Symbolism of Money in Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi

Woman At Point Zero: Symbolism of Money The novel â€Å"Woman at Point Zero† by Nawal El Saadawi tells the tale of a woman, named Firdaus being interviewed by a journalist before her execution. She is in prison on the charge of murdering a man, in an extremely sexist culture, which has a lot of disparity between men and women. One of the recurring symbols in the novel was that of money. Money was a very negative symbol in the novel, and it was highlighted by Firdaus that one could not possess both money and integrity. Another important appearance it made was in determining how Firdaus would live and it seemed to be the factor, which controlled her life and her movements. Firdaus never found freedom until she made her own money, which showed†¦show more content†¦The waters of the river reflected the green of the trees and flowed by as green as her eyes.† This quote foreshadows Sharifa’s future role in Firdaus’ life, and foreshadows her affiliation with money and greed. The prominence of so much green is a symbol of this, and could indirectly represent her materialistic side. Following this, the description of the surroundings was also affiliated with the colour. â€Å" The waters of the river reflected the green of the trees, and flowed by as green as her eyes. The sky over our heads was as blue as the bluest sky, but the colors mingled and everything around radiated this liquid green light, which surrounded me, enveloped me completely, so that I felt myself gradually drowning in it. It was strange, this sensation of drowning in dark green, in a dark green with density of its own, a consistency of its own, like the feel of water in the sea.† This quote repeats the word green several times, and this once again could be a symbol for money. Firdaus describes the colour green as being everywhere, and this could be the case of money in the society at the time. People were insatiable for it, and the fact that it was so common in people, could be the reason for thi s description. The blue being mentioned could be the other group, such as the women and her. These would be people who didn’t fall under this money-oriented spell. Firdaus always led a life of suppression and dependency. Whether she lived with her uncle, husband or evenShow MoreRelatedWoman At Point Zero By Nawal El Saadawi997 Words   |  4 PagesNawal El Saadawi’s eye opening novel â€Å"Woman at Point Zero† exposes the gender inequality, male violence and domination over females occurring in Egypt. Through the character Firdaus, we learn that humans feel obligated to pursue personal desires, but all humans are social primates who feel the need to integrate within a society and eventually conform to society’s expectations. In Egypt it is common for men to possess control over women and they conform to the expectations of society because theyRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This C hange Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesBlack, ed., Modern American Queer History Eric Sandweiss, St. Louis: The Evolution of an American Urban Landscape Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past Sharon Hartman Strom, Political Woman: Florence Luscomb and the Legacy of Radical Reform Michael Adas, ed., Agricultural and Pastoral Societies in Ancient and Classical History Jack Metzgar, Striking Steel: Solidarity Remembered Janis Appier, Policing Women: The Sexual Politics of