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