Shame

shame; noun:

a: a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety

b: the susceptibility to such emotion

c: a condition of humiliating disgrace or disrepute

 

In the novel Shame by Salman Rushdie, Sufiya Zinobia is a representation of the inferiority and shame of Pakistani women. She is the shame of Pakistan simply by being born female. McLeod states that men are far more superior and of more importance when it comes to the construction of a nation. "The construction of a national people have tended to privilege men as the active agents in national liberation and the chief beneficiaries of political and economic power gained through nationalist struggle" (McLeod 137). From the moment Sufiya was born, her parents were not pleased with her sex. Her mother even asked God why she had to give birth to such a small girl. "Is that all, my God? So much huffery and puffery to push out only this mouse?" (Rushdie 88).  Her birth was seen as defeat because her parents were counting on her to be the reincarnation of their stillborn son. This just further shows how women are seen as inferior and of less value throughout Pakistan than boys and men. Sufiya also becomes mentally handicapped because of an illness. This is a representation of how women are seen as unintelligent in the Pakistani culture. This is also part of her shame. Sufiya's mother states that this is her burden to bear. "That birdbrain, that mouse! I must accept it: she is my shame" (Rushdie 101). This statement ties it together that just being female in a male dominated society is the female's own burden to carry.

 

 

What does it mean to be a woman in Pakistan? Pakistan is the third most dangerous country for women in the world. 90% of Pakistani women are submitted to some form of domestic abuse, and it is reported that 1,000+ women are killed each year. It is a common misconception that Pakistani women are oppressed because of religion; however, this is not the case. "A certain mentality is deeply ingrained in strictly patriarchal societies like Pakistan. Poor and uneducated women must struggle daily for basic rights, recognition, and respect. They must live in a culture that defines them by the male figures in their lives, even though these women are often the breadwinners for their families." Women usually keep silent about the abuse, rape, etc they face in fear of becoming worthless or meaningless in their family and within society. This is a very sad reality that Pakistani women face on a daily basis. You can read the article To Be a Women in Pakistan and get a firsthand look into the lives of real Pakistani women. This article interviews some very brave women.