Woman at Point Zero – Feminism Paper
Paper: In literature, a common mantra is write what you know, and quite often, authors do in fact create fiction using their own life experiences. This sort of writing can be a boon for the historian in that it provides a window of analysis into the mindset of a member of the society that you are studying. Though Woman at Point Zero is a piece of fiction, it is based on an experience that the author, Nawal el Saadawi, had when she worked for the Egyptian government as a psychiatric doctor. Through the fictionalization of that experience the reader is introduced to the prisoner Firdaus. Through Firdaus the concept of feminism as it was expressed in Egypt in the 1970s is presented. Using the novel, focus on what the existence of the prostitute/good wife, whore/virgin dichotomy says about the status and condition of women in this society. In your analysis, examine the general assumptions about men’s and women’s power that Firdaus fights against. To help with this, think about how, according to both society in general and Firdaus in particular, what a prostitute, slut, whore, and “ruined woman” would be defined as. You can also examine the correlations that are drawn between woman as a prostitute and woman as a wife and woman as a slave. As you conclude, focus on how this novel presents and understands feminism.
Nuts and Bolts of Paper: This is an analytical paper, not an opinion-based one. Do not use first person and do not simply tell me about what happens in the novel. Start with a thesis, an argument, about what you are trying to prove about Egyptian feminism, and then use the novel to support this argument. Only papers submitted through the course Canvas site will be accepted. Papers must be a minimum of 1200 words long, please do not exceed 1500 words. They should be double-spaced, using standard margins, and Times New Roman Font, size 12, or its equivalent. Correct spelling and the proper use of the English language is required. I will be grading you on content, spelling and grammar. This is a scholarly paper, so do NOT use slang, contractions, or first person. At the top of your paper, include your name and an accurate word count, failure to do so will result in a FULL LETTER GRADE deduction. Your paper must be named in the following manner: Last Name_First Name.doc
You may NOT use the internet to help write this paper. Using the internet will result in a grade of 0.
