Introduction
While discrimination occurs in Palestine against women due to their weak state in a patriarchal culture, it also happens in Tanzania to people with albinism in ordinary people’s culture. The story of the albinism nature of Yona makes him weak in a community with ordinary people, a similar weakness in Palestine Muslim women. The stereotype is evident in the novel ‘A Woman Is No Man’ and the Tanzania short story ‘I Am Not My Skin.’ In the book ‘A Woman Is No Man,’ there are several characters and identities similar to those in the short story ‘I Am Not My Skin.’ In the novel, three women of the same family pass through harsh life under patriarchal rules. Most cultures believe women are weak, as portrayed in the book using Muslim beliefs.
‘A Woman Is No Man’ vs. ‘I Am Not My Skin’
In Rum’s novel, beliefs tend to weaken some people based on gender, while Komba presents discrimination based on physical appearances. A good example derived from Rum’s writing is the beliefs teaching involved people how to survive the harsh living conditions. Comparatively, the weak nature of some people, presented by Komba, does not allow them to do certain things or be free to interact with society. For instance, Rum’s presentation shows Arab woman’s tasks being childbearing, raising children, and house chores (Rum 3). However, Komba presents Tanzanian people with albinism being considered evil to the extent Yona Kazadi’s mother is said to have had an affair with the devil. The thing that is not understood is that no one chooses how and where to be born.
In as much as Rum presents the inferiority of women, Komba believes that all people are weak but still sees the people with albinism as inferior. It is evident that even with bullying people around the characters, the cultural practices weaken them. Likewise, Yona Kazadi is despised by society due to his pale skin, eyes, and hair color (Komba). Ghasia did a lot to protect the young boy, but unfortunately, she died during the albino hunt. The woman’s weakness is evident here as well. Nevertheless, a woman is weak in ‘A Woman is Not a Man’ because she cannot question what is going on. To survive, she has to be quiet. This novel portrays domestic violence and harsh sexual moments. Deya and Hadid’s views about marriage are similar, and marriage is no better.
Both authors express bullying as a common theme, explaining how it is used to outline the weaknesses of the presented victims, women, and people with albinism. For instance, Rum presents Hadid as an introvert, having difficulty responding to her bullying mother in love and cultural obligations. Hadid’s silence gets her into depression due to domestic abuse and marriage life (Rum 3). Hadid shoulders everything on to herself even when beaten with no justification, representing the weakness in a woman. Similarly, Komba uses Yona as a discriminated character based on skin color. Indeed, when Yona goes to board a van, he is left out because of his albinism.
The two authors discuss mercilessness as a theme developed by albino hunters and Hadid’s mother in love. Hadid is also very obedient, handles her duties correctly, and follows instructions like Simon, a gatekeeper. Komba uses Simon as a merciful person who creates the element that people have noticed the evident discrimination against people with albinism. Similarly, Sara is used by Rum to detect Deya’s struggle and offers to help with many things, including education access. Both authors present risk-taking, Rum discusses Deya as an outspoken person and a risktaker who decides to leave her marriage for education. Deya is so curious and has a love for books, struggling to meet her academic goal (Rum 6). If it were in her place to determine things, she would have postponed her current situation and met her goal first. Similarly, Yona risk going to Dar to apply for a security post in his condition.
In the novel, Rum shows how voiceless women are over generations. There is no freedom for women in the cultural life, which gives the three women a fixed lifeline. They have to school in girls’ Muslim schools, meeting the same life arrangement as women. Fareeda and Adam hold on to culture dearly, while Deya, Hadid’s first daughter, finds it hard to fit in. Muslim culture gives a woman marriage roles terming it the most important thing for a woman. Domestic violence is legalized, and women are left under the care and mercy of men.
Women are enemies to themselves, and shout too loud, making them weak. The helplessness is evident when women are forced to marry their daughters and grands into the same shame cycle. They cannot help the situation. The gap for change is limited; the reality of the women Deya tries to express is like a dream (Rum 5). Change is possible at every generation’s end, which is also faced with numerous challenges.
The characters and identities in the novel are constructed through social and cultural beliefs. Weakening women starts with the women in the previous generations. According to Hadid’s advice to Deya, nothing is left for a woman other than the house and home. Family matters more to Hadid than anything else though she failed at some point in her belief for not giving a son (Rum 5). The thought of being poor, weak, and dying is all in the women’s mindset. Women like Deya are strong in women weakening society. Being inquisitive lands her to the questions and an end to her study.
The same women’s weakness kills Hadid, and the husband then takes away his own life. Nothing could be done since Deya found out late and was weakas well. Deya confronts her grandparents, and they admit and plead for forgiveness, but this could not bring back a life. The end is not too good for attempting to flee the abusive marriage and culture that strengths men did not work for Hadid (Rum 3). In terms of women in this book, the author talks about several women and how inferior they are in society. Ghasia Yona’s grandmother is a prayerful person: walking with her rosary, she gave Yona one (Komba). In addition, Ghasia is a good adviser. Her message to the young boy is to ignore the people for one day; they tire of their ignorance. The older woman is also protective, and she used to carry a machete while taking Yona to school. The boy confesses how safe he felt around his grandmother.
The miners are inhuman, relentless, and ruthless; they cut Yona’s hand without mercy and kill the older woman. They do not take the young boy for a human due to his skin, and they are greedy for money, torturing the young boy for their evil desire. Sophia is a caring woman, the only adult lady taking care of the girls there. The intruder is a bold woman who chooses to invade Joseph’s father’s business to bury her son (Rum 7). She is an example of a weak woman as culture has overpowered men; she had to flee to prevent the parts of the baby from being sold by her husband.
Simon follows the instructions given by the intruder because he is an obedient man. He is also merciful, and he might have listened to the intruder so offered to help. He is apologetic: after being caught, he pleads for forgiveness and explains the matter. Joseph’s father is responsible, takes care of the animals on his farm, and hosts fugitives at his place after losing his family.
Lina’s mother is insensitive and never visited her even after deporting her to Joseph’s father’s place; she only showed off during burial. Yona is a risktaker; with his condition, he opts to save the fugitives from the intruder. With one hand managed to strike Simon with a spear, he composes himself to risk his life (Komba). He also chooses to go to Dar; he does not know what he would experience and takes many risks to decide. He applied for a security post in the city; being an albino with one hand, nothing lagged him behind from achieving his goal.
The two books have similar characters, identities, and themes. Several themes are evident in a woman without a man; family, womanhood, trauma, and freedom. The woman has no freedom to choose what she would do; the culture plans a lifeline, but neither can she express herself. As evident in Palestine’s Muslim nature, men are superpowered by cultural, social, and religious beliefs.
Family matters significantly to women; if something goes astray, they blame themselves, as evident with Hadid. Family can be good to you or wrong, which is evident in I Am Not My Skin; family is significant to Yona. The older woman took good care of Yona, unlike Lina, whose mother takes no visits to Joseph’s father’s place (Komba). The family also determines the lifeline of daughters and granddaughters, force marring them in the novel ‘A Woman Is No Man’.
Womanhood shows the fate of the Palestine Muslim women; social and cultural obligations weaken them. In the Tanzania short story, the woman is weak as well, and the intruder woman flees from her husband to bury her son. This shows how voiceless they are, and they cannot argue out things; they are supposed to follow men’s rules. Women are their enemies and shout loud, independent, or lazy women. Trauma results from deep about something, and introverts may be at high risk of suffering. If Yona had not enough advice from his grandmother, he could also suffer trauma.
Conclusion
In conclusion, all problems and challenges in every society can be changed gradually. Understanding the significance of life can help minimize traumatizing life situations. Life is an essential aspect of earth, which brings more regrets when it comes to an end too soon when something could be done to save. Understanding that helping and uplifting your fellow human does not make you a lesser person is necessary. In religious teachings, life came from God, and there is no need to take it as Adam did to Hadid.
Guilt follows everyone who takes away life, making Adam commit suicide; the incident makes his parents lie to their granddaughter. Society should learn not to be too stereotypical, despising one due to their skin color, physical appearance, or challenge. People with albinism are normal humans; no one chooses to be born without melanin. Everyone should consider helping others, spreading love throughout the communities, and following good religious teachings.
Gender equality is another essential aspect of preventing domestic violence and early deaths. Everyone is equal in the eyes of the creator; one is okay today but can become anything in the future. Things happen daily, and if one is strong, walking and handling every task with both hands, you lose an organ out of nowhere. Yona did not choose to lose his hand; if he were in a place that would happen, he would like to have both melanin and hands (Komba). Despising people is not a wise deed; as humans, we should have guidance and potential in everything. Women should support each other, giving one another strength, giving advice, and helping.
References
Rum, Etaf, et al. A woman is no man. HQ, 2019.
Komba, Neema. I am Not My Skin. Commonwealth Writers, 2017. Web.