Reading Response: Pillars of Salt

Reading response: Pillars of Salt
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In pillars of salt, Faqir uses the theme of victimization to develop the plot, where women are the main victims, in a patriarchal society where the role of women is largely unheralded. Women in the Middle Eastern society as depicted by Faqir endure abuse because of victimization by their communities. They are assumed to be at fault when a man is in the wrong and they get blamed for things they have not done. In other words, victimization makes many female figures in pillars of salt victims of circumstances, who are judged harshly by the society. Victimization practices are prevalent in various facets of the society beginning with the family, where girls and women ought to get comfort and safety, but instead they are disempowered and victimized.
Even though, Maha’s brother Daffash is lazy and loves the high life he decides to send away Maha penniless, the more illustrious of the two. Daffash would result to physical violence in order to force Maha to move out of their shared house. Besides physical victimization, Maha’s brother is verbally abusive to Maha, and victimization is a theme that characterizes the society, where men result to intimidating women to get their way. Maha states “My father begged him to stay under his roof, you are the master of the house, No one will disobey you,” (Faqir, 1997). As such, the author shows that the society perpetuated patriarchy even in instances where the man was on the wrong as his authority was not to be questioned. Maha’s brother views her as being worthless, and her value only increases by bearing a male child. At the same time, Daffash forcibly steals Maha’s land despite his preference to stay idle rather than working on the farm.
Victimization and misogyny are intertwined in pillars of salt, the rape of Nasra by Maha’s brother makes her an unclean woman, and no man is willing to marry her. Even though, Nasra is a simple shepherd...