Sandra Cisneros's "Eyes Zapata," Zakaria Tamer's "Sheep," Essay

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Sandra Cisneros's "Eyes Zapata," Zakaria Tamer's "Sheep," Nawal al-Saadawi's "In Camera," Hanan

The predominant similarity between Sandra Cisneros's short story, "Eyes of Zapata," and Nawal al-Saadawi's "In Camera," is that both narratives deal with the oppression of women who fail to conform to the limited roles that society constructs for their gender. Such oppression takes many forms in each of these tales. In Cisneros' story, the protagonist is ravaged by both the effects of war and the repercussions it produces for her husband, a military leader. In al-Saadawi's narrative, the protagonist is both physically and intellectually persecuted in very overt, gruesome methods. An examination of both of these works reveals the fact that due to the nature of the oppression the lead character endures in Cisneros' writing, this tale is unequivocally a love story, whereas the nature of the oppression endured by the protagonist in al-Saadawi's story reveals that it is more political in nature.

One of the principle points of commonality that exist within both narratives is that they take place within patriarchal societies. The setting for Cisneros' work is war torn Mexico, a fact which assists in the oppression of the main character, Ines. Ines' husband has a salient position in the military and, since there is a war taking place within this country, is widely regarded by other women. Additionally, his occupational responsibilities require lengthy periods in which he is away from Ines, despite the fact that the pair has two children together. The result is that Ines' lover not only physically and emotionally neglects her, but he also has sexual relationships (even resulting in children), with myriads of other women. The following quotation both alludes to this fact and to the degree of oppression Ines must endure while accepting the fact that there is little she can do to have her lover solely to herself.

These stupid country girls, how can they resist you? The magnificent Zapata in his elegant charro costume, riding a splendid horse…You're not a man for them: you're a legend, a myth, a god. But you are as well my husband.

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Albeit only sometimes (Cisneros 100).

The most significant aspect about this quotation is that it details the mental anguish Ines goes through while enduring the physical absence of her husband -- and his dearth of fidelity. Yet it is interesting to note that the context that this form of oppression takes place is due to a patriarchal society in which men, especially military men, are allowed to take a multitude of women for their pleasure. As such, Ines is oppressed by a society which tolerates and reinforces such a patriarchy, as it pertains to her heart and to the man she loves. Thus, it is clear that her specific form of persecution relates to her romantic interest, which is why "Eyes of Zapata" is a love story.

By contrast, the central theme in a-Saadawi's work is the repression of women not for pleasure or romantic reasons, but for political ones. The oppression that the main character, Leila, endures in this piece is hard to bear. Set within the confines of Egypt, it is difficult to discern which form of subjugation is worse for Leila -- the intellectual or the physical one. From a broader perspective one may posit that the former is; such a fact is readily underscored by the central element of the plot in which Leila is on trial for her life because she dared to slander (or insult the intelligence) of the President by calling him stupid. The sheer audacity that such a trifling remark could have upon the impact of a woman's life attests to the fact that in the world of al-Saadawi's writing, women are supposed to look pretty and keep quiet. The subsequent quotation, in which Leila's father ponders her past and fate while observing her trial, suitably illustrates this point.

He had neither name nor existence. What is left of a man whose honor is violated? He had….....

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