Woman at Point Zero

Woman at Point Zero

The critical issue expressed in the novel includes the gender-based discrimination and struggle that women face. It further seeks to elaborate on the consequences that follow gender-based violence and discrimination against women. Through the story of the protagonist Firdaus, the novel reveals the elements of gender-based violence and the scars that they leave in their victims. It illustrates that the abuse that women face can cause adverse consequences in the lives of the victims, which could lead to unfavorable choices and actions, including murder, in an attempt to protect oneself.

Among the main ideas presented in the novel include the concept of fear and survival. Following decades of facing sexism and abuse, the protagonist leaves in fear and views the universal order as a conflict between the genders, where the men act as masters band treat the females as slaves.  All through her life, she fears what men could do to harm her. Expression of survival is as following constant oppression; Firdaus kills a man who exploits her. She faces increased courage after the murder, feeling that she can stand for herself and protect herself from the oppressive criminal men. She transforms into a fearsome woman, not afraid of speaking the truth against the men who oppress and hold women down. I feel that the fear that the women face has negative consequences in them and their wellbeing. The fear is responsible for causing adverse survival mechanisms in the women as they attempt to avoid the oppression that they face.

Pervasive sexism and oppression are also an idea presented in the novel.  Every man that Firdaus interacts with seeks to abuse or exploit her because of her gender. The book suggests how women are profiled and discriminated against from birth. The expression of pervasive sexualism is as the protagonist is through the oppression and exploited based on her gender. Also, the father of the protagonists beats his wife daily. The father of the protagonist beats his wife when a son dies. However, if a daughter dies, he acts significantly normal. I think pervasive sexism and oppression contribute to the abuse that women face as men view them as lesser beings.

There is an exhibition of religious hypocrisy in the text. Religion plays an important role both in society and the government. Despite the fact that religious men should be a source of protection to the community, Firdaus grows up surrounds by religious men who frequently expose her to abuse and exploitation. The religious figures present manipulative elements just as everyone else on the society who mainly go after their self-interests.  I feel religion hypocrisy is responsible for furling adverse factors in the community. The religious leaders lead by example and the rules that they create significantly create the guidelines for society.

The ideas presented relate to real life as women seem to be undergoing increased gender-based violence in societies that view women as being of lesser value in comparing to men. Fear is presented s despite the availability of laws meant to guide women; the female gender is still subjected to much discrimination as the women are afraid of reporting the oppression that they face to the bodies intended to assist them. The illustration of survival through violence is as most women in correction facilities get charged for crimes that involve them attempting to defend themselves. The proof of religious hypocrisy is that religious institutions do not do enough to protect women. Instead, they enact laws that oppress women more.

I agree with the ideas presented in the text that increased numbers of women continue to suffer as a result of the oppression created and placed in the society that does not care about the well being of the female gender.  What I found meaningful and exciting from the novel is that although women are the ones exposed to more violence and discrimination from men, the laws catch up with women in the case that they seek to defend themselves. Despite the exposure of women to unfair and unjust instances, men barely face justice. However, there are strict laws to ensure women face legal actions in the case that they act men, even if it was a matter of self-defense.

Concerning the theme of women’s identity, among the factors that stand out from the book include that the women are at a point that they can stand against the patriarchal dominance. The level of female exploitation gets to a point where they have no alternative but to stand for themselves. The result is negative consequences, including the murder of the exploitative men.  The women struggle for self-emancipation, despite being faced with adverse effects for these actions. The women struggle towards challenging the immorality of patriarchy that creates a danger to the wellbeing of the females.