ipl-logo

True Identity In Sahar Mustafah's In The Beauty Of Your Face

560 Words3 Pages

People have been ashamed and scared to be around people, why? because they're scared of being judged, they live with the pressure of having to be a certain way just to fit in, go with the trends, and fit with society's expectations. I, myself, am part of those people. When you find the relief of being yourself and the importance of showing your true identity, sometimes it just isn't as bad as society makes it seem. “The beauty of your face”, a novel by Sahar Mustafah looks into issues such as discrimination, cultural expectations, and the search for one's true self, overall the lesson we can perceive from this text is the importance of embracing one's individuality, dealing with personal struggles with resilience, and finding strength in one's …show more content…

Mustafah writes, “So is this what it comes down to? A piece of fabric - a sleeve? And yet what power it had held from the first time she’d slipped it on at Kowkabs house, a stranger in the mirror staring back at her. And when mama tried to tear it off her head before attempting to take her own with a bottle of Drano. Her hijab had become a thing that attracted sheer fear. And yet where would she be without it?” (Mustafah 280). I came across this sentence in the text and immediately knew it supported the theme of discrimination and cultural expectations. Mama is being judged for her religion, even though it doesn't make her any different from others. Mustafah uses the metaphor of a simile to explain how Nada had a trapped feeling of not being able to be herself and show her true identity. Mustafah writes, “Don't you hate it here? Nada demanded a re-entry. “We’re Americans but they don't want us to act like them.” Afaf had silently considered this, never having quite felt like she ever belonged the same way Julie McNulty and Amber Reeves fit into the world like perfect puzzle pieces” (Mustafah

Show More
Related
1912 Words | 8 Pages

(page 5) Leila said this to the reader when she was explaining some of the complications she faced in her new home country. It made feel sympathy for them because they were constantly put on a stage to be judged by people that didn’t know what is was like to be in their shoes. The imagery in this allowed me to not only see what would happen but to understand and relate to them. Also, the short sentence gives a type of effect on pathos. In a way it is like she is saying it in a sorrowful way.

Read More
1209 Words | 5 Pages

Being in public and having to hide your face and changing all of your personal ways can be difficult. When having confidence in yourself and friends that build it up and help you through your low points in life are the key. Lucy had that one friend and did not understand how to cope with it. Lucy said, “One day when I had a full three or four inches of hair, I was leaving the house with Susie. At the last minute I turned and ran back up the stairs, calling out, “Just a minute while I get my hat.”

Read More
894 Words | 4 Pages

Mr. Igal Sarfaty is a Managing Member of SB Pacific Group, LLC, which he co-founded in 1986. Mr. Sarfaty is responsible for strategic management of the firm, as well as identifying, evaluating, and selecting investment opportunities for SB Pacific Group. Prior to founding SB Pacific Group, Mr. Sarfaty used his entrepreneurial skills to establish several small companies, including a contracting business which he continues to operate today. He has held a real estate license since 1989. His experience as a contractor and his eye for opportunity have helped Mr. Sarfaty negotiate lucrative real estate transactions that have created lasting value.

Read More
1033 Words | 5 Pages

As a Muslim, Kathy constantly wears her hijab since it is a practice. One day before the hurricane, Kathy was on the street, and “a girl of about fifteen was crouched behind Kathy, her arm raised, about to yank the hijab off Kathy’s head” (Eggers 46). At the thought of a teenager trying to pull off her hijab, she was furious because she was judged and made fun of being a Muslim. Her freedom of believing in any religion was being taken away from her. Instead of losing her dignity, she “cocked her head.

Read More
797 Words | 4 Pages

* The article “Reinventing the veil” by Leila Ahmed discusses how the concept of hijabs has changed over time. Back then many people had the assumption the veils would

Read More
542 Words | 3 Pages

Every human culture in the world has standards. There is great pressure to reach these standards. One’s image to others is seen as the utmost important thing. One must follow the rules and the crowd. Everyone has to make decisions in their life that are affected by the people around them.

Read More
1314 Words | 6 Pages

In the vignette “Sally,” Cisneros chooses to write about the symbolism of a girl who is limited to social interaction based on her fathers religion. "They are very strict in his religion… [and] she can’t go out," (Cisneros 81). This line from the vignette represents perfectly how a child’s guardian's religion impacts the child mentally and socially. This represents many homes across the US and globally who depend on their religion to structure their whole life and family members' lives.

Read More
1861 Words | 8 Pages

In addition to some clue words in the text, we can see that most of the main points are figurative language because they may not be correct in real life, but that's what she feels. The figurative language used in this text is very effective in conveying a message. This quote is a good example. She felt she didn't belong, but she would always be related to her family, so technically, she would always belong. In the car, her family ignored her instead of consoling her, and she felt the tension of having all of them disappointed in her, maybe even disgusted that she was their daughter.

Read More
1048 Words | 5 Pages

In contrast, her interaction with The Misfit affects her identity. In an effort to stay alive, The Grandmother perceives her faith as a Christian and attempts to save The Misfit’s soul. She is attempting to not discriminate against The Misfit, despite what he had done to other people, and because of her beliefs. However, this contradicts The Grandmother’s overall identity as racist and prejudice. Whereas God does not discriminate, The Grandmother does discriminate against His

Read More
550 Words | 3 Pages

My childhood was lost because of this, but since coming out a new world has opened. When I started my freshman year of high school I was quiet, extremely introverted, depressed, and always anxious. I didn’t how to make friends, I had no friends, and I was at a new school. My world was turned upside down, but for the first time in my life, I could be who I wanted to be, which was myself. I didn’t want to trapped inside myself anymore and didn’t want to be afraid of what the world could do to me.

Read More
894 Words | 4 Pages

In 1939, Reza Shah’s unveiling declaration sparked a worldwide debate as to what the veil actually symbolizes. Ever since the beginning of Islam, women throughout the Islamic world have had to adopt the hijab as part of their cultural and religious attire due to various interpretations of the Islamic dress code. In addition, the Koran emphasizes purity in the name of Islam by asking both men and women to be modest when it comes to the way they dress. Furthermore, in his efforts to modernize Iran, Reza Shah failed to satisfy the needs of his people, as he gave women no say in what they could and could not wear in public. This eventually resulted in the division of Iranian women, as there were those who favored the Islamic tradition, and those who supported the regime and its adoption of Western values.

Read More
1669 Words | 7 Pages

The issue of the veil has come to represent the essence of Islam, not only to the West, but also to Muslim Conservatives and Fundamentalists. To some in the West, the veil represents repression and constriction of women’s freedom and choice, limiting their capacity for self-determination. However, some Muslims would argue that women must veil because it is a first step towards restoring true Islam and a defiance against the West Interventionist policies (Lazreg, Why Women Should Not Wear the Veil, pg. 113). Additionally, the idea of freedom as the ultimate value, is a western standard and that for some, piety is more important. Lila Abu-Lughod and Marnia Lazreg have contrasting views on the veiling of Muslim women and the affects it has on their lives.

Read More
1846 Words | 8 Pages

Because of this, I suffered from “identity jet lag”; and I always questioned where I belonged. My first stigma to my identity wasn’t from the outside world, but from the people who looked like me; Muslim/Arab women are often discouraged from following their passions, and told to follow a more traditional role. But as I grew older, I recognized

Read More
430 Words | 2 Pages

People act and behave in ways that allow them to fit or blend in, not stand out. This behavior, being part of my culture, is not exclusive to me. In fact, it’s not exclusive to anyone at all. Everytime I ache to be myself, and behave in a way that is natural to me, society hands me an antidote.

Read More
714 Words | 3 Pages

Most importantly one can, and one should, be proud of the person they are. If who they are is the person they’ve chosen to be, they should be proud of themselves more than anything else, because to become a person of your choice is breaking out of forces of nature, time, culture and

Read More

More about True Identity In Sahar Mustafah's In The Beauty Of Your Face

Open Document