Oppression In Etaf Rum's A Woman Is No Man

A Woman Is No Man In “A Woman Is No Man” by Etaf Rum, Deya went from being oblivious, to confused, to assertive to demonstrate how it is important not to have too many restrictions as oppression stops dreams and interferes with independence. Deya was oblivious in part 1 because she did not know any better since she grew up being oppressed, limiting what she knows about her own life. There are a couple instances in which Deya’s way of thinking shows that she is unaware of her life. After talking to Fareeda about marriage, Deya assumes, “She’s start to think maybe they had it right after all. Maybe marriage was the answer”(Rum, 36). Despite wanting to go to college, she had so much pressure on being married that she presumably could not escape

As a result of growing up in a sheltered environment Deya believed her life was determined, but when given new information this throws her off, causing doubts and conflicted thoughts. When she met Sarah for the first time, she told Deya that she can control her life, in which Deya replied “Do you think I have a choice. I don’t! You, of all people, should understand that”(Rum, 134). Growing up believing that marriage is inevitable, Deya became doubtful that she can do what she wants with her life. As she started seeing Sarah more, her internal conflict rose, as she had “a thousand voices in my head, and I don’t know which one to listen to!”(Rum, 181). While Deya was urged to marry during this time, she started having trouble trusting the people in her life. A part of her wants to satisfy her grandparents by marrying, but another part of her wants to follow her dreams of letting marriage wait and go to college. By the end of Part II, Deya becomes less confused by speaking up for

After she got the piece of newspaper from Sarah, Deya was convinced that “I will not repeat my mother’s life…her life was her own, and only she controlled it”(Rum, 245). That moment was when Deya learned that Isra was killed by Adam. Knowing that staying in an oppressive environment for too long will have serious consequences on her and her sisters, Deya decides to take action on what she will do instead of following a restrictive tradition. Later on, Deya got accepted into New York University and told Fareeda that she’s going to Manhattan and letting the marriage wait. Confronting Fareeda even further about how Deya should let her destiny be in her hands, “Deya expected her to protest, to wail and argue and beg and refuse. But to her surprise, Fareeda did nothing of the sort.”(Rum, 334). Before, Deya would get scolded for wanting to go to college. However, after knowing the truth about her family, Fareeda stopped lying about the family and gave up on forcing Deya to