Upon reading “In Camera” by Nawal El Saadawi, I found it fascinating to read about Leila’s court case from the perspective of her subconscious. It was difficult to comprehend at first, but once I started reading more critically I found that it is a sad, yet inspiring story. For her to have left so many men perplexed by one simple statement was astonishing, she stated : “You fool! The most valuable thing I possess is not between my legs” (pg 1113). I don’t think she understood how vulnerable she left the men were rapping her, and also because she didn’t intend to call God stupid, but that is how the men took. She alone condemned a judge without even knowing it. She was so focused on finding her mother, which is also very strange, although a mother is very important figure in one’s life. She doesn’t state why it was important for her to find her mother in the mix of people, though she constantly brings it up.
Leila’s father was also speaking through his subconscious and he understood the implications of having clapped when the judge mentioned that his daughter had called God stupid, but he also knew that once those words were uttered there was no taking them back. He knew, before the judge knew, that he would have to end the public trail and that his daughter would continue to be tortured. Though because of the culture in which they lived where according to Arab- Islamic code of honor, both his and his daughters death were preferable than to face dishonor.
Reading from someone’s subconscious is rather interesting, I was able to understand exactly what she and her father were going through as though I was the one living it. It made me feel as though I should take action against such an injustice, which is exactly what El Saadawi wants us to feel. His ability to draw me in so quickly and want to make a change for a character in a story is unlike any arthur I have ever read, this short story is definitely one I will remember.
I think the lines you referenced are immensely important, not only because they demonstrate Leila’s bravery, but the lines also represent popular misconceptions. For example, the judge introduces Leila’s case when he says, “This student…refers to Him, whom God protect to lead this noble nation all his life, as ‘stupid’” (Saadawi 1109). By saying this, the judge was implying that Leila’s statement was offensive because she ridiculed a member of government that was chosen by God, meaning that she’s insulting God’s choices. Although Leila’s intention most likely wasn’t to question God, officials like the Judge, interpreted it that way and made her appear undevout. Connecting politics and religion creates a difficult situation because it prevents people like Leila from speaking out against government because they will have to worry about people misinterpreting their criticism as questioning God. Also, another misconception that is addressed in “In Camera,” is the false notion that a woman’s honor is based on her virginity when Leila refutes, “The most valuable thing I possess is not between my legs” (Saadawi 1113). Although most of the short story takes place in someone’s subconscious, these moments that do take place within consciousness impact the characters greatly.
Ok!!! After reading “In Camera”, by Nawal El Saadawi I felt sad about the girl Leila, no more than 20 years of age. I wanted her to be released, get the opportunity to see her family again, and get some medical attention. I really felt the passion of this story because woman of the Middle East and many parts of Africa are suppressed an treated like a compost. 1980 was not that long ago, 3 decades, an still today woman living in these countries in fear of their lives, not really supported by government, an just treated unjustly by the hand of men.
I’m not going to lie this story had my head hurting, I really got tried of the drastic and unexpected shifts in the story. It was hard sometimes to really figure out if the story was in her cell or in the court room. After I realized how the narrator was telling her story I realized she was basically internalizing her situation, comparing her ordeal that others, as her aunt and father had, calculating her next move or her response. For instance when she finally made it to court: “I wonder if the judge will ask me to strip and what he will say when he sees that wound, she said to herself”, (El Saadawi 1107). I could not believe they would make her get undressed in a court room! I felt like screaming, hasn’t she be humiliated enough? I know the judge knew about her getting rap! But he was more concerned with how he addressed the court, overdramatizing his power with his blooper: “Imagine, ladies and gentlemen. This student, who is not yet twenty years old, refers to Him, whom God protect to lead this noble nation all his life as ‘stupid’. (El Saadawi 1109). I think he use the wrong word “Imagine”. Because it kind of proved nothing, the person she called stupid which is the president wasn’t there, and the audience was supportive, they showed by clapping an cheering..
this story captured so much in one day. It was like the young lady Leila was going to through so much psychologically, having flash backs of her mother, and connecting to both her parent subconsciously: “Nothing was as painful to her as seeing her mother’s face move further and further away until it disappeared”. (Nawal 1109). This part of the story hurt because she remember her mother telling her she was not a man and how politics are for men. But what hurt her the most is she thought she would never see her mother again. She really didn’t know if her parents was there to begin with due to her eyes being sensitive.
Over all what I got from the story was that a woman stood up for what she believed in, how the president was not God. (how he was stupid I really wanted to know). , “It was kind of vague what she really said”, But through out the story she expressed her empathy with god: “My God! She said to herself: Do animals, like humans, know of the existence of something called God? That was a good question, because they were doing everything to that poor girl, an God was looking down on all of them. But they had her locked up for calling someone stupid.
I found it very interesting how the story was mostly told through her subconscious. I agree with you that it was pretty confusing to read but i felt like it helped get the point across. As i was reading i could actually imagine myself in that situation, in all that pain and everything. I feel like she was looking for her mother because that was probably the closest person to her considering she was also a women. I also think so because she also explained how she felt when they took her away and how the look on her moms face bothered her. This story was very convincing and mind opening due to the fact it was written in 1st person