The Bride Burning

Re: Zehra

My references to tradition as being oppressive were in a general sense. Tradition has often been used as a means of oppression by denying innovation and modes of behavior that it did not agree with. I have nothing against tradition itself per se, but only when tradition, in its orthodox and dogmatic sense, becomes inflexible to compromises. I see tradition as a system of status quo that seeks to maintain a socio-economic political and cultural baises at the expense of others.

I did not mean to detract or minimize your, or any one elses sense, or affliation, to a tradition or a traditional concept, i.e. familiy, etc.

Hope this answers your question.

Sincerely Feroz

off the subject, but then again, what can be expected of someone like me?

ferozk writes : tradition is just another name for oppression. do any of you, oh liberated, educated, enlightened chowkwalay see tradition as anything but oppression? why must the whole concept of tradition be maligned in this sense because of atrocities that are done in the name of tradition? yes, i understand suttee is not the best of all traditions but it does not mean that we should condemn all traditions. traditions and rituals give us, atleast they gave me, a sense of being and belonging. instead of still finidng my core self, i know who that is, im secure with and in her and am able to take from tradition waht i like and drop what i dont like. the importance of tradition should not be just cast aside. this just may be a romanticized western version i have of things, in terms of family traditions countiuing down generations. also, to begum fatima: i would have to agre with the third response to your piece. it shows awesome promise but there are things you bring up that are not addressed properly.

rizvi

Dr. Begum Fatima Shahnaz,

I hope you take this criticism of your excerpt in the best of spirits. I found your writing highly imaginative and very creative in its use of words and metaphors.., but I also found it to be an unfair generalization and exoticization of women`s experiences. Your excerpt is probably the exact psychic analysis of a woman`s experience; nevertheless, generalized and guised in difficult phrases which are not defined by you, this analysis is almost disempowering. It appears to render the woman the anthropological subject of an imperialist academic, and a victim who acts against her will and is subject to life currents that you seem to well understand, but leave big question marks for me as I read your piece.

For example, you write:

``The anger of a girl involuntarily subjected to becoming the scapegoat of dualism: The currents of change and regression, the stagnation of rigidly inflexible traditionalism and the absence of family suport-structures in modern self-determinism.``

Now what exactly is modern ``self determinism``? How is it different from old self determinism?
Why are there no support structures in modern self determinism?

You write:
The irrational impulses at work in this power struggle trigger an odyssey into the mind`s insanity and hell. As the individual is stripped of power in favor of Group-Think, the collective self-deception of a system steeped in parochial patriarchies, a form of cultural abuse and conditioning occurs: The woman becomes a victim of submission, easily losing her sense of self-esteem and personhood.

My reaction:
Who is the woman? Why are you generalizing the woman`s experience?

I feel your writing is truly imaginative and reads well, at times, as poetry, but as a general introduction to women`s experiences it seems to make big statements with little to follow. And maybe the book explains all of this and puts your theory in context?

-best wishes,
AA

Good luck with your book. Many will want to read it.

``The manipulators opportunistically exploit the veil of religion and tradition... religion thus becomes a pretense masking narcissism, egoism, and hubris.``

Extermely moving and a powerful indictment of male dominated heirachical societies. You have eloquently portrayed the plight of women...well said! Thanks for echoing what BG was saying...tradition is just another name for oppression.