Veiled Sentiments Chapter 4 PDF

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Name: Mary Arsenault The chapter you have chosen: 4

Reading Response #3 -- Guided Reading Form: Veiled Sentiments – Chapter 3 or 4 DIRECTIONS: Use this form to respond to EITHER Chapter 3 OR 4 of Veiled Sentiments (as

you signed up in class). If you chose to respond to Chapter 3, it is due on THURSDAY, OCT. 13, 2016; if you chose Chapter 4, it is due on TUESDAY, OCT. 18. You should download this form from Blackboard and type in your responses under each question (single spaced), taking as much space as you need to answer each question, aiming for 2-3 pages. Bring a hard copy ready to submit at the beginning of class. In addition, post a copy to SafeAssign after the end of class. 1. Summarize the general argument Abu-Lughod is making in the chapter: a.

What is the overall claim of the chapter? (1-2 sentences)

In this chapter, the author discusses how men are seen as superior to women and more valuable in Bedouin society. Abu-Lughod argues that a woman’s denial of sexuality communicates “deference to those in the hierarchy” (119). b.

What types of research does Abu-Lughod present in this chapter to ground her claim? Summarize the evidence presented in this chapter in support of its argument by listing the different types of evidence presented and the methods used to collect it. Make it clear what research activities she undertook, where, and with whom to produce these data. (1-2 sentences)

The author conducted interviews with people in the Bedouin population. She talked about an interview that she had with a midwife, who told her a story of how happy and proud she was to have had the chance to deliver two boys in one day one time. She was so proud of this because of how valued sons are over daughters; daughters are even thought to be worthless. Abu-Lughod also simply observed the tribes, and saw often that, while women were not quick to state their inferiority, they rarely contest the things that men say about them (124). c.

Trace out the steps in her argument, showing how she presents her evidence to ground her claim. In other words, outline her argument, explaining how it works. (1.5 pages in paragraph form, not just a list of topics.)

In an interview conducted with a midwife, Abu-Lughod gained information to support her argument on how sons are much more valued than daughters. The midwife said, “to give birth to boys is better. Everyone present rejoices. If it is a girl, everyone is upset…they don’t go tell the men. No one eats dinner. Even the tent goes into mourning” (121). Abu-Loghod also points out sociological reasons why people prefer sons. She discusses how the principals of patrilineality is based on men’s relationships with each other. “Tribal segments can only grow through the addition of males” (122). Mothers worry about having daughters because once they are old enough to marry, they are most often married off into

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another tribe, meaning that mothers lose their daughters often, unless they marry within the tribe. Much of the idea that women are inferior also comes from religion. A man that Abu-Lughod spoke to had given her an example of his version of the Fall from Grace. The man said that Eve was created from Adams broken rib, which is why women are always “twisted.” He said that Eve was so inferior that she eagerly accepted fruit from the devil and listened to his music because he was a male. At one point, the author threw an article of women’s clothing onto a washtub of men’s clothes. Women were shocked, and ran over to remove the item because they were dirtier than the men and could not have their clothes washed in the same load. Women are thought, in the Bedouin society, to “naturally” pollute the earth through menstruation. According to the author, “even the non-praying boy is considered more pure than a praying, nonmenstruating woman” (132). Sexuality is one of the biggest reasons that women are seen as inferior to men. While pregnancy is an obvious give away of a woman’s sexuality, men do not have an equal counterpart; there is no way to tell if a man is sexually active unless he claims someone as his child. For this reason, women try to keep pregnancies a secret for as long as they can. All of the examples that were given help support the author’s argument because of the views of the people that they portray. With few exceptions, most of them came directly from people in the society. There is little room for misconception on the author’s part, considering the fact that they are mostly direct quotes. 2. What is one assumption or idea that a reader might have had before reading this book that this chapter argues against? How might this piece change someone’s mind about something? (1 thoughtful paragraph) Before reading this book, a reader (myself for example) may have thought that women would not be thought of in such a negative light around the world. As for myself, I know that cultures around the world are different and that in many places, women have fewer rights than men. Women can also be looked down on around the world such as in China, but for different reasons. China has a rule that was recently changes that said that families could only have one child in order to control population growth. Families hoped to get sons because of this rule, so that they could continue their family name. Daughters were less favorable than sons for this reason, but that is different than the reasons in the Bedouin society. In the Bedouin society, women are looked down upon simply because of the culture. As seen in the examples listed in previous questions, they are thought of as inferior to men in almost every aspect of society. 3. Describe one thought or reaction you had in response to the reading for today or something you think would be interesting to discuss in class. (1 thoughtful paragraph) When I was reading this book, I was incredibly shocked by the reactions to women giving birth to daughters. Sons are rejoiced and celebrated. I assumed that daughters would then be looked down upon, but again, I did not think that it would be to the extent that it was. People didn’t eat dinner, didn’t talk to men to tell them about the child, and everyone in the tent begins to mourn. This didn’t make sense to me because, although it is evident that sons are preferred, these people are allowed to have multiple children. If they get a daughter as the first child, they still have

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many more chances to produce a son. I also would have thought of having a daughter as just another opportunity for a male to be born later on, once the female is physically ready.

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