providing comfort and satisfaction to husbands. However,
Iranians also believe in subordinate position in the family. According to Fathi (5),
Islamic culture, but similarities in patterns of behavior are not always associated
with similarity of religious belief. The relationship between men and women in
Iran has also been influenced, especially in the present century, by western ideas
and ways of life. A suitable accommodation between the western and native
cultural elements has not yet been achieved in Iran.
Hughes stated that men were granted the power to make all family
decisions, including the movement of women and custody of the children. "Your
wife, who is your possession, is in fact, your slave," is the mullah’s legal view of
women’s status. The misogyny of the mullahs made women the embodiment of
sexual seduction and vice (22). To protect the sexual morality of society, women
had to be covered and banned from engaging in "immodest" activity. Women
must cover their hair and body except for their face and hands and they must not
use cosmetics (23). The legal age at which girls can be married is 9 years
(formerly 18 years). Polygamy is legal, with men permitted to have four wives
and unlimited number of temporary wives. Women are not permitted to travel or
acquire a passport without their husband’s written permission. A woman is not
permitted to be in the company of a man who is not her husband or a male
relative. Public activities are segregated. Women are not allowed to engage in
sports in which they may be seen by men; or permitted to watch men’s sports in
which men’s legs are not fully covered (23).
Furthermore, The New Encyclopædia Britannica mentions that the
organizational principle of Iranian kinship is patriliny. This means several things:
and property inheritors. (3) Membership in the kinship group is determined
through males but not through females (863). Traditionally, the civil rights of
women have been minimal, women as individuals are often not as completely
passive and subordinate as it sometimes assumed. The influence of mothers on
their son is reported to be profound and persistent; especially in choosing the
brides for their son (864).
The head of the household-father and the husband- expects obedience and
respects from other members of family. In return, he is obligated to support them
and to satisfy their spiritual, social, and material needs. In practice, he is strict
disciplinarian. <http://www.csis.org/mideast/0101current history.pdf> According
to this, women’s position is under their husband. This is an example of
subordinate position in Iran culture.
Women generally use the chador (veil) when in public and when males not
related to them in the house. In the traditional view, an ideal society is one in
which women are confined to the home, where they perform various domestic
tasks associating with managing a household and rearing children. In Iran, the
family is the basis of the social structure. The concept of the family is more
private than in many other cultures. Female relatives must be protected from
outside influences and are taken care of at all the times. It is inappropriate to ask
questions about an Iranian’s wife or other female relatives because Iranians take
their responsibilities to their family quite seriously.
2.2.2. Positions in the Society
In the society, women also have the same position in the family as they
also still stand behind men. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution Iran became
an Islamic Republic. During this era of Islamist rule, Iranian women lost many of
the opportunities they had and faced more restrictions in most matters. One of the
striking features of the revolution was the large scale participation of women from
traditional backgrounds in demonstrations leading up to the overthrow of the
monarchy. This could have been due to increase in the level of participation
during the time of Shah, which led to the revolution as well. However since the
culture of education for women had been established before revolution, families
continued encouraging education for women and therefore a gap between
women's demand and the society grew, for instance the society has been facing
many educated women and less employment opportunities for them, which had
led to a general dissatisfaction and frustration among women.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_women>. Hughes also finds out that Iranian
women really want changes. Women demand more participation in social
activities, such as education, sport, and laws (23). However these educated women
do not enjoy the same right as men. Women testimony in the court is half a man.
Women's right to heir is half a man and so there are many other rules, laws and
regulations suppressing women when it comes to basic rights.
According to Hughes, Iranian perceives women as inferior side and must
be treated differently under the law (2). Hughes also points out a statement from
Determine State Exigencies. He said that justice does not mean that all laws must
be the same for men and women. The difference in the stature, vitality, voice,
development, muscular quality, and physical strength of men and women shows
that men are stronger and more capable in all fields (3). Iranian really believes that
women must accept the reality of men dominating them, and the world must
recognize the fact that men are superior.
In 2005, Women’s Forum Against Fundamentalism in Iran or WFAFI has
distributed and compiled official laws against women in Iran. These laws are
prohibiting women from the presidency, leadership, judgeship, and certain
educational fields. This means that Iran constitution controls both the public and
private lives and role of women. According to WFAFI, Iranian women are not
free to choose or control various aspects of lives.
Some of the articles from Iran Constitution are article 115, which states the
condition for the presidential candidates. The law states that, “The President must
come from among the religious and political statesmen (rejal)." The word rejal
literally means men of high achievement. Another article is article 209, which
states that woman's life is valued only half as much as a man's life. A convicted
man who has intentionally slain a woman is subject to execution only after the
payment of "Deyeh" by the family of the victim. "Deyeh" is defined as a sum of
money that the victim's family has to pay to the assailant's family for the physical
damages, dismemberment, or death of the assailant. WFAFI also added that
family courts in Iran do not provide women any protection from abusive
Moreover, Hughes also found that the top officials of the fundamentalist
regime in Iran emphasize that it is sacred responsibility of a woman to serve her
husband and take care of the households. The mullah supreme leader also declared
that women first job is to be a wife and mother, he states that a woman is negative,
primitive, and childish (1). Hughes also states the fundamentalists are denying the
equality of women and men under the banner of Islam. Yet, fundamentalist also
declared if women fail to comply their role as a wife and mother compel, they are
compelling their men to commit sin outside the home.
2.3. Theoretical Framework
In this thesis, I formulate two problems to be answered. In the first
problem, I try to find out the characteristics of the major character as portrayed in
the novel. These characteristics of the major character are discovered through the
theory of character and characterization. By using Abrams’s and Stanton’s, and
Murphy’s theory on character and characterization, I focus on the information of
the major character that can be found in the novel through personal description,
conversations, thought, comment, reaction, and habit.
In the second question, I try to find out the women’s position in Iran as
revealed in the novel. For answering this question, I employed Rohrberger and
Woods theory that can explain the relationship between literature and the social
and historical in the reality. Besides, the review of the women’s position in Iran
on the late twentieth century is used as the source to compare the women’s
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
This chapter includes three sections. They are object of the study,
approach of the study, and method of the study. The first is object of the study
which deals with the subject of study. Then, approach of the study which is
concerned with the literature approaches. Next is method of the study which deals
with the sources I will use in analyzing the study .It also deals with the steps and
the process in completing the thesis.
3.1. Object of the Study
This thesis studies the novel The Saffron Kitchen. The novel is written by
Yasmin Crowther, an Anglo-Iranian writer and this is her first novel. It was
published by Abacus in Great Britain in 2007.
The story is about an Iranian mother named Maryam. This woman has
conflicts in her own live which drive her to the new life. After the accident that
finally killed her daughter’s baby, Maryam decids to leave her comfortable life
and go back to Iran, which later makes her realize that her truly freedom is there.
This moment also made her daughter understand her mother in a way she never
could before. Her daughter comes to accept that only by letting her mother go, she
can finally get her mother back. This novel consists of 270 pages and it is divided
3.2. Approach of the Study
The focus of this study is the women’s position in Iran as seen in the major
character in The Saffron Kitchen novel written by Yasmin Crowther. The major
character, Maryam Mazar is an example of Iranian which has different cultures
background. Maryam is an example of a truly Iranian woman, while Sara, her
daughter, has a cultural mix between Iran and England.
In order to reveal the women’s position in Iran, I applied socio-cultural
approach. I used this approach in purpose to find out the social background of the
story. The main idea of Socio-cultural approach is that the only way to locate the
real work is in reference to the civilization that produces it. The social background
gives influence in a literary work. That is why I chose the Socio-cultural approach
as the base to analyze the study. The social conditions that are mentioned on the
story can contribute a great support to my analysis on women’s position especially
in Iran. How the society perceives about woman and where was the women’s
position at the moment can be the basis of my study.
3.3 Method of the Study
In order to accomplish the objectives of my study, I also need reference
books and note. There are many sources that I used in analyzing women’s position
in Iran reflected through Maryam. The sources are basically divided into two
parts. The first part is primary source that becomes the basis of my analysis about
women’s position reflected through the major character, Maryam. The primary
Crowther. The second part is the secondary sources that become supporting
sources in giving information for my study. They are books, articles from the
internet and Encyclopedia. The books used are The Natural Superiority of Women
by Ashley Montagu and Women, Race & Class by Angela Y. Davis. Complete
information for those supporting sources can be found in the bibliography.
The study that was conducted was library study. However, in doing the
analysis, there were other steps to be done. The first step was reading the novel
thoroughly in order to understand the literary work deeper. Second, I brainstormed
the main ideas that can be found in the novel. Next, I analyzed the characteristic
of the major character by using the theory of character and characterization.
Afterward, I tried to find out the women’s position in the novel by using the
review of women’s position in Iran in the latest twentieth century. The last step
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
This part serves to answer the problems as stated in the previous chapter. It
is stated before that this study posed two problems. The first problem is how the
major character is portrayed in the novel. The second problem is how women’s
position in Iran is reflected through the major character in the story. Therefore,
this chapter is divided into two divisions.
4.1. Characterization of Maryam Mazar
Character is the central point of the readers’ interest. Each character has a
different role in creating the novel more interesting and dramatic. In Yasmin
Crowhter’s The Saffron Kitchen, Maryam Mazar becomes the major character of
the novel because she dominates the whole story and is presented frequently in the
novel as Stanton stated about major character (23). In addition, Abram and
Stanton define characters as the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work
who have the same characteristics as real human beings. As the major character,
Maryam, has the mixture of interests, desires, emotions, and moral principles.
Moreover, in revealing this character, I also used a theory proposed by
Murphy. He points out nine ways in presenting the character in a novel. They are
personal description, character as seen by others, the character’s speech, character
past life, the conversation of others, reactions, direct comments, thought, and
4.1.1. Introvert
Maryam is such an introvert person. It is hard for the other characters to be
familiar with Maryam deeper, even for Edward, her husband. Her being an
introvert makes her be a mysterious person with inconvenient past for her husband
and everything goes worse when she has a problem. Whenever she faces a
problem, she speaks in her native language and continues by some physical
actions to release her anger. Even, Edward assumes that Maryam is a mysterious
person for herself, which means no one knows her, even Maryam herself.
“She’s a complicated woman, Maryam. Sometimes she’s a mystery to herself, let alone to me.” He had shared these words before, other times when she had seemed to crack around the edges, a stream of Farsi shouted from the landing before the door to her turquoise room was slammed shut, emerging full of regret hours later. (17)
As her husband, Edward has tried many things to know Maryam deeper.
However, everything seems useless when Maryam keep living in her mysterious
mind, where she keeps hiding her secret from her husband. She is trapped in her
past life which makes her living in nightmares and it goes worse when her
beloved parents passed away.
In the end, he had failed. All those years of trying to hold her up through her nightmares and tears, the places where she floundered and the past she could never fully share with him. In the early days, when they were just married, the bleak moments wouldn’t last long; a few hours before she would re-emerge, sweet and smiling, and he would hold her even closer. But it grew worse after the Revolution and her parents’ death. Her collapses were less frequent, but deeper and darker. (31)
Maryam also likes to stay alone in her own time. This makes her become more
mysterious person, since everyone stays out of her lonely time. This can be seen
on page 20, “She wants to be on her own most of the time. I’m staying out of her
leave her alone in her own time. However, she does that by asking them politely,
as Maryam often said, “I think you should go. It’s lovely you’re here, but some
time on my own might be a good thing” (21). When everyone is around her, she
prefers to keep silent and do nothing. However, when everyone leaves her alone in
her lonely time, she started to do things, all alone.
After Edward had gone, the house was silent and Maryam found herself crossing the dark landing to unlock the door to the loft. She trod slowly up to the bare wooden stairs and switched on the electric light, kneeling to reach into the space behind a stack of rolled-up carpets and rugs. All alone…(28)
Maryam also often thinks to be a boy rather than a daughter because she
wants to live a simple life. She assumes that being a boy might be less messy
compared to a daughter. This can be seen in this quotation, “Life for a boy
somehow seemed less messy; there was less to go wrong than with daughter”
(10). She also believes that her father might think the same thing, as she considers
that her father also wants her to be a boy rather than a girl. Maryam said, “I can
see this makes him proud, even though maybe he wishes I were a boy. Sometimes
I do, too” (44).
Furthermore, Maryam also prefers not to be a beautiful woman. She
prefers to be a common person who can give contribution to her surroundings.
This is proven from Maryam speech, “I would rather be plain and useful than
pretty and ornamental,’ I replied, shaking my head.”(57). This condition makes
Maryam be a more complicated person because people assumes that she is the
you, Maryam. You are beautiful. You are the prettiest of us all. I have heard father
say so.” (57).
4.1.2. Determined
Maryam Mazar is a determined person, which means she will not let
anyone stop her to get her dream. Maryam has a dream to be a nurse. However her
father does not like this profession because this is not appropriate for a daughter
of a general. This can be seen in this quotation, “He leaned on the desk and stood
up. ‘But you are the daughter of a General. Do you think you can go and clean shit
in a hospital ward?”(64). This quotation shows that Maryam’s father undervalues
a profession as a nurse. Hence, her father opposes Maryam to become a nurse.
Nevertheless, as a person with a determined personality, Maryam keeps
struggling to get her dream realized. She knows all the risks and considers about
those things, and she comes to her own conclusion that family’s need is essential
but she wants to get her dream to be a nurse before serving her family.
I hope you know I want to do what’s right for you and the family, but I think I should also do what’s right for myself.’ His hand bunched into fists on the desk. ‘I have thought hard and would very much like to be a nurse, to train in Tehran. Then, I promise, I will come back and marry. (63) She disobeys her father’s rule by pursuing her dream to be a nurse. Although this
means that Maryam also disobeys the tradition. She refuses to get married with
someone that is chosen by her father because she assumes that people also need to
follow their desires to get their dream. She also thinks that she has not really
known the man that has been chosen to be her husband yet. She prefers living
alone for a while to marrying someone she did not know yet.
He took my shoulders tightly in his hands. ‘You would deny my will?’ ‘I will not marry that man.’
‘Why not, Maryam?’
‘Because I don’t know him and because I have yet to live myself. (65)
Her father assumes that by marrying the man who her father has chosen, it
guarantees Maryam with a bright future. Yet, Maryam still refuses to follow her
father’s desire. Other people also try to give advises for her not to deny her
father’s desire and finally follow the tradition to get married to the man chosen by
her father.
She said that I must leave school soon, then surprised me by asking if I’d thought more about the marriage my father had proposed. I felt the air ebb away inside me. I hadn’t expected him to tell her about it. (50)
…
‘I don’t want to get married and be like you or Mairy,’ I replied.
She put her hand to her face and stroked her eyebrows, then the raw skin on her neck.
‘You don’t want to be like her,’ my mother nodded at Fatima, ‘working to have a roof over your head.’
I looked at the tight set of her lips. I could remember her singing to me when I was a little, a soft voice barely more than a whisper.
‘I’d like to have a profession,’ I said to the tea leaves in my cup,’ like a nurse.’
‘Huh.’ she picked up her sewing again.
I finished my tea and looked over to Fatima, frowning that I wanted to live. We stood and I leaned to kiss my mother good bye, but she turned her face away.
‘You will sense sooner or later,’ she said, to me or to herself, and we put the cups back on the tray and left the room. (51)
The quotation above states that Maryam continues arguing not to get married
because she dreams to be a nurse. Her whole family members keep asking and
persuading her not to deny her father’s will because they believe that being a
nurse is a profession for a maid. Moreover, Maryam belongs to a family of a
General which can make her be able to acquire everything she wants. It is shown
Well, if I were plain,’ I continued, ‘people wouldn’t assume that all I wanted was to marry, and they might find it easier to think I could be happy some other way.’
‘By doing what?’ she asked ‘Teaching or nursing,’ I suggested
She frowned again, more in bemusement. ‘But that’s for old maids, Maryam, or if your family can’t provide for you. We have everything we need. (58)
The quotation shows that she also wishes to be an ordinary woman that no one
would expose her and rather to think of the way she could be happy in some other
ways. However, people still try to ask her to get married and to be a wise and
intellectual person who can obey the leader of her family desire, further, to follow
Iran traditional way of life, where women should marry to a man who has been
chosen by her father. They say, “Maryam, don’t be troublesome in these difficult
times. Marry well and learn to be wily. You are wise enough.” (69).
Maryam is also bored of being forced to get married by her family. She
assumes this condition proves that her family still perceives her as a little child
who can be controlled easily. Furthermore, as a simple thing that does not have
any power to decide something for her own life, consequently she could be
directed to any kind of situation according to anything her family desired. This
condition makes Maryam a more determined person who is not afraid of trouble
that will emerge because of her act. This can be seen in this quotation, “I said I
didn’t care of trouble, but that I was tired of being spoken to as a child or treated
as a chattel to marry, when all I wanted was to go to Tehran and train to be a
nurse.”(71).
Besides, Maryam is also a tough person. She becomes tough because her
father teaches her to be that kind of person since she was a child. Moreover, her
father often uses physical punishments to make her stronger. This can be seen
from her speech, “When I was child, if I was weak, I was punished. It made me
strong. When I humiliated my father, he humiliated me. It made me strong.”(12).
This quotation really shows that her father really wants her to be a tough person,
especially tough in her personality. Maryam’s father wants her daughters to be a
strong and tough person who can face any problems that may happen since they
live in Revolution Era, where something can go wrong anytime. Yet, Maryam is
one of the daughters of a general of Shah’s army. It can be seen from this
quotation, “She began, ‘Well, the story is that Ali worked for our grandfather, a
man of position, prestige, a soldier in the Shah’s army. You know this?’ Sara had
nodded, thinking that it wasn’t the first time Shirin had told this tale.” (198).
Maryam lives in a dangerous area, since her father is one of the soldiers of
Shah’s army. As a result, being tough is required, so that when something bad
happened to her family, she is ready to continue her life by herself.
Maryam’s tough personality is being tested when her father kicks her out
of his house and his family because of her determined personality. Maryam keeps
trying to be a nurse and violates her father’s command to get married.
Consequently, her father does not acknowledge Maryam as her daughter. This can
be seen in Maryam’s speech, “He no longer wanted me as a daughter, he said that.
I had disappointed him so much.” (226). This makes her upset as she knows she
jewelry, it never makes Maryam glad because she does not want those things but
forgiveness from her father.
Beneath the cotton wool were rings from her father-turquoise, pearl, ruby and gold- one for each year she had not seen him, always arriving around her birthday, until his death. All she had ever wanted was his forgiveness, but he hadn’t spoken to her since the day he had banished her. You are no longer my daughter. (29)
This incident makes Maryam start to live her own life and leave her wealthy life.
Starting from this moment, Maryam never speaks any words to her father. This
can be seen from Doctor Ahlavi speech, “Your father is deeply disappointed,
Maryam,” Doctor Ahlavi continued. “He can’t look on you as a daughter
anymore. This can be no longer your home.” (99). Although her father said to
Doctor Ahlavi that he is disappointed of what have happened to Maryam but he
never asks Maryam to go back to his family. He keeps sending Maryam out of his
house. Furthermore, he kicks Maryam out of his house embarrassingly.
‘No. but my father didn’t believe me, so I had to leave.’ ‘Run away?’
‘No, thrown out like so much rubbish.’ Maryam gestured to the cloth and clutter on the ground, shuddering as a gust of a wind blew beneath the door. (225-226)
Maryam is being regarded as a disgusting person because her father does not
believe her. He assumes that Maryam is no longer virgin because of Ali, his
servant. When he asks Maryam to prove it by checking her condition to the
military doctor, it only makes everything worse because they rape her and make
her lose her virginity.
rough hands. I did not think it was possible to be hurt so much.’…’I was no virgin after that day.’(262)
This makes Maryam become more disappointed because she believes that
a father should protect his children from every bad thing that may happen. This
can be seen from this quotation, “He should have protected us, my father, as you
said I should have protected Saeed. But he treated us like dirt. He made me feel
like a whore.” (227). Maryam feels her father treats her like something invaluable
and abhorrent.
‘She’d say that our grandfather, in his temper, couldn’t forgive Maryam her waywardness. He had to protect our family name. He had tried to marry her to someone of her own class but she refused, and so in the end he sent her away to Tehran and then England, out of sight. And he banished Ali, without books, to the village he’d come from.’ She looked at Sara. (199)
Her father sends her out of Mazareh in order to protect his family honor, and as a
tough woman, Maryam does not surrender to this situation. She starts a new life
and continues getting her dream to be a nurse. Maryam said, “I left him behind in
my past. I was young. In Tehran I made new friends and then went to London. I
needed to settle somewhere, and knew it couldn’t be here.” (227)
Everything happens to Maryam never stops her to continue her life and to
get her dream to be a nurse and because of her experiences in facing her problems,
she grows to be a tough woman. This can be seen from this quotation, “She
pressed her head back against the wall. “You taught me well, Father, to be
ruthless.” She held her hands against her temples.” (182) This quotation shows
necessary to do ruthless things but to do what she needs to do without taking too
many considerations.
I suppose it’s become harder to be so far away from where I grew up. The older I am, the more shallow my roots have felt in England. There I have no one to share stories with, or to remember. In London, I’m surrounded by people who know this country only through their news, a cartoon of Iran. It can be lonely. (132)
Maryam passes a hard life in England, far from her family and her hometown. She
learns to adapt living in England and be familiar with those things of culture. She
knows she feels lonely because she is surrounded by people she never knows and
meets before. However, she stays holding up her identity as an Iranian.
Now, a quarter of century later, if you have an Iranian passport, people here, the authorities, think you’re a terrorist, someone who may have a bomb strapped to their belly. We’re in “the axis of evil”, they say, the scourge of the earth.’ He stared at us. ‘I’m treated like a refugee, as if it is a thing of pity, of scorn to call myself Iranian. I tell people, “I’m proud of my country. (137)
Maryam assumes that being an Iranian gives her many bad conditions, as a
terrorist or a refugee. This condition never changes her to acknowledge her own
country because she feels proud of it.
Yes, yes, you do, and we have time to talk, but please don’t be like me or my father. Look at me Sara.’ Sara lifted her face. ‘Anger has no going back. A slap cannot be undone. Some insults can never be unsaid. They worn away inside, however much you regret, hope, pray, until something terrible happens, like the day on the bridge. I don’t want you to suffer like that. (206)
Maryam says this to Sara, her daughter. It really shows how Maryam suffers for a
long time. Maryam realizes that every wound in her heart will not be gone,
although she regrets, prays, and hopes. Maryam does not want her daughter to feel
4.1.4. Independent
Maryam is an independent person. Before being kicked out by her father
from her family and her house, Maryam already learns to live independently.
When someone asks her about her life, she answers it by stating she wants to be
free which means she does not want to be influenced or controlled by someone or
something.
“Your father would not be pleased,” she teased, and held a finger up in a mock warning.
As we walked over to Hassan’s house, where I have been staying, she said, “When will you grow up, Maryam?”
“When it means I can be free.”
She had asked this question for ever and I always give the same answer. (36)
Maryam knows and realizes that being a woman in Iran means she does
not have as many rights as a man does. She knows it is hard to be free as she
wants. Everything starts when she wants to be a nurse rather than marry someone
she does not know yet. This can be seen from Maryam speech, “He told me not to
worry while telling me nothing at all. He said he hoped I would think less about
the outside world, and more about my future and marriage.” (53). Her father
assumes that her future means her marriage.
Well, I suppose Mairy was old Iran. She was traditional and obedient, full of quite care. Maybe she had the easiest life, accepting tradition. She was your grandfather’s balm. Then there was Maryam. She was born before her time, as they say; trapped by it. She had her father’s spirit, you know-good warrior, but not for girl born into a world of kitchens and children. (139)
Maryam is different from other women in Iran. While most women only stays at
tradition. She grows to be a disobedient woman and does not want to follow the
tradition since she wants to be free.
We never really escape. All I ever wanted as a child, a young woman, was to be free of etiquette and tradition, arranged marriages and everything just so. All I found was another world where I had to work out the new traditions, habits, how to appear just so. Isn’t it silly? (222)
This quotation really represents how Maryam tries to escape from the tradition.
She wants to be free from rules and obligation.
‘But do we have what we need, or know what we want? Or do we just do as we’re told? I asked. ‘Look at those mountains. Why can’t we just go there one day and walk along the valley floor, all the way to Afghanistan? I’d like to sleep in the poppy fields.’ (58)
She does not want to do something that someone tells her to do, she wants to do
what she thinks need to be done and what she really wants to do.
Maryam also disagrees with the tradition of getting married with someone.
She does not like women’s life being decided right after they were born in this
world. She assumes that woman may choose the right man for them.
She spoke first of Mairy, who at nineteen is three years older than me, and already has three noisy children by our cousin Reza. At her birth, Mairy was out on Reza’s knee as his future wife. I know this unusual, but I have always felt it must be a terrible thing to have your life decided moments after your first breath. (37)
However, Maryam realizes that it is hard to change the tradition. She realizes that
people should live along the tradition, but only for those which is made for good
reason.
Maryam states there are many types of freedom, but one thing for sure is that she
believes money cannot give her the real freedom she wants.
‘Sometimes. But there are many types of freedom and each has its price: freedom to love, to travel, to belong. For each freedom we choose, we must give up another.’
‘Your family was rich. They could afford your feedom.’
‘I’m not sure. Some freedoms can be a gift of hate as much as love.’ Maryam felt the blood rise in her cheeks and remembered her father’s last words to her: She can go by herself…She is no daughter of mine. (133)
Maryam also believes that each freedom she chooses has its price, means that
every decision that she takes has its own risk, and Maryam chooses to be an
independent person because she does not want her life being influenced by
traditions.
4.2. Iranian Women’s Position Revealed in The Saffron Kitchen
The work of literature is the reflection of human life. Through the work of
literature we can feel the beauty and the bitterness of life. The Saffron Kitchen
which was written by Yasmin Crowther represents how an Iranian woman can
make changes in her life through her actions. As Maryam’s mother said, “Iran is
like you, Maryam, a beautiful virgin in the world, surrounded by suitors, and
much may be won or lost in the choices that are made.” (68). This quotation
highlights important points from the novel that Maryam, as the major character
symbolizes how she represents Iranian women who are surrounded by men who
want to make her become their bride. Iranian women do not have many choices
because they have to choose a man to survive, “We cannot be alone in this world,
let alone prosper” (68). Iranian women believe that they have to live with their
husband to survive. This condition leads them to accept any men who ask them to
be their bride. However, Maryam believes that she can survive without those men,
she also believes that she can choose the right man for her, not the men who ask
her to be their wife. Maryam represents Iranian women who try to raise their
position in the society.
Iranian women are people who do not have many choices in their country.
Moreover, as stated in The New Encyclopædia Britannica their real role is only as
wives and mother. This condition occurs for decades and becomes tradition in
their country, which makes them weak and can easily be controlled by men who
have more power in their family. This role determines women’s position in
society, which is reflected through the major character. There are women’s
position in the family and women’s position in society.
4.2.1. Women’s Position in the Family
As stated in The New Encyclopædia Britannica, Iran is an Islamic country
which has similar culture with those other Islamic countries. The major character,
Maryam, grows in a strict Islamic culture which is presented by her family. This
can be seen in Maryam speech, “‘I grew up in a religious city and my family was
strict, it wasn’t easy to escape” (32). Based on this quotation, Maryam states that
she lives in a strict Islamic family. She says that it is difficult for her to escape
from this strict family. Even to take off her chador, she has to make sure that there
their house and there is no man inside the house, if they take off their chador when
there is a man inside the house it considered as impolite.
I tilted my head back to the stars, and threw my chador wide like a cape, before running the length of the courtyard; my hair falling over my face and shoulders. ‘Stop it,’ Mairy whispered, ‘Cover yourself. There are strangers in the house.’ (61)
This quotation shows that Mairy warns Maryam to wear her chador when there is
a stranger in their house. Her environment also provides her a strong Islamic
culture, which makes her feel difficult to escape from this strict culture. Islamic
culture also influences the women’s position in the family. As stated by Fathi, the
status of women in the family in Iran has been influenced by Islamic culture, but
similarities in patterns of behavior are not always associated with similarity of
religious belief. Iranian women’s position in the family can be seen in the major
character. Maryam is considered as being subordinate, do not have authority, has
minimal right, and being protected from outside influences.
4.2.1.1. Being Subordinate
As stated in The New Encyclopædia Britannica that Iranian women
position is considered as subordinate. This condition is related to women’s role as
wives and mother, this condition brings women in a situation where they cannot
do many things. Where they are considered as weak person and do not have
power. The one who take control of the family is the leader of the family, father.
Women work behind their father or husband inside their house.
As a subordinate, women have to obey what the leader of the family said.
know them yet. This is also happened to Maryam, where her father forces her to
marry a man she does not know yet (65). Her father believes that her marriage
will safe her future. Her father also believes if she does not get married, she will
get problems. However, as an independent and tough woman, Maryam explicitly
says that she will not marry the chosen man. She wants to get her dream to be a
nurse in Tehran. This can be seen from Maryam’s speech, “I said I didn’t care of
trouble, but that I was tired of being spoken to as a child or treated as a chattel to
marry, when all I wanted was to go to Tehran and train to be a nurse” (71). She
states that she does not care any trouble which may arise with her decision.
However, as a person who live as a subordinate, Maryam cannot do something to
support her believe. Her father is also disowned her as his daughter by sending her
out of Mazareh, her beloved hometown.
“Your father and I have spoken about the rumours,” he said. “He knows you have explanations, Maryam, but you must realize damage has been done to your family’s name and honour. Do you understand?
“Your father is deeply disappointed, Maryam,” Doctor Ahlavi continued. “He can’t look on you as a daughter anymore. This can be no longer your home. (99)
Maryam goes away from her house and her wealthy life, and decides to get her
dream to be a nurse. Starting from this moment, Maryam begins to suffer. This is
the trouble that she gets, the trouble that finally leads Maryam to another story of
her life, when she has to leave Iran and find a new life for her without her family
besides her.
This quotation above shows that this has been done for many years ago. Since
Maryam disobeys the traditions, her father dares not to acknowledge her as her
daughter. Since Maryam is in subordinate position, she cannot do something to
take her status again.
4.2.1.2. Having No Authority
The New Encyclopædia Britannica mentioned that the organizational
principle of Iranian kinship is patriliny. This means two major points, first is that
women do not have authority, the authority is vested to men. Second, all decisions
are determined through men. Even, men take the simplest decision for women.
Women should get permission from her father or husband to go out from their
house. Hughes also stated that women are not permitted to travel or acquire a
passport without their husband’s written permission. A woman is not permitted to
be in the company of a man who is not her husband or a male relative.
When Maryam asks her sibling, Mairy, to go out from her house, which
means breaking the tradition, she only gets an advice about Iranian tradition.
Mairy reminds Maryam that a woman should leave the house with the permission
of her father or husband. This can be seen from Mairy’s speech, “Maryam, you
have nice daydreams”- she pinched my cheek- “but you know we can’t leave
without permission from our father or my husband” (58). This condition really
shows that women do not have authority, even to decide a simple thing. Men in
Iranian tradition are described as a strict disciplinarian. As the head of the
In return, he is obligated to support them and to satisfy their spiritual, social, and
material needs. Maryam said, “My father stood in the shadows. I went to him and
bowed my head, reaching out my hands to be taken in his. He bent to kiss me on
each cheek, and I smiled, warm with his welcome” (42). This quotation shows
that Maryam respects her father by bowing her head and her father give her a
warm welcome. Moreover, as a disciplinarian, men also want to get respect and
obedience from other people.
‘What do you remember about my grandfather?’ she asked Ali.
…’He was a powerful man,’ he said, still looking straight ahead. ‘He was driven by tradition and duty. He prized respect and obedience above all else. I think, for him, to be loved was to be feared.’ (260)
From the quotation above, it is clear that Maryam’s father chooses to prize respect
and obedience above all else, even for his own family. He follows the tradition
where men take control of the family. Maryam’s father uses his power to take
control of Maryam’s future, even by using violence. While Ali is the man who
disagrees with this condition, Ali shook his head, “No, Maryam, forgive me, but
he took back and destroyed as much as he gave. He was cruel and barbaric; to
you, to me and to many others. You know this. It’s all right to forgive him, but
don’t deny his crimes and the scars you carry” (260). He is the one who decided
what kind of future that will ensue to his daughters. Men take control of the
condition of the family.
4.2.1.3. Having Minimal Right
The New Encyclopædia Britannica also mentioned that women’s right in
