Hi!

This thread is for posting your thoughts about the book, letting us know how far you have got! Basically it is for discussion.

Lets do it!

...
[Edited 2/1/05 16:32pm]

I finished it a few days ago. It was tough going in a lot of ways....sometimes hard to keep the time frame clear etc.

But I liked it the more it went on.

What started out being a book about a group of women who were basically "escaping" from the grim reality of daily life under this Islamic regime by joining a book club (lol), became an incredibly powerful and important essay (almost polemic at times) of the relationship between thought and politics.

The books they read, which had no "practical" value, in fact which were denounced by the more dunderheaded Islamicists as being evil because they were decadent (i.e. "western," "liberal," "impractical," "modern" etc) gave them all not only coping strategies but important insights into human relationships, abuses of power etc.

It also figures almost as a call to arms.

Anyone else finish?

I'm only half way through, when i am reading i love the book but i need more motivation i look at it and i know in some places it can be tough so don't bother



and i spend nearly all my spare time on here instead of actually reading

I also liked those sections where she was talking about her teaching (or her graduate studies?) at US Universities: the differences between being a dissident Iranian woman in the 70s and a liberal academic in Oklahoma. lol

p0pRocks said:

It is tough in places. I found that too. It took me a while to get through it.

It might be just as good just to focus on one chapter.

The James chapter was really good. Though the Austen one might be better to discuss.

Sticky status!

2teh9s said:

i just spent ages looking for this damn thread there it is damn sticky i hate acting so blond

Nice thread and a sticky at that!!! I'll seek this book out ASAP. Being Iranian and all I'd feel like a goober if I didn't!

p0pRocks said:

Assume the veil!

PEJ said:

Yeah, I knew that was your background, PEJ. Were you born there or what?

Its a sticky! Thankyou

2teh9s said:

no Germany actually. West Berlin. I don't know why I say that... like the West means anything these days.

no wonder you had this avatar 9s...

PEJ said:

PEJ said:

Please do Pej! It would be cool to have you on board!

(Lleena!) <--

Student said:

lol @ student cuza teacher

PEJ said:

I am both..it's getting confusing!!

Student said:

yeah it's confusing cuz considering you put "(Lleena!) <-- " but now we're off topic so I'm gonna shut it.

2teh9s said:

can i keep my nail varnish on though?

I finnished this about 2 weeks ago so the problem now is that I'm struggling to remember it.

Anyway, for sticky status.

I'm takin my time reading this!! It's interesting how the narrator watches each student, their every gesture and their reactionz 2 Lolita. It'z as though she graspz on2 anything dat they say or do which is motivated by themselves from within, not themselves under the power and influence of the control they are under within their own society.

Like i said in dat last thread, i'm surprised they haven't taken their vailz off, said 'FUCK YOU!!!' 2 it all and escaped to Western society. But dat'z just what western society is to this folk. An escape.

lilmissmissy said:

That's a really good point. Because giving the students who attend her reading group individuality is one thing this book is supposed to be doing.

Though I confess I have trouble keeping them straight.

How do they they react to Lolita? I forget. It's not like they are offended is it?

2the9s said:

Yeah i know!! Their reactionz are made as mysterious to da reader (assuming da reader is a non-muslim westernite) as are their concealing attirez. I know 2 characterz are offended by one who is more liberated (lol forgive me im bad with namez!! ) but none of whom are gasping at what is written in da book. But the narrator does point out dat 'the contractual agreement is that these books are fiction- they are not real' - or something 2 da effect going by memory here, not precise quoting, but they must know dat while these are workz of fiction they reflect something dat can and has happened in the 'real world' just not their 'real world'. Givez a whole new line of thought 2 dat mantra "perception is reality". Makez me think dat there are a plethora of realitiez.
[Edited 2/1/05 20:41pm]

2the9s said:

The single hardest thing when reading this book is keeping the characters straight. As I've said before, some of their names were too similar so it was easy to get them confused. There is no narrative from their point of view so you are left with the author's description. I guess that is why she is at pains to describe every nuance. It also gives them an identity which would be impossible to see with the veil.

They weren't offended by Lolita as such, although I think they talk about the monstrous nature of Humbert, whose tyranical desire to control Lolita is likened to the Islamic rulers control over their lives. I actually really like the proposition that moulding individuals to your dream of what is desirable only makes the individual's life hell, and is always destined to end in failure.

lilmissmissy said:

Having said this, remember how one girl eventually mentions dat she was molested by some relative who was tutoring her in mathematics and somethin else? It'z an open window 2 da merciless power portrayed by da narrator who tellz us that women get stopped in da street for a stray hair, they check their nailz, they check for makeup etc. They claim to be 'protecting' these women, but really it is simply a power trip and she conveys this political point quite explicitely-unpoetically. Cause quite clearly from this point one may see as a reader dat covering these women really does not protect them, and again, as da narrator mentions earlier, actually drawz more attention to them, addz more curiosity to their being etc.

bkw said:

Their namez and faces become a blur 2 me u know for some reason!! IT'z as though yes, she strugglez to make each one individual by analysing each one's behaviour. But at da same time it is as though she has this fear- this fear of knowing dat because they all must adhere to this "uniform" as such dat their faces are lost, their personalities- a blur. Perhapz it is my pre-conditioning as the reader of what these people are. If i didnt know any better, would i still be able to distinguish every character properly? I dont think i would, because if i had to start reading this book with a blind perception of what is going on in the Islam world, i'd still feel a sense of a wall between me and the other characterz. IT is da narrator to whom I feel a warmth towardz, and perhapz her hope dat these girlz will come out of their shellz, as Islamic women.

I totally agree with ya Brett "moulding individuals to your dream of what is desirable only makes the individual's life hell, and is always destined to end in failure"

Thanks Missy

I'd like to hear Lleena's opinion on the book too. Where are you Llee Llee?


.
[Edited 2/1/05 22:04pm]

bkw said:

No problemo BK

Actually i was finkin da same thing, where is she!!

I dont know if you are finnished but what do you think of the proposition that she actually abandoned the girls, and her people, by leaving Iran to live in the USA? I mean, she is a well educated woman in a country where her talents are sorely needed. Do you think she copped out? (I'm not saying she did but just throwing it up there).

bkw said:

I think she has it in her. Does she do it? No! Actually don't tell me i wanna find out!!!