Dreams of Trespass and In the Eye of the Sun

Dreams of Trespass and In the Eye of the Sun

Both novels, Dreams of Trespass and In the Eye of the Sun deal with barriers. In the first one the barrier is a physical one, one that does not allow the women to cross it. While it creates incredible sense of solidarity among the women and a safety net, it also creates despair and a cause to fight for most of the mothers of the Mernissi household. In the second novel, In the Eye of the Sun we also see barriers, but this time they are invisible, more subtle, but equally damaging. Asya’s barrier is of communication at two levels, sexually and emotionally. She is not able to trespass the sexual barrier with her husband and is not able to trespass the communication barrier with neither her husband nor her best friend nor anyone in her family. The women in both of the novels deal with barriers although at completely different levels: one physical and the other psychological.

Fatima Mernissi is a superb writer who introduces the reader into a harem through the mind of a nine-year-old girl. In this autobiographical novel young Mernissi talks uncensored about the contradictions of life in a harem, surrounded by the extraordinary women in her family who are restrained from leaving the family courtyard. These women’s is a struggle of complete lack of freedom. They are not allowed to leave the courtyard except on very few occasions, and escorted by men (Mernissi 39). Their lack of mobility is also accentuated by lack of other freedoms such as education and financial freedom, although they have a voice in the decision making of the crucial changes in the harem life.

Throughout the book the strongest scream of the women is their protest against their incarceration. Their despair is thei...

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...ionalists’ quest for women’s rights. The Mernissi women figth against a physical barrier showing solidarity toward each other, and teaching their children to stick to those of their gender. She is taught to be strong and to never depend on anyone of the opposite gender to save her, while at the same time she is taught that ultimate happiness happens with a good man, in a good relationship. The opening of the harem is gradually coming to the Mernissi household. Fatima is young enough to not be radically affected by the close doors, in great measure thanks to her mother who makes sure she is never measured any lower than anyone of the opposite gender. The effects of gender subjugation and the haremnization of women persist through out the decades even after the doors have been opened. Asya is a perfect example of seemingly open freedom but severe psychological damage.